Christmas dinner and music at Hogan's of Hale...

Tucked away in the pretty Cheshire village of Hale, Hogan’s of Hale* is a live music and restaurant venue which I was delighted to be asked to experience last night. 

We arrived to find Hogan’s looking so seasonal with festive garlands and a beautiful Christmas tree glittering in the reception. The open plan design of Hogan’s give the space an immediately welcoming ambience, with a sweeping bar area which gives way to the stage area on the ground floor and a mezzanine Bistro restaurant level above which looks directly over the stage.

Hogan’s of Hale showcases a variety of great live music in an intimate setting, and we were fortunate enough to be invited to the Dougie James and The Soultrain evening consisting of dinner and the music show. This band has a loyal following dating back decades and the talented singer and musicians perform an array of well-known classic soul music. 

We were warmly welcomed and shown upstairs to the stylish restaurant where we took our seats. We were kindly given some of the best seats in the house on a table which directly overlooked the stage. I was excited to see the musicians already warming up for the performance!
I sipped a crisp Chenin Blanc as we perused the special festive menu which consisted of several mouth-watering options of starters, mains and desserts. We decided on two courses, a main and a dessert, and as soon as I saw the menu I was impressed by the use of local and seasonal produce such as Kidderton Ash goat’s cheese and Cheshire turkey. We tucked in to a basket of fresh baguette with farmhouse butter as we decided what to order.

I was immediately swayed by the option of Cheshire turkey with traditional trimmings as the whole environment was so festive and I have not had a Christmas meal yet this festive season. I was delighted to be presented with delicious turkey served with roast potatoes, gravy, chestnut stuffing, honeyed carrots, sprouts, pigs in blankets (sausage wrapped in bacon) and cranberry sauce. I was so impressed by the food which was delicious and beautifully presented, my desire for a hearty Christmas meal was satisfied by this divine plate!

 My dining companion chose 8oz sirloin steak which was cooked to perfection and served with pont-neuf potatoes, red cabbage, green beans and Bordelaise sauce. The flavour profile of this dish was excellent and the steak was perfectly cooked whilst the accompaniments complemented this so well. The Bordelaise sauce was delectable and I was impressed to see the addition of this as it added a further gastronomic flair to this dish. Bordelaise sauce is always a classic and this enhanced the steak so much with the red wine really coming through.

For dessert I could not resist Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, which was rich and boozy with plenty of fruit and a tangy topping of redcurrants which drew out the flavours. My dining companion chose chocolate brownie with candied pecans and ice cream, a delectable treat indeed. The brownie was full of soft and chewy texture and chocolate flavour whilst the candied pecans were an irresistible treat which sat so well against this dessert.

Full to the brim of wonderful food, we sat back and sipped a second round of drinks as the show began with classics such as ‘rollin' on the river,’ ‘lovely day’ by Bill Withers and 'My Girl'. The band really raised the roof and everyone was getting in to the spirit of the evening, dancing and clapping along to the live music. It was such a fun atmosphere and the downstairs bar area was full of people enjoying the performance. We were privileged to have such a super view of the show and the acoustics of the venue made the night even more memorable. We had a lovely chat to Barry Hogan, who owns Hogan’s of Hale and he told us all about how much fun it is to run a place like Hogan’s of Hale which is renowned for excellent entertainment as well as delicious food. 

We had such a lovely evening and it was really festive. I like the fact that you can go to Hogan’s of Hale for either the music show or dinner or combine both in to one evening. They have recently introduced an indulgent new lunchtime festive menu too which is ideal for friends, families and business lunches. The menu comprises appetising starters such as beetroot cured salmon with horseradish Crème Fraiche and Parsnip and Honey Soup. Mains include Cheshire turkey with trimmings and chestnut stuffing, cod supreme with savoy cabbage, samphire and tomato sauce Vierge and wild mushroom risotto with black truffles and Pecorino cheese as well as classic desserts such as Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, vanilla crème brulee with shortbread and British cheese board.
Mmm, now all I need is another Christmas meal as I am thinking about the amazing food last night! Thank you so much to Hogan’s of Hale for a truly festive evening, I am now really in the Christmas spirit! I think that Hogans's of Hale is a great place to visit for a celebration such as a Christmas meal or simply for an evening of great entertainment, dinner and drinks! 

Hogan's of Hale 

Crown Passages

Hale

Cheshire 

WA15 9SP

0161 929 1755

The Bistro 

0161 929 9524

So that is all from me for now. What do you all think, do you like the idea of enjoying live music alongside a few drinks or a delicious meal in the Bistro at Hogan’s of Hale, which of these dishes would you like to try? As always I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post! 

Until next time,

Camille

xo

*Disclaimer

I was kindly invited to experience Hogan's of Hale, the meal and music show were complimentary for review purposes. All opinions expressed herein are my own and honest.