CHRISTMAS AT THE ASSEMBLY HOUSE
www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk
CELEBRATE WITH US EVERY DAY THIS CHRISTMAS Imagine a frosty city bathed in winter sunshine, a stunning townhouse bursting at the seams with delicious food from the kitchens of Richard Hughes and a warm and festive welcome from an awardwinning front-of-house team all served up in front of a roaring open fire: Christmas is truly spectacular at The Assembly House. Beautiful at any time of the year, the House is transformed into a winter wonderland at Christmas, twinkling with fairy lights and the biggest and best Christmas tree in Norwich. There are hearty seasonal menus, lots of rooms to suit every kind and size of party, our famous Afternoon Tea is given a festive makeover and we have stay-
shop-and-eat offers for our stunning bed and breakfast rooms plus a present selection which will suit everyone on your Christmas shopping list. Enjoy musical enchantment during tea, traditional Christmas dinners throughout December and on the big day itself, let us do all the hard work while you relax and enjoy a fabulous locally-sourced, seasonal feast with your loved ones. And after the festivities have finished, The Assembly House is the breath of fresh air you need to get you through the dark mornings and early evenings that can leave you with the blues – start your New Year with us and then come back for our famous Afternoon Tea offer in January.
From candy cane macarons to succulent pigs in blankets, evergreen bowers to candlelit tables, glamorous parties to romantic dinners a deux, delicious cheese boards to toasty evenings in front of the fire, The Assembly House has thought of every finishing touch to make your Christmas the most magical ever. Why not stay with us for Norwich’s grand Christmas light switch-on which takes place less than two minutes walk from The House on November 16? Father Christmas will be leading a parade through the city on his reindeer-led sleigh and there’ll be plenty of entertainment to enjoy just a stone’s throw from your luxury bedroom.
Perhaps you’d prefer to join us for a hearty breakfast before tackling your Christmas shopping, or a reviving slice of cake and creamy hot chocolate afterwards? How about our wonderful winter afternoon tea before the pantomime at Norwich Theatre Royal next door? And where better to hold your office party than in the Georgian splendour of the House? However you choose to celebrate this Christmas, celebrate with us at The Assembly House – we’d love you to be our guests.
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EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY
FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA
Available for one to 144 diners for lunch throughout the House and for dinner if booking a private room from Friday December 1 until Sunday December 24.
Our famous Afternoon Tea has been given a festive makeover by our pastry chef extraordinaire Mark Mitson – expect the same spectacular sandwiches, scones, cakes and pastries with an extra dash of sparkle and magic.
TO START Parsnip and pear soup, maple syrup and sage (v)
Available from noon until 4.30pm daily from Saturday November 25 to Monday January 1.
FESTIVE MENU
Poached and smoked salmon mousse, pickled cucumber, stout and treacle bread Pressed ham hock terrine, sticky fig chutney, sourdough toasts THE MAIN EVENT Roast Norfolk turkey, pigs in blankets, apricot and thyme stuffing, cranberry sauce, roast potatoes, spiced red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, honey-roasted root vegetables Grilled fillet of sea bass, tomato and red pepper tart, crushed celeriac, apple and chive butter Pumpkin, chestnut and sage Wellington, roast potatoes, honey-roasted root vegetables, spiced red cabbage, Brussels sprouts (v) SOMETHING SWEET Soft chocolate cake, Baileys cheesecake cream, salt caramel The Assembly House Christmas pudding, Cognac custard Stilton and Smoked Dapple cheeses, celery, Bramley apple chutney, Miller’s Damsels crackers ******* Candy cane macarons, chocolate rum truffles, baby mince pies and coffee Available in the restaurant or in a private room for £30 per person between noon and 2pm and from Sunday through to Thursday evenings in a private room at £35 per person (private room rate £38 per person on Friday and Saturday evenings). Prices include Christmas crackers for tables.
Dainty finger sandwiches of… Roast Norfolk turkey, stuffing and cranberry Cream cheese, black pepper and cucumber Norfolk ham ******* Soft brioche roll with free-range egg mayonnaise and cress Cornet of smoked salmon mousse ******* Fruit scone with strawberry jam and clotted cream Cheddar cheese, Colman’s Mustard and chive scone ******* Selection of cakes and pastries made by Mark Mitson and his team ******* Your choice from our stunning selection of loose leaf teas and tisanes Afternoon tea costs £19.95 for one or £38 for two in the restaurant or £24 per person in a private room
Please note, private room bookings require a pre-order and minimum numbers apply.
