It was a mixed bag
It’s that festive time of year again, when the arrival of the Coca Cola truck and the launch of the latest Wetherspoon Christmas menu herald the true arrival of Christmas.
From a budget-friendly mulled cider to a side of pigs in blankets or simply some solid comfort food, has the Spoons offering got your back? I wanted to find out.
Perhaps the most obvious and crucial meal on the new menu was the Christmas dinner itself. Wetherspoon’s version consisted of sliced turkey breast and winter vegetables. It came complete with sage and onion stuffing, carrots and parsnips, mash, two pigs-in-blankets, peas, cranberry sauce and gravy.
My plate was practically swimming in gravy and I’m almost certain an entire can of peas was used for my meal alone. The mash was far from lumpy and so received my seal of approval straight away.
I found the turkey was a bit lacking in flavour but considering both the price and portion size one can hardly grumble. The star of the show, without a doubt, was the pot of Emmental and cheddar cheese sauce. It accompanied the Big Cheese burger and was sheer deliciousness.
It was like a warm hug after being out in the chilly weather. I could’ve bathed in this sauce. Moving on from the sauce to the burger itself, it lacked a certain sparkle. The brie slices weren’t melted, but considering the tastiness of the two halloumi fries perched on top, I’m willing to overlook it. The same goes for the festive loaded chips. In my view, they were neither loaded nor particularly festive. It was essentially a smattering of pigs in blankets tossed onto poorly-melted cheesy chips.
There were other options on the menu, including vegan choices and a festive pizza. However, after sampling three dishes, I felt it was time to switch to something sweeter.
We ordered both desserts on offer: the giant profiterole and a cookies and cream blondie. Visually, there were no issues but when it came to the taste there were several. Both arrived lukewarm, leaving us wondering whether they were meant to be served warm or cold.
An appropriate temperature wouldn’t have saved the dessert but certainly would have been a step in the right direction.
Christmas dinners are a bit like Sunday dinners: everyone thinks their mum’s is the best. I won’t be ditching my own family on Christmas Day in exchange for a Wetherspoon’s lunch but I would appreciate it if my mum mastered their cheese sauce this year.
My Wetherspoon Christmas meal receipt
- Sliced turkey breast and winter vegetables with a soft drink £14.99
- The big cheese burger with a soft drink £12.65
- Two portions of two pigs-in-blankets £3.24
- Festive loaded fries £8.99
- Giant profiterole £5.58
- Cookies and cream blondie £5.58
- Total: £51.03
