Alexander's Christmas Menu, Skipton

For many Christmas can be one of the most stressful times of the year. If you feel like a break away from all the organising then enjoying the delightful Christmas menu at Alexander's could just be the tonic.

They seem to have their finger on the pulse where celebrations are concerned: in July they celebrated their first anniversary with a white party, on the first Tuesday of every month they hold the Gin and Jazz evenings with pianist and vocalist Tom Seals. For Christmas they have a magical pop up alpine restaurant as well as Santa Sundays where for £10.00 per child a visit to see Santa is included, along with a story telling experience and a gift too.

Procuring and retaining good staff at the restaurant cannot be easy - the pool of talent available in Skipton will not be as big as somewhere like Sheffield. However Alexander's have succeeded by having well trained, attentive and professional staff which besides the food makes the restaurant such an attractive proposition.

The Christmas menu is pre-bookings only for a minimum of 2 people and runs until 24 December. Three courses are £29.95 Monday to Thursday and £35.00 Friday to Sunday with live entertainment on the latter days.

I chose the Duck and Smoked Ham Terrine as my starter, a thick piece which was probably just a little too much for the amount of bread served, though I am sure that more bread would have been available had I asked. The Terrine tasted just as good as anything I have had in France.

My partner went for the Caramelised Pumpkin and Parmesan Veloute - thick and savoury it was the perfect start to the meal.

We both chose the Butter and Sage Roasted Breast of Turkey for our main, the perfect Christmas meal. Thick tender cuts of turkey served with proper sausages wrapped in bacon and sausage meat that tasted fresh and meaty. The roast potatoes cooked in Duck fat were crispier than a winter's morning in the Dales, whilst the vegetables of carrots, sprouts and parsnips were cooked just as I liked them, though my partner thought for her they were a little hard. How you like your vegetables though is personal preference.

If you didn't fancy the traditional Christmas menu there is also 14 hour braised Ox Cheek Bourguigon Style, Salmon Wellington to Lightly Spiced Cauliflower and Butternut Squash wrapped in Filo.

My dessert of Alexander's Homemade Magic Rock Dark Christmas Pudding was very rich in fruit, moist and filling. My partner went for the Pear and Almond Frangipane which she enjoyed but thought it was not firm enough for her liking.

Good to see the cheese on the Cheese Slate served at room temperature, which gave a real kick back to the blue Cheese and a firm yet very mature cheddar was superb. At £6.00 extra it was good value.

Huge cups of proper coffee and warm mince pies are £3.00 extra but worth every penny as the pastry was light and sweet with proper sweet mince inside.

It felt like we had been to a top class restaurant in London with service to match, it was only when we stepped outside to the quietness of Skipton on a late Thursday night that proved you do not have to travel far if you want something very special.

Alexander's, 4-6 High Street, Skipton
Telephone 01756 228030
www.alexanders-Skipton.com