We have the perfect private room to suit any number of guests – choose from The Noverre Ballroom, The Music Room or the Hobart, Pierce, Kent or Sexton Rooms.
Why not gild the lily by adding a glass of Champagne for an extra £7.95?
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other dietary requirements can be catered for on request. Please book in advance and advise us of your needs.
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CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH Monday December 25
NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER DANCE
A glass of Champagne and a selection of dainty festive canapés on arrival
Start 2018 in style as we ensure a Happy New Year at The Assembly House’s Dinner Dance
******* A little cup of celeriac, Binham Blue and apple soup
Sunday December 31
******* Thick-cut locally-smoked salmon, salmon mousse, pickled cucumber, Bloody Mary dressing Terrine of duck confit, Parma ham, candied orange dressing, watercress, sourdough Baked goat’s cheese in puff pastry, Waldorf salad, baby gem ******* Roast Norfolk turkey, pigs in blankets, apricot, chestnut and thyme stuffing, cranberry sauce Roasted monkfish, green herb stuffing, saffron-braised leeks, pressed potato terrine, tomato and chive butter Parsnip and walnut Wellington, roasted pear, truffled wild mushrooms, white onion, sage and cider cream All served with roast potatoes, spiced red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, honey-roasted root vegetables
******* Kir Royale and a selection of dainty festive canapés on arrival ******* Cappuccino of wild mushroom and sweet sherry ******* Thick-cut locally-smoked salmon, salmon mousse, pickled cucumber, Bloody Mary dressing or Whipped goat’s cheese, beetroot, port and orange syrup, walnut and rye crumble ******* Roasted fillet of beef, ox cheek fritter, smoked potato, roasted parsnip, parsley and caper dressing or
******* Fresh lemon tart, raspberry sorbet, passion fruit syrup
Spinach and chestnut roulade, truffled wild mushroom, parsnip, pear and pine nuts
The Assembly House Christmas pudding, Cognac custard
******* Lemon posset
Three local cheeses, celery, fig chutney, homemade digestive crackers ******* Candy cane macarons, chocolate rum truffles, baby mince pies and coffee Christmas lunch, served in the restaurant and in The Music Room, costs £89.95 per person, under-12s dine for £59.95. Please contact us to enquire about private rooms for larger Christmas lunches.
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Arrival from 7pm, dinner served in the restaurant and The Music Room at 7.45pm, dancing in the Grand Hall from 10.30pm, carriages at 1am
******* A trio of our favourite desserts Marmalade whisky crème brûlée, chocolate salt caramel truffle, raspberry ripple cheesecake ******* Coffee and handmade chocolates Our New Year’s Eve Dinner Dance costs £79.95 per person, under-12s dine for £49.95 7
STAY WITH US…THIS FESTIVE SEASON
STAY WITH US…FOR CHRISTMAS DAY
Our 11 luxury bed and breakfast rooms perfectly complement the grand 18th century Assembly House and every suite is a feast for the eyes. Decorated by celebrated interior designer Annabel Grey, each room is filled with stunning artwork and antiques and boasts a marble bathroom – most with their own freestanding claw-feet dual-bathing baths and all with underfloor heating - cosy ViSpring beds, high-tech in-room entertainment systems and drench showers. Some have private gardens or balconies, others offer wonderful rooftop views of Norwich city centre or across our gardens and courtyard with its famous fountain.
Our guests continually tell us how astonished they are that despite being in the middle of the city, their room still felt like a peaceful, quiet retreat. With free parking and wi-fi, we’ve covered all the details to make your stay with us as effortlessly relaxing as possible. A stone’s throw from the colourful canopies of Norwich Market and the excellent shopping to be found at the award-winning Norwich Lanes, The Assembly House is the perfect place to stay if you want somewhere inspiring to choose the perfect presents for everyone on your Christmas shopping list. Join us for a December Shop-Stay-Eat break and enjoy a complimentary Festive Afternoon Tea for two on arrival. Prices start from £340 for two nights based on two sharing for Bed and Breakfast.
