London, December 2008

Tis the Season To be Jolly Boisdale In the Festive Mood Countdown to Burns' Night 2009

By the nature of its Scottish heritage there are few more festive locations in London to celebrate the Holiday Season than Boisdale of Belgravia and Boisdale of Bishopsgate. Both restaurants are geared up to welcome regulars and newcomers to a backdrop of tartan and Christmas red, offering a full a la carte menu and a series of special Christmas menus for parties of 11 or over.

Diners at Belgravia will be treated most nights from 8 December * to Liz Fletcher & the Boisdale Blue Rhythm Band. Fletcher is a classy Peggy Lee-styled mainstream jazz singer who will be performing ‘50s-style standards, Christmas favourites and original material. Eric Ranzoni Blues Band will also offer their unique blend of piano blues, rock'n'roll and classic pop songs on the nights of 13, 19 and 20 December.

For patrons who have managed to get all their Christmas preparations done in time, Boisdale of Belgravia and Boisdale of Bishopsgate are both offering a special Christmas Eve Brunch on 24 December. Bishopsgate will be serving from 8 am to noon while Belgravia will be offering brunch from 11 am to 2.30 pm with the bar menu available until 5 pm.

While Bishopsgate will be closed for Christmas, re-opening on Monday 5 January, at Belgravia it will be business as usual from Tuesday 30 December and will be celebrating Hogmanay in true Scottish splendour on 31 December. (Closed on 1 January).

A sumptuous three-course menu will be served at £65 in the Auld Restaurant and Courtyard and at £90 per person, including jazz charge, for those dining in the Macdonald Bar. From 10 pm Keith Nichols & the Cotton Club Band will be performing the biggest hits of the traditional jazz era from the '20s, '30s and '40s and will count down to when Big Ben chimes at the turn of midnight.

Burns' Night 2009

Being London's top Scottish restaurants January will be no less busy for Boisdale, culminating with the 250th anniversary celebrations for the birth of Robert Burns. Burns' Night at Boisdale is a celebration that will last from Monday 19 January until Wednesday 28 January at Boisdale Belgravia and from Tuesday 20 January to Friday 23 January and Monday 26 January to Thursday 29 January at Bishopsgate.

All the ritual and ceremony associated with a Burns' Supper will be on offer at both Boisdale restaurants. A piper in full Highland regalia will pipe in the haggis at each participating table from 7pm until 11pm and the speaker will address the haggis with all the verses of An Ode to Haggis and conduct the ceremony in the traditional manner.

Three set Burns' Supper menus at Boisdale Belgravia and two at Bishopsgate, featuring Scottish sourced ingredients, will be offered and in keeping with tradition, a noggin of Johnnie Walker whisky will be served with the haggis.

Seasonal Treats for the Holiday Season

Boisdale also offers suggestions and ideas for last minute presents by offering a selection of specially branded products and seasonal treats. Suggestions include Boisdale's range of Limited Edition Single Malt Whiskies; Boisdale's own branded award winning claret, champagne and Wild Scottish Smoked Salmon.

Boisdale's range of limited malt whiskies for 2008 includes Laphroaig 1990, arguably the peatiest of the Islay malts, Mortlach 1991, a rich sherry cask Speysider from the oldest distillery in Dufftown, and Dalmore 1997, a complex Highland dram from the northeast coast that packs a punch way beyond its years. The Boisdale Limited Edition range of malt whiskies are taken from cask by Berry Bros. & Rudd and limited to the number of bottles within that cask.

Reflecting the time when claret was Scotland's tipple of choice, Boisdale offers its own No.4 Claret that has been created and bottled by the Sichel family in Margaux. To compliment the claret, Boisdale has its own champagne. Boisdale NV Georges Gardet, Chigny-les-Roses is a complex, classic vintage style made with the finest grapes sourced only from the very best Grand Cru & Premier Cru rated vineyards.

As famous as Scotland is for its whisky, it is equally famous for its outstanding smoked salmon. Boisdale is offering its own branded Wild Scottish Smoked Salmon that has been created and smoked specifically for the restaurant by the Springwells Smokehouse. The Smokehouse is situated in the ancient cathedral town of Dunkeld, on the banks of the River Tay. Winner of six Gold Medals between 2000 and 2008, Springwells Salmon is cured in dry salt and then smoked over whisky barrel chips and oak dust. No additives, flavourings, enhancers or colourings are used. This is smoked salmon as it always used to be and a classic on any Holiday menu.