On Christmas day in Melbourne, you want the lunch menu to be overwhelmingly long. You need to be able to jump between a buffet of ocean-fresh prawns, carefully-glazed roast meats, refreshing summer salads, piles of crisp taters and a table of festive puddings to properly satisfy the Yuletide traditions of the chilly old country and the Southern Hemisphere cool-down requirements. If this is your multilayered desire for Christmas Day, you won’t find a feast that hits every mark like the set up at the Essence Restaurant.
This spot at Melbourne Marriott Hotel is serving an epic feast on the most festive day of the year. Executive chef Karan Negi has designed a stunner of a Christmas spread that traverses Australia’s Christmas menu.
At the seafood buffet, you’ll get to feast on Moreton Bay bugs, Alaskan king crab, house-smoked salmon and more. If you’re seeking out a salad that’s more than just a side dish, try the green beans, pancetta and baby tomatoes that are sprinkled with feta, almonds and lemon dressing, or a healthy helping of the roasted butternut pumpkin with miso, coriander, and chilli.
We know you’re holding out for the roast with lashings of tangy gravy, and luckily the Essence has whipped up a triple-threat roast meat party. Choose between a salty-sweet smoked Berkshire leg ham, a ballotine of turkey with maple pecan stuffing, and a 24-hour roasted beef creation (or go wild and enjoy all three on one plate).
All of these fabulous dishes kick off with an impressive antipasto, bread and dip spread, and have a sweet conclusion in the form of pavlova, tiramisu, plum puddings, Portuguese tarts and more. And if you want to really get the party going, you can lock in drinks with a three-hour package of flowing beverages included in the premium ticket price.
All the merriment is happening at both lunch and dinner seatings, and kids under five get to join in the fun for free.