The Orange, Chelsea.

I may have been a little bit greedy and eaten my first Christmas dinner already. And you know what? It was a GREAT one.

7 of us descended upon The Orange on Pimlico Road on Sunday, for a pre-Christmas catch up and of course, a whole lot of food and wine. The venue itself is rustic and beautiful; Stripped wood, roaring fireplaces and exposed brickwork meet with natural light, open spaces and warm welcomes from the excellent staff.

We all ate from the 3 course Christmas Menu (£36 per head) which included all the traditional choices, like Smoked Salmon, Turkey and Christmas Pudding, alongside excellent alternatives for those who live in fear of too much Turkey! Despite the restaurant being packed on a Sunday afternoon, the service was great. Our wait team always made sure our water glasses were full, wine glasses topped up and that there was just enough time before all the courses, so that we neither felt ignored nor rushed. I personally opted for the Chicken Liver Parfait to start and when I asked for some extra toast it was there within seconds and was no trouble at all, which is great when you consider how many covers were being looked after. All but one of us ordered the traditional Turkey roast for our main course, and all of us were blown away by the portion sizes – they certainly don’t leave you feeling hungry! Huge slices of turkey, crispy potatoes, yorkshires, braised red cabbage, roasted winter veg, stuffing, bread sauce – it was all there in abundance and was delicious. Our 7th companion opted for the steak, which may have been slightly over the Medium he had requested, but was still thoroughly enjoyed.

The dessert selection had everyone confused as the options were all so tempting – but the cheeseboard was a clear winner for me. Generous chunks of some fabulously ripe cheeses came accompanied by oat biscuits, crackers, honey, chutney and juicy plump grapes. Far too much to finish but all much appreciated! The rest of the table enjoyed the melt in the middle chocolate pudding (which looked divine) and allegedly one of the best Pecan Pies around – high praise indeed.

I adored the venue, the food and the service and would most definitely return, either with a group of friends or on a more intimate date. The final cost including wine (which we certainly didn’t skimp on!) worked out at around £65 each, which I think is exceptionally good value for the volume and quality of food and drink we consumed.

Highly recommended!

The Orange (Bar, Restaurant and Hotel) can be found at 37 Pimlico Road, SW1W 8NE Tel: 0207 881 9844

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