Mr S and I are very much in the festive spirit this year. It’s our first Christmas as a married couple, and though we’ve spent the last few Christmases together, this one feels extra special.
So last Saturday we decided to brave the crowds of Oxford Street and head to Le Chalet, an alpine themed pop-up restaurant on Selfridges rooftop.
We entered the busy store and headed over to express lift which whisked us up to the 5th floor and this gorgeously cosy pop-up.
Isn’t it magical? Sparkly lights and twinkly things just define Christmas for me!
We’ve popped up here before to try out ‘On the Roof with Q‘ and we loved seeing how the previously Summer-themed open space had been completely transformed into a cosy ski lodge.
With a festive fireplace for Santa to drop through…
And an open kitchen…
We just had to try one of Le Chalet’s Choctails…
And we went for a choc-work Orange. It was like a hot-molten Terry’s chocolate orange in a glass topped with a good helping of whipped cream. As you can imagine it was totally, totally amazing!!
The other cocktail that we chose wasn’t such a hit, the Winter Orchard contained Beefeater, Poire William and apple juice. It was very bitter and I couldn’t drink it…though it would definitely suit other people’s taste.
The menu at Le Chalet focuses on seasonal and locally sourced ingredients meaning the menu is very wintery…perfect as the days are getting colder.
Mr S tucked into a rich Oxtail soup with winter dumplings.
While I chose the lighter option of beetroot cured salmon served with blood orange. The dish got the salmon connoisseur’s stamp of approval.
We also shared a deliciously autumnal plate of pumpkin hummus with flat bread.
For my main course I chose spicy prawns…I totally loved them but a word of warning…they were very spicy and as I’d chosen a side of chilli broccoli too, my mouth was burning a bit. It’s fine for me…I like super spicy food but don’t chose the prawns if that’s not your thing. They were very well cooked but a tiny bit oily and it was difficult to eat them out of a bowl as there was very little space.
So far so good in terms of food, but I’d read a few negative comments about the service. It certainly wasn’t terrible but our water glasses were never refilled, I had to ask for cutlery and for a plate for the shells, and they were slow to bring drinks. Not terrible crimes and it wouldn’t stop me recommending the place as the food was great. Also it was incredibly busy so I do suggest making a booking as you really wouldn’t miss out on those amazing choctails.
Another thing I loved about it was, though the restaurant was covered and pretty warm, they provided blankets on every chair in case you start to feel a chill.
For main course, Mr S chose an epic portion of short rib with a parsnip mash. Mr Silver loves ribs and was thoroughly enjoying his meal. But then something strange happened… he couldn’t finish it and left half the meat…I’m telling you this has never happened before and it was totally shocking….
Even stranger…when he saw his favourite dessert ‘Apple Streusel with lashings of custard’ on the menu, suddenly he wasn’t quite so full…
The streusel was a delicious festive end to a lovely lunch (I’d recommend a portion of ice cream on the side too) and feeling warmed from the inside we headed down to face the crowds for a bit of shopping in Selfridges.
Now with Christmas on the mind, I have a little festive offer for you. I love having a real Christmas tree, and ever since I’ve lived in London I’ve ordered my tree from Pines and Needles.
I live in a high rise flat in Central London and, before I was with Mr Silver, I had no car so being able to get my tree delivered was ideal. Pines and Needles grow trees on their own plantations so a huge degree of care and control ensures the trees are both environmentally friendly and beautiful to look at. As you can see from the picture above, my tree had lovely fluffy branches and it made my whole flat smell of the forest.
I was also sent these beautiful luxurious glass baubles from Lizard Orchid, which would make the perfect addition to a luxe tree.**
And here’s the finished product after Mr S and I decorated it…
The trees are available in all different sizes, we went for a six foot tree as our flat has quite a high ceiling and it fitted perfectly. Another thing I like about it was that the pines were quite soft and didn’t prick my fingers while I was decorating it.
In terms of service the tree arrived exactly on time and I received an email in advance to remind me of it’s arrival. I would recommend that when you buy the tree you also pay for the delivery drivers to set it up, especially if you get a larger size. For very busy people, you can even get the full service and have your whole tree decorated and when the festivities are over, Pines and Needles will pick it up and dispose of it.
And now for my offer….if you use the code SLVLDN14 you will receive a free mini tree, holly and mistletoe:
Isn’t it a cutie! Perfect for a kiddies bedroom!
I really hope that you enjoy your tree if you order one and a big Merry Christmas from myself and Mr Silver!
Le Chalet
Selfridges Roof Top
400 Oxford Street
London
W1H 6HB
0207 318 3287
*Baubles and frosted branches are not included. I receive a commission on every tree purchased and though Pines and Needles approached me for this promotion, I genuinely do use them every year.
**Blog updated to include PR Sample
