Restaurants open Christmas day for dinner? [General]

2015 Dec 20
My mother is insisting on eating out for dinner on Christmas day.
She wants to go somewhere nice and wants to go to Chateau Laurier for dinner- it is almost $100 per person.

I do not really want to eat out, also do not want to be stuck with a huge bill and having to pay that all myself (has happened before, I had a soup, mother spent $150 on her food for herself and forgot her wallet at home...)

I already did order the holiday vegan meal from Whole Foods, Mushroom Strudel, Squash and Apple galette and thought this would make a great meal at home!
I had ordered the Whole Foods vegan thanksgiving dinner and thought that was good-ate all the side dishes myself,my mother did not want any (which is fine).

So, where is it possible to get a fancy turkey dinner in a restaurant?

2015 Dec 20
This article "5 great places to have Christmas dinner in Ottawa" lists Casino du Lac Leamy @ 33$ And for a "relaxed vibe and traditional Christmas dinner" Elgin Diner @ 16.99$
www.ottawalife.com

Le Cafe has a Christmas Lunch menu @ 39$ and dinner @ 62$ Both with vegetarian options (main burrata ravioli)
nac-cna.ca

Festive lunch @ 35$ and dinner menu @ 55$ up to December 23 both with vegetarian options (main cauliflower steak)
nac-cna.ca

There's also a past forum posting that lists hotel restaurant options
Forum - What's Open On Christmas Day?

2015 Dec 20
If she was my mom, I'd bring her here.

ottawacitizen.com

Humility.

Gratefulness.

2015 Dec 20
Thanks, Cap. I was about to post the same thing.

... or, just ask if she has her purse when you leave the house.

Call in sick for Christmas. That works. Then, maybe it'll stop being such a problem the next year.

We all understand not wanting to have to put on that huge production for other people every single year. Maybe this is just your turn.

She seems to have made a couple of things clear:
- she wants to go out
- she wants a nice turkey dinner
- she forgot to bring money once (that isn't a trend)

2015 Dec 20
Lol, the "forgot to bring money" well, that was the one time it was a lot more.

I have not mentioned all the small things here and there where she "forgot" her wallet.
Also, she did that a lot more to my sister and stiffed her on 6 months rent and many thousand dollars this year.

Calling in sick would be good,but doubt that would work if she is here until the 29th at least.
I do not mind cooking,but my mother is so picky about stupid things and then changes her mind every 5 minutes.

First, oh she really wants a vegetarian meal. So then I get whole foods Thanksgiving meal and she wants nothing of it and decides she wants some turkey and chicken- when she was a vegetarian until a couple weeks ago.

She only wants food from The Table or Green Door and she is a vegetarian....but she wants turkey also.

I went to Shore Club a couple months ago and she told the waitress she thought the mashed potatoes were not well prepared because she could tell the potatoes were put in cold water before being cooked- so that dish was not very good.
The tomatoes in her appetizer did not "taste organic" and so can be very poisonous if you eat tomato that is not organic, it is really bad for you.
-yes, she really did tell this to the waitress.

Her grilled salmon was too overcooked and not that great, she mentioned this AFTER eating it and did not specify how she wanted her dish cooked.

Ok, enough of my rant for today...!

Thanks for all the good suggestions and links. I will look at all of them today.

I know I could pick up turkey to cook at a butcher shop or the farmer's market even, but my mother would prob find a way to complain about anything I cook.
I actually cook really well and did work as a prep cook for 6 months while in high school, but also had made pies and desserts from scratch at the place I worked at (I know pies and desserts is not prep,but they had me doing that anyways....).


2015 Dec 20
Wow.

If she was my mother I wouldn't even bring her where I suggested. I would consult Dr. Phil.

Life Law #8: We Teach People How to Treat Us

www.drphil.com

2015 Dec 20
I'd call the b**ch out on this impossible, childish behavior.

If you don't, then suck it up and live with it. Your choice.
Tell her you love her and love spending time with her, but if she continues to act like this you just don't want to deal with it anymore and she can stay where ever-the-hell it is that she lives.