The ultimate indulgent break awaits you at The Assembly House which is ready to open a box of seasonal delights with magical festive breaks in the heart of a Fine City. Arrive on Christmas Eve and enjoy Champagne Festive Afternoon Tea in our decadent dining room before retreating to the room of your choice to luxuriate in Georgian splendour where an Assembly House Christmas gift hamper will await you. Add some extra sparkle to your visit by walking through the winter wonderland which is Norwich at Christmas - take a stroll through the fairy-lit streets, take in a pantomime performance at Norwich Theatre Royal next door and see in Christmas Day at the the atmospheric midnight mass at the stunning St Peter
Mancroft on The Assembly House’s doorstep. Then enjoy the best night’s sleep in the city in one of our luxury rooms. Wake for a sumptuous, locally-sourced and freshly -cooked breakfast and then relax until the main event - a stunning Christmas dinner with all the traditional trimmings specially prepared by Chef Director Richard Hughes and his team. For the evening, we will deliver a hamper of choice cheeses, marvellous meats and other picnic treats to enjoy in your room. After a well-earned rest, join us once again for Boxing Day breakfast before we bid you farewell. Our two-night Christmas break is priced from £695 per couple.
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COOK WITH US… AT THE RICHARD HUGHES COOKERY SCHOOL Our small, but perfectly-formed, cookery school won the top prize at the first-ever national British Cookery School Awards putting Norfolk on the culinary map of the UK, making a gift voucher the ideal Christmas gift. A gift that really does keep on giving! From his stunning new bespoke kitchen, Richard Hughes offers a huge range of courses that will suit home cooks of all ages and abilities, whether you’re a keen amateur, yearning for a career change that will take you into a professional kitchen or just want to increase your recipe repertoire. And there’s no need to worry that too many cooks might spoil the broth: our class sizes are deliberately small so that tutor Richard can give you his full attention and pass on culinary skills to last you a lifetime.
We cook together, learn and laugh together and because we’re passionate about sharing our love of food - our students keep coming back for more. And with those students in mind, our 2018 courses are packed with all-new content and recipes, so if you’ve visited us before, come back and learn something new! If you’d rather sit back and enjoy the view, enjoy a cooking demonstration by Richard with plenty of tasty tidbits, from our ever popular Tuesday evening Masterclasses, Wednesday late morning and lunch clubs or our early evening dine and wine classes. We’ve got more children’s classes, a new school holiday cookery club, the popular Generation Game for children and adults, and courses for future freshers. Vouchers are available for a huge range of classes and events and you can add a gift box for an extra £40 which includes a Richard Hughes Cookery School
COOK WITH US… MAKE MARK MITSON’S FAMOUS FESTIVE GINGERBREAD FOLK! Ingredients:
Method:
350g/12oz plain flour, plus extra for rolling out One teaspoon bicarbonate of soda Two teaspoons ground ginger One teaspoon of ground cinnamon 125g/4½oz butter
1) Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon and pour into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and blend until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
175g/6oz light soft brown sugar One free-range egg Four tablespoon golden syrup
2) Lightly beat the egg and golden syrup together,
To decorate:
3) Tip the dough out, knead briefly until smooth, wrap
Writing icing Cake decorations
in clingfim and leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
add to the food processor and pulse until the mixture clumps together.
4) Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. 5) Roll the dough out to a 0.5cm/¼in thickness on
apron, sweets made at The Assembly House and other foodie treats.
a lightly floured surface. Using cutters, cut out the
Visit www.richardhughescookeryschool.co.uk to browse through the options.
your fancy! - and place on the baking tray, leaving a
gingerbread men, ladies, tree shapes - whatever takes gap between them. For decorations, use a skewer to make a small hole in the top of each biscuit.
* There are still spaces on some of our festive cookery classes and events such as a hands-on game class on November 28 and an Italian Festive Baking demonstration and dinner on December 5. Visit the website for more details.
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6) Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly goldenbrown. Leave on the tray for 10 minutes and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling. When cooled decorate with the writing icing and cake decorations. 7) Accept all praise graciously.
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ARE YOU DREAMING OF A WHITE…WEDDING? It may be cold outside, but there’s always a warm welcome for your wedding party at The Assembly House. Transformed into a romantic winter wonderland twinkling with fairy lights and the biggest and best Christmas tree in Norwich, we can offer endless photo opportunities for couples capturing their first magical moments of married life together.
