My Homemade Christmas Dinner in Nottingham

Last night was our Christmas party and like many other companies we set out for a meal in Nottingham. Our chosen venue this year was a cafe called Homemade. For most of us, we meet at the seasonal pub installed on Old Market Square as part of the city’s Winter Wonderland. Known as the Good Elf, the place was very busy with celebrations and I was lucky enough to purchase one of the last available mulled wines before the new batch had to be heated. This started the evening in good spirits as we overlooked a lot of the traditional rides and stalls across the square. Some of us were even foolish enough to take on the Northern Star ride, taking them 60m high above the Nottingham streets. Quickly we moved on the Homemade for Christmas dinner and what a dinner it was! Homemade is a café on Pelham Street on the way into Hockley from the market square. It wasn’t a traditional choice for an office Christmas party – there was no theme night, no disco and we had exclusive use of the place. Sitting at the back of the café we had all pre-ordered our three course meal choices for the sum of £20 per person – at this time of year a very reasonable price. I had ordered Garlic Mushrooms, Turkey (I’m quite traditional with Christmas meals) and cheese board. The Garlic Mushrooms were outstanding and a very encouraging starter. What most inspired me was the flavour of the garlic and the mushrooms. Quite often on a dish like that it can easily become bland but my starter was excellent and most of my colleagues agreed that the flavours were good all round. When the mains arrived, it took the meal onto a totally new level. Not only was my Turkey thick and succulent but the cranberry sauce was ssoooo full of taste. And the vegetables – there was plenty to go around with sprouts and parsnips galore leaving me almost as stuffed as the turkey itself. Again, it wasn’t just my dish that was well received, a colleague had salmon and was very impressed by the way it was cooked. Fish can so easily be over-cooked but this one was just perfect. By the time the desserts arrived, the evening had already been won. My cheese board was immaculately presented and once again full of flavour. Maybe I’m getting to be an old grump but I’ve never much been a fan of themed party nights with mass catered food for Christmas Dinners, and my experience at Homemade was just my thing. I have never eaten such an outstanding Christmas Dinner, and for that Homemade have come up trumps. I’m definitely a convert and will be heading back again to try something else, although maybe a little less filling next time.