Suggestions for Christmas Eve dinner this Saturday

By Angela Ye

Christmas is just around the corner! For all of you who couldn't make it home for the holidays, as always Shanghai will keep you swimming in sumptuous Christmas meals. Below we've selected a few options that caught our eye, from the non-traditional to the best bang for your buck. Make sure you call for reservations, as many places tend to fill up. Take a look, and take your pick!

The Purple Onion
The Purple Onion is offering one of the few a la carte options in the city. They'll have a selection of starters, main dishes, and desserts, including chestnut and truffle soup, roast turkey stuffed with prunes and delicious Christmas mince pies. Tel: 6248 8747
48 - 178 RMB // 5:30pm // The Purple Onion // No 16, Lane 351 Huashan Lu,near Changshu Lu (华山路351弄16号,近常熟路)

Bocado
Celebrate a hispanic Christmas this year at Bocado, where Chef Jose Lara is preparing four courses of classic Spanish dishes. Spanish cod fish, pumpkin soup, slow roasted boneless-leg of lamb and a soft nougat pudding for your sweet tooth. Tel: 1801 727 0340
250 RMB per person // 5pm // Bocado // 2/F, 47 Yongfu Lu,near Fuxing Xi Lu (永福路47号2楼,近复兴西路)

Piro
Cure your nostalgia for a traditional Christmas dinner at Piro! They will be serving an all American menu with pumpkin soup with cinnamon croutons, mashed potatoes topped homemade gravy, cinnamon tendorloin, greenbean casserole, and much much more! Best of all, it's only 285RMB for all you can eat! Call 5403-8513 for reservations before Dec. 22.
285RMB for adults,100RMB for kids. Add 150RMB for free flow beer, wine and mixed drinks // Seatings at 5:30 and 8:30pm // Piro // 91 Changshu Lu,near Changle Lu (常熟路91号,近长乐路 )

Maya
Leave the Mayans to end the world's last Christmas with a bang with a four course meal featuring a south American favorite, the ceviche tower, and a mouth watering achiato guajillo chili, butter roasted turkey, fish albondigas in chipotle sour tomato broth with mussels, corn, zucchini julienne, roasted artichoke and queso fresco- all complemented with two glasses of mulled wine, sangria or wine. Tel: 6289 6889
350 RMB per person // 5pm // Maya // 2/F, Grand Plaza Club House,
568 Julu Lu near Shanxi Nan Lu (巨鹿路568弄 四方新城俱乐部2楼，近陕西南路)

MoonSha
Come prepared to MoonSha because they've got nine courses of delicious traditional fun with a Japanese twist thrown in. Their menu is offering grilled lobster served with red wine, fried lamb chop drizzled with honey-miso sauce, and classic sushi and sashimi. They will also have Australian steak with port wine sauce, and black tiger prawns.
499RMB // 5:30pm // MoonSha // Five on the Bund,3/F, 20 Guangdong Lu,near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu (广东路20号,外滩五号3楼,近中山东一路)

Cachet
Cachet is cooking up a delicious meal for customers starting with Alaskan King Crabs, smoked salmon, and caviar and vodka station for adult. For kids, there will be a kids corner furnished with chocolate fountains, candies and Santa to keep them busy while the parents eat!
688 RMB per person // 6pm // cachet // The Langham Xintandi Shanghai,1/F, 99 Madang Lu,near Taicang Lu (马当路99号1楼,近太仓路)

Mr & Mrs Bund
Mr and Mrs Bund are pulling out the big guns for this year's holiday season. They're presenting 5 menus for their Christmas Eve feast, including 'French Tradition' and 'I Love Truffles.' Their set menus will have Paul Pairet classics that you just can't resist featuring their jumbo shrimp citrust jar, passion-choco foie gras opera, and their truffle burnt soup. Tel: 6323 9898
750 RMB- 3,999 per guest // 6:30 pm // Mr & Mrs. Bund // Bund 18,6/F, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu,near Nanjing Dong Lu (中山东一路18号6楼,近南京东路)

Ambrosia Japanese & Yakiniku Restaurant
Not in the mood for a traditional Christmas? Ambrosia's got you covered with a holiday buffet of Japanese favorites. There will be a quality sashimi bar, cold and hot dish stations, tender slices of Kobe beef and delicious premium seafood. Rounding our this meal will be assorted cakes and sweets. Dinner will also include a free-flow of Paulaner beer, house wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. In the spirit of Christmas there will also be a lucky draw for an iPhone 4, iPad 2, and restaurant vouchers! Tel: 6431 3935
RMB 388 + 10% for lunch (no alcohol), RMB 858 + 10% for dinner // 5:30pm // Ambrosia //150 Fenyang Lu, near Yueyang Lu (汾阳路150号, 近岳阳路)

M1nt
Not just a place to party, M1nt is preparing a 5 course meal for their guests! Starting with Alaskan King crab, they will also have beluga caviar, seabass carpaccio yuzu, truffle oil and salmon roe, duck and white pepper consomme, foie gras, spinach ravioli, turkey ballotine, roasted potatoes truffle sauce, and brussel sprouts. Rounding out this marathon of a meal will be traditional christmas pudding!
880RMB // 7pm // m1nt // 24/F, 318 Fuzhou Lu, near Shandong Lu (福州路318号, 近山东路)

Classy Christmas Eve at Leonardo’s
Have a classic Christmas dinner at Leonardo's with "gillardeau" oyster on cucumber cream, a slow cooked salmon topped with butter and chervil sauce, veal sweetbread, lobster, and finished off with chocolate and chestnut cannoli paired with Bailey's ice cream. You can enjoy all of this with live piano performances and a lucky draw to win TVs and a 4 night Hilton stay! Call 6248-7777 for reservations.
1,388 RMB or 988 RMB + 15% service charge // 6pm // Leonardo's // 1/F, 250 Huashan Lu,near Yan'an Zhong Lu (华山路250号上海希尔顿1楼，近延安中路)