Last Celebration Meal

This post was really intended for yesterday but I had a problem with my server last night so here it is today.

I went out for my last Christmas meal on Thursday night with another group of ex-colleagues and friends. It's funny how I have been out more this year than on previous years when I was still working. There were ten of us in the party, including Cathy whose birthday bash I wrote about last Sunday. We re-visited Firehouse Rotisserie as we had enjoyed a meal there back in September. The following is an extract taken from sugarvine.com 'FR's bring a distinct and unique flavour to the dining scene with a real feel of California and its regional cooking. Not faux or homogenised, you can really buy into what is happening in L.A and the South West Coast'. Well I don't know if this is case but I have been there twice and enjoyed both meals.
I don't know what you feel but I often find Christmas Menus to be quite boring with little choice and the food is not cooked with any particular care where they are catering for large parties (or am I being too fussy). Well I needn't have worried as this was not the case at Firehouse where we had four choices for each course ordered in advance. I decided on Chinese Chicken Salad with Spicey Sesame Dressing Toasted Almonds and Wontons, this was attractively presented was not too spicey. This was followed by Slow roasted shoulder of Chew Valley Lamb Ancho Cabernet Gravy and Mint Coriander Gremolata. I am assuming the lamb is reared locally in the Chew Valley which is on the outskirts of Bristol. I suddenly remembered I should be taking photos and I quickly took the main course but it was quite dark and the flash rather ruin what was in fact a nicely presented meal (I don't think I will ever get the hang of photography). The lamb was very tender and full of flavour, the vegetables were just slightly overcooked for my taste (I was the only person to choose lamb) but as far as I am concerned I had made the right choice.




For dessert I opted for Sorbet with Champagne which had a lovely lemon tang and was quite light. I don't usually eat three courses and I was pleasantly surprised at the end of the meal to find I was not left feeling stuffed.