As we may have mentioned before (several times, Ed.), the 5pm Dining blog remains nostalgic for the good old days of the drink-enhanced lunch.
We’re not talking anything daft. Just a G’n’T snifter while perusing the menu followed by splitting a bottle and then returning to the office for a gentle nap.
Or, if the boss was around, an hour or two of paper shuffling before making a bolt for the exit.
It wasn’t always productive but the boozy lunch was good fun and played a vital part in the traffic of gossip, not to mention staff bonding.
Those days are long gone but, a bit like Brigadoon re-appearing from the mist every hundred years, the opportunity for a slightly liquid lunch does swing around each Christmas.
Whether you fancy a festive lunch with your work colleagues or a slap-up feast with friends or family, here are a few suggestions to chew over.
1. Gamba in Glasgow city centre
Seafood is always a welcome, light option at lunch and Gamba is one of Glasgow’s best known seafood restaurants.
In fact, the West George Street restaurant has just celebrated its fifteenth birthday.
They have a 5pm menu which, along with a glass of house wine, offers two courses for £18 or £21 for three.
The exact dishes vary depending on the markets but we recommend you try their famous foup, or fish soup.
Made with crabmeat, stem ginger, coriander and prawn dumplings, it has been known to make grown men cry with pleasure.
2. October Café and Late Bar in Glasgow city centre
One of the great pleasures of lunch is watching the rest of the world go about its business while you enjoy yourself. At The October Café and Late Bar on the rooftop in Princes Square, the North and South balconies are especially good for people watching.
Currently, October is offering two courses from their festive menu at £15.50 per person.
The price includes a cocktail and features choices like the crayfish salad or the pan-roasted breast of chicken served with sautéed potatoes, buttered vegetables and gravy.
3. Cucina G+V Royal Mile Hotel in Edinburgh Old Town
At Cucina restaurant in the G+V Royal Mile Hotel, the regional Italian cooking from Head Chef Mattia Camorani is certainly good enough to raise anyone’s Christmas spirits. Especially when your three course meal is paired with matching Glenmorangie whiskies.
As an example, the main course of rabbit with raisin and toasted hazelnut, soft polenta, radicchio salad and rabbit jus is paired with the magnificent Glenmorangie Lasanta.
£40 per person for the three course Glenmorangie meal, served with matching whiskies.
4. Tempus Grand Central in Glasgow City Centre
A glass of wine with lunch can often encourage day dreaming and the swish Tempus restaurant in the Grand Central Hotel is a particularly apt venue for such a past time.
The 5pm Dining blog likes to imagine that we are having lunch with some of the hotel’s previous guests. Frank Sinatra, The Rolling Stones and Roy Rogers, along with his horse Trigger, have all had rooms at the hotel in the past.
Including a glass of fizz or a soft drink, diners can enjoy two or three courses from the Tempus Christmas menu for £18.95 or £21.95 for two or three courses respectively.
5. Boteco do Brasil in Edinburgh Old Town
For a different spin on lunch, take a look at the ceia Natalina or Christmas menu at Boteco do Brasil. We like the sound of the tender pork loin with prune sauce followed by Romeo y Julieta – guava jelly with Brazilian cheese.
If a Brazilian lunch doesn’t tickle your appetite then you could have the ‘peru recheado’ – roast turkey.
£14.95 per person for 2 courses on the ceia Natalina menu. £16.95 for 3 courses. Includes a glass of Prosecco.
For more options for festive dining, check out all our Christmas dining offers here.