SPECIAL FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEAS WITH PIANIST ANTHONY ISAACS
Indoors, our range of beautiful Georgian rooms create a wonderfully regal backdrop for a winter wedding with show-stopping chandeliers, roaring fires, opulent decor and hearty menus designed by Chef Director Richard Hughes and his talented team of chefs.
Our in-house wedding team will guide you every step of the way towards the day of your dreams, whether you’re planning an intimate wedding for close friends and family or a huge event with a reception for several hundred guests, we will create the perfect bespoke wedding for you. Licensed for civil and partnership ceremonies, and also a spectacular backdrop for sophisticated hen parties and anniversary celebrations, it’s the most wonderful time of the year to enjoy the most important day of your life when you become Mr and Mrs, Mr and Mr or Mrs and Mrs at The Assembly House.
Get into the Christmas spirit as you enjoy our Festive Afternoon Tea (see p4) accompanied by seasonal tunes played by pianist and Assembly House favourite Anthony in our decadent Music Room. Tea is served on communal tables that seat 10 people. Why not invite family and friends to make up a whole table? Musical Afternoon Teas are on December 10, 17 and 24, arrival at 2pm, tea served at 2.30pm, £25 per person, full payment required at the time of booking.
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Give friends, family, staff members or valued clients a gift they will treasure – for example, our famous Afternoon Tea with or without Champagne for two, a voucher to spend on a decadent dinner or lunch or the height of luxury, a stay in one of our luxury bed and breakfast rooms in the heart of Norwich. Gift vouchers from The Assembly House and The Richard Hughes Cookery School are the perfect present to give…and to receive.
Whether you’re searching for the perfect present for the would-be chef in your life, the cake connoisseur or the foodie in the family we have a wonderful array of gifts to guarantee delight on Christmas Day.
RESTAURANT BOOKINGS A maximum number of 10 people per group for the Christmas menu and the Festive Afternoon Tea menu
BEDROOMS
PRIVATE DINING:
FESTIVE AFTERNOON TEA MUSICAL EVENTS And if you can’t quite decide what to give, choose one of our all-purpose vouchers with a monetary value from £10 so the recipient can choose for themselves how they’d like to enjoy time with us at The Assembly House. Perfect for the people who have everything this Christmas, vouchers are available to buy at www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk or from our reception desk at The House.
NEW YEAR’S EVE A deposit of £10 per person is required to secure a booking. The full balance is due by Friday December 1. Full payment is required at the time of booking if made after this date.
Only available for parties of 11 or more people (minimum numbers for each room apply). A provisional booking will be held by The Assembly House for a maximum of 14 days, after which time we will require a £250 deposit, along with a signed contract to secure the booking (this deposit is non-transferable and nonrefundable). Full details will be required by The Assembly House a minimum of one calendar month before the event date. The estimated final invoice will be issued at this time and is payable in full two weeks in advance of your event date. The balance of any other charges will be invoiced after the event and must be paid within seven days of the invoice date.
GIVE THE GIFT OF LUXURY TO YOUR LOVED ONES with perfect presents from The Assembly House
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Full payment is required at the time of booking. Full refunds can be obtained in the event of a cancellation up to 72 hours before the event. No refunds will be given after this time. There are no concessionary rates for these events.
A deposit of £50 is required to secure the booking and full payment is due at check out. In the event of a cancellation more than 48 hours prior to 12 noon on the day of arrival, any deposit will be fully refundable. If cancelled between 48 hours and 24 hours of arrival, 50 per cent of the room cost will apply. If a cancellation is made within 24 hours of arrival, 100 per cent of the room rate will apply. All prices are inclusive of VAT. CHRISTMAS DAY STAY A deposit of £200 is required to secure bookings which is non-refundable and non-transferable. The full balance is due at checkout. If cancelled between seven days and 24 hours of arrival, 100 per cent of the room rate balance will apply. We will make every effort to resell the room and refund any monies paid in full.
CHRISTMAS DAY A deposit of £10 per person is required to secure a booking. The full balance is due by Friday November 3. Full payment is required at the time of booking if made after this date.
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CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AT THE ASSEMBLY HOUSE HOW TO BOOK Email:
[email protected] Call us: 01603 626402 Visit us online: www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk Book in person: The Assembly House, Theatre Street Norwich
