MY rule of thumb is to never do anything festive until December 1 - Christmas feels less special when you start having mince pies in November.
But when The Anchor Line invited me to sample its brand new Christmas dinner... well, it would be rude to say no.
The St Vincent Street restaurant is following up the sold out success of its festive Dine In/Out menu from last year with a new Christmas line up.
And, despite it still being October outside, inside the high-end eaterie it felt like Santa was due any minute.
Our group was given a sample of exactly what it will be like to dine in The Anchor Line from December 1.
The Christmas menu will be on offer from the first of the month and is £34 for lunch, or £37 on a Friday and Saturday, and £42 for dinner, rising to £45 on a Friday or Saturday.
If Christmas at home is more your thing, the restaurant is also serving a dine-at-home menu to take the stress out of food shopping and cooking.
The three course meal is £85 for two people and will be delivered on December 23 - or you can collect it on Christmas Eve.
Everything is pre-cooked - including the turkey breast joint and all the trimmings - so you just heat it all up and following the assembly instructions.
With the huge demand for plant-based eating, it's amazing how many restaurants still get it wrong when it comes to set menus.
The dreaded risotto makes a vegetarian's heart sink every time.
Not at The Anchor Line.
I went for a classic soup as my starter with sourdough bread while my friend had the prawn cocktail to begin.
It was a tomato soup, a staple dish done with additional flare. It tasted like there roast capsicum in there to liven the flavours up while the home baked bread was wholesome and delicious.
My main course of pumpkin and sage tortelloni with butter sage, toasted pumpkin seeds and a shallot and white wine reduction was far from the bland veggie options of your standard set menu.
It was a robust dish with proper egg-yolk yellow pasta, a creamy filling and lightened up with the smattering of seeds and pea shoots.
I'm told the traditional turkey main course was also incredible.
A turkey ballotine came with pancetta, pork and chestnut stuffing, chipolatas, fondant potato, roast vegetables and pan gravy.
An almost licked-clean plate told us everything we needed to know.
Affogato - vanilla ice cream with a shot of espresso - is one of my favourite desserts but
I opted to branch out and try the mango cremeux with raspberry gel, blackberry mini meringues and edible viola flowers.
Our meal also came with some incredible cocktails that looked beautifully festive and tasted incredible too.
The Anchor Line certain knows how to do things in style so if you're looking for a
Christmas meal with some vintage glamour, this is the place for you.
To find out more about the dining options and eat at home menu, see: www.theanchorline.co.uk/christmas-2021
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