Just walking up to the entrance to Rosso I already began to feel festive. The 114-year-old, Grade II listed building plays its part very well in framing my visit to sample Rosso’s Christmas menu. Bright white twinkling lights, Rosso red and the grand interior conjure up images of a time when Christmas was cool, when Frank Sinatra crooned about roasting chestnuts and sat in Chesterfield armchairs by roaring fires.
As I awake from this daydream I remind myself of why I am actually here, to sample the Rosso Christmas Menu. Rosso’s new Christmas menu can be booked as a lunch menu, 12 noon – 4pm for £25.95 per person or as a dinner menu, 4pm – 11pm for £36.95 per person. Each menu is three courses with crackers.
We were having the Dinner menu and, after pulling a cracker with a food related joke (I did laugh) and a Rosso red hat (coincidence – I think not) we were brought our starters. I went for the Terrina Alla Rosso, a Chicken liver & pistachio terrine with a mulled wine and red onion compote. I was trying to go for the more festive menu items and the terrine injected this skilfully with the mulled wine compote. My companion went for the Taglierini con Gamberoni, which was my (christmas) star. Angel hair pasta tossed in Truffle oil with tiger prawns, garlic and mixed wild mushrooms, a very well put together together dish indeed. Highly recommended.
Bright white twinkling lights, Rosso red and the grand interior conjure up images of a time when Christmas was cool, when Frank Sinatra crooned about roasting chestnuts and sat in Chesterfield armchairs by roaring fires.
For the main course I had the Corona di Agnello, a rack of lamb with a grain mustard crust, roasted with baby onions and a honey jus. This was proper roast fodder, with its rich jus, super sweet onions and pink lamb (but not too pink – to suit all tastes) served with well cooked crunchy veg and crunchy roast potatoes. This was a excellent main, and if it could be described as a perfect winter dish my companion’s main of Spigola (Boneless seabass fillets with roast sweet peppers, blush tomatoes and garlic butter served over a pepper puree) could be called the perfect summer dish or antidote to winter. To finish we had the delightfully boozy Trionfo di Dolci (trio of desserts) – a perfect end to a delicious meal!
The Rosso christmas menu is a great menu, serving excellent Italian dishes, each with a hint of festivity thrown in, with options for bah-humbuggers and Mediterranean summer lovers a like.
On a final note, we were also entertained during dinner by an excellent crooner whose style suited the atmosphere at Rosso very well. It would be great to see him there in December singing a few Christmas numbers…
