Grain: Savour 24-Hour Black Tea Brined Turkey & More Innovative Dishes From Their Christmas Buffet 2019

‘Tis the season for joyous celebration, customary gift-giving and, the best part, glorious feasting. If you’re like me—a bonafide homebody—then Christmas at home sounds about right.

This Christmas, instead of the usual Yuletide goodies, why not go for something that still promises delicious festive delights but with a clever little twist? I’m talking the likes of turkey brined for 24 hours in black tea, spiced basmati rice with pomegranate just to name a few.

If all these sound exactly what you would like this festive season, then Grain would make your Christmas a tasty and exciting one indeed.

Grain promises to be a little different and more creative than your run-of-the-mill caterer. Grain’s menu is designed by former chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants so this is your turkey, roast and salads, taken to the next level.

Grain’s tasteful and sophisticated Christmas set-up is complete with elaborate pine displays that will surely get you in the festive mood.

When it comes to buffets, the natural inclination is to stuff yourself silly and pile your plate so high you can’t even see the person in front of you. But come the next hour, you’ll realise you’ve sunk into the depths of a very uncomfortable food coma. I know I can’t be the only one.

However, with Grain’s Christmas Buffets (starting from S$18 per guest), you can indulge with peace of mind. Instead of going heavy on the seasoning, Grain uses an extensive array of herbs and spices to bring out the flavours of each dish. You won’t have to hit the gym so hard come New Year’s.

As with any Christmas buffet, it seems incumbent that we start with a quintessential Christmas item. The crowning jewel of any Christmas buffet has to be that beautiful turkey. Grain’s Maple Glazed Whole Turkey (S$118 as an add-on) is guaranteed to turn heads.

This bird has been lovingly brined for 24 hours with black tea, stuffed with a medley of root vegetables and slow-roasted, then, topped off with a maple glaze. The brine is a smart move on Grain’s part since brining helps protect the delicate white meat whilst ensuring a tender and juicy bird.

Turkeys are aplenty during Christmas and the trouble with most of them is that they tend to be dry and a tad bland. Nevertheless, given Grain’s calibre of chefs, I was excited to give their turkey a try.

I started with the dark meat, the more forgiving portion and flavourful portion of turkey. Grain surely did not disappoint, the turkey was well-seasoned and juicy with just a subtle fragrance from the black tea peeking through.

The soy maple glaze further enhanced the savouriness of the turkey, making it a real toothsome mouthful.

Now, for a real test on the cook of the turkey—the white meat. Historically, white meat can be a little finicky, cook it too long you’ll be eating cardboard that will lodge uncomfortably in your throat. With Grain’s turkey, I have to say I was pretty impressed.

The turkey was unbelievably tender and juicy, coupled with the sweet and savoury maple glaze I found myself reaching for seconds.

Another essential component of Christmas buffets has to be their sides. Grain offers a trio of salads of Dill Yogurt Seafood Salad, Autumn Kale & Brie Salad and Tamarind Vinaigrette Capellini that will suit anyone’s fancy.

I started with the Tamarind Vinaigrette Capellini, which came with topped with sliced olives, cherry tomatoes and edamame.

The use of tamarind was unexpected and surprising since tamarind is usually found in savoury Thai dishes. I appreciated the Asian slant towards the salad. It lent a refreshing and tangy note to each mouthful, which paired well with heavier selections from the buffet.

For those who want to get their greens in, the Autumn Kale & Brie Salad would do the trick. A real feast for the eyes, expect a bed of dark green curly kale, peppered with blushing quarters of crunchy Japanese radishes and juicy orange mandarin slices.

Plus, there were also hefty wedges of brie because it’s the holiday season after all.

The nuttiness of the kale complemented both the tanginess of the radish and citrusy burst of the mandarins. Each forkful was piquant and well-balanced, kale salad never tasted so good.

One can never go wrong with pasta and the Wild Mushroom Pesto Pasta is sure to be the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Grain’s Wild Mushroom Pesto Pasta came chock-full of meaty mushrooms surrounded by charred cherry red tomatoes.

The earthiness of the mushrooms worked well with the creaminess of the pesto while those cherry tomatoes helped cut through the richness of the pasta. A real delight indeed.

To get you in a truly merry mood, the Christmas Spiced Rice is a unique little number from Grain that needs to be in your repertoire.

Here you’ll find fluffy basmati rice, with chunky thyme roasted pumpkin cubes and little nuggets of pomegranate scattered throughout the rice.

The basmati rice is a nice touch, as not only was the rice fragrant but also lent a slightly nutty aroma to the dish. The pumpkin was herby and still had a good bite—always a brownie point. While the pomegranate seeds provided little bursts of sweetness, this made for a light and innovative option for sure.

Another classic buffet item, the Sweet Citrus Salmon Parcel is sure to be a hit. The salmon was prepared the classic French way—‘en papillote’—which simply means wrapped in paper and baked.

With a mixture of lemons and lime to brighten up the salmon and classic pairing of dill, there are no complaints here.

Another show-stopper from Grain’s menu has to be their Slow-roasted Beef Tenderloin (S$128 as an add-on). Delectable slices of beef tenderloin sat neatly in rich cranberry sauce atop roasted potatoes.

Those buttery beef medallions still had that ruby red centre and undoubtedly served as a good companion to the sweet and rich cranberry sauce.

Grain is more than just dishing up delicious catered food, Grain is about creating experiences that will stay with you. Their Campfire Hot Chocolate Live Station is certainly a fun one to have this Christmas.

Created to mimic the feeling of roasting marshmallows over a fire, this ingenious little set-up will leave you feeling all warm and toasty this Christmas.

Your cup is first filled with smoked applewood, which makes for an excellent moment on Instagram, then topped off with a decadent serving of 100% Belgian chocolate. What you get is a smoky rich hot chocolate that is unlike any hot chocolate you’ve ever tried.

What’s left to do is to dip your perfectly roasted marshmallow that’s sprinkled with a pinch of pink salt into the chocolate; a multi-sensory station that’s sure to be a hit for all ages.

Christmas just isn’t Christmas without the obligatory log cake. Grain’s Lychee Rose Yule Cake (S$42 as an add-on) was pretty as a picture, adorned with a matcha crumble and freeze-dried raspberries.

The matcha crumble was a nice touch, adding an interesting texture and look to the cake. As far as log cakes go, this one was light and airy. My only gripe was perhaps the lychee flavour could have been a little more prominent throughout the cake.

But otherwise, it still made for a dainty little treat to round out my meal.

In the spirit of Christmas, Grain has prepared a little surprise station as a way to show gratitude to the people around you—be it your colleagues or family.

We won’t give much away as to what it is exactly, but it’s a thoughtful little gesture that will be a hit with your guests.

Sometimes, the best parties are small, intimate gatherings with your nearest and dearest. With Grain’s Christmas Buffet To Go, you can have all of Grain’s mouthwatering nosh packed in stylish party boxes. More information on Grain’s Christmas Buffet To-Go items here.

Grain’s Christmas Buffet set-up was certainly a step above the rest, from the decor to the buffet selection it’s clear that every element is deliberate and well-thought-out. Grain pays close attention to the little details and spares no effort to make you feel the Christmas spirit as you tuck in. For that, you can entrust Grain with your Christmas parties.

As a special early bird Christmas treat, Grain is offering a complimentary Lychee Rose Yule Log for orders placed before 18 December 2019. All you have to do is quote SL4GRAIN, this way you can literally have your cake and eat it too!

Expected Damage: S$17 – S$32 per pax (with a minimum of 30 guests)

*This post is brought to you in partnership with Grain.