There are "inlaw boards" out there that you can go to for help on this - I think the big one is on the Baby Center website but I will check with my wife. She always reads it and talks about some of the completely insane stories she gleans from there.

2015 Dec 20
uhmm, prettytastyreview, do you mind if I ask how old your mom is?

Is she forgetting other things such as pills, appointments, etc?

If she is over 70 and forgetting other things, you might want to suggest to her to schedule a memory test (MOKA) with the family doctor. The stats on Dementia for the senior is pretty staggering. something like 25% of all those 85 years and older and double every 2 years.

2015 Dec 20
Yeah I guess as per FoodTravel she may not really be in control of what she is doing. In which case get her some help.

Here is the inlaws board - DWIL - Dealing With Inlaws. My wife says they give really good advice.

community.babycenter.com

2015 Dec 20
Sorry the stats for dementia doubles for every 5 years of age, not 2..

2015 Dec 21
Well,
thanks for putting up with my rant "everyone"!

I am trying to be patient with my mother and have not gone to any holiday dinners with her side of the family (was stepfather, mother and stepfather's family)- in at least 4 years.
My mother kept on changing her plans so many times at the last minute that I just did not want to go anywhere.

My mother is 65, she has had some mental health issues this year,so I think partly she does not realize what she is doing.
Maybe also not taking the correct medications? (no idea what she is sup to be taking- she never talks about anything personal with me or my sister-only with her own sister).

I do know quite a lot about Alzheimer's as my dad had that when he was 70 and eventually had to go to the Perley nursing home.
This was at least 20 years ago though- he had to stay in the unit where they lock the doors so patients do not get lost or escape.
I'm not very old, in my 30's, but my dad was 30 years older than my mother (parents divorced when I was 5).

Guess my family should be on Dr. Phil or whatever the Canadian version for dysfunctional family would be.
Well, no one on my dad's side of the family is alive now (father born in 1929, deceased in 1998 around, embarassed I forget the exact year right now....).

Well, I guess if my mother does need more mental help, she can always call her sister or show up at the hospital, or see her doctor.
She does not want to tell me anything really personal about herself- she has always been like that.
I know what sports she likes, food-sort of and what music she likes...that's about it.

2015 Dec 21
Not being medically trained and not knowing your mom, I cannot begin to guess what is the issue.

I know I got my parents on blister pack recently and found out that my mom sometimes miss doses. So now my dad and also I are checking too. If your mom is not on blister pack made by the pharmacist, maybe you or better your aunt can convince her to do so.

Sound like your aunt is the one your mom is close to and might know what is happening. If you are comfortable with talking to your aunt, maybe ask her (without her breaking any confidences if any) what is happening and that it is distressing you. You can also ask her how you can better interact / cope / manage with your mom's behaviour. Your aunt had a lot more practice and might be able to give you some advice.

2015 Dec 21
PTR: I feel for ya! Xmas boggles my mind as most family functions I have been to have really been family dysfunctions. Here I thought it was just me. I find alot of ethic places are often open on Xmas day so you may want to consider something along those lines. Tell your ma that is where you are having dinner and she is welcome to join you if she wants ;)

Shit I would love to host an Xmas orphan potluck but would get shot for such an idea.

2015 Dec 27
Ended up going to the Chateau Laurier for dinner on the 25th.
The evening buffet service was ok, but I found they really were lacking in the presentation dept and on informing people what the cheeses and desserts were.

None of those things were labeled.
Then, only knives and not really anything to use for cutting these huge wedges of cheese.

-and a "mushed up" remainder of either Brie or Camenbert or ???
I skipped the cheese table as I did not want to really eat some wedges of cheese where hundreds of people's hands had been on them, and out on a table for how long??

Also, a lot of the hot dishes, the serving spoons were all stuck with dried up sauces on them and no one replacing them.
So trying to get some food out of the hot buffet containers was kind of yucky.

*I did not want to be a B!tch and ruin anyones holiday dinner,so have not contacted anyone at Chateau Laurier yet.
I have also been extremely sick since my dinner on the 25th-not sure if it was food related (I did have really bad stomach pains about 1 hour after eating and did not stuff myself at all-was actually hungry when I left...lol).

Now about the Chateau's cheese table, I have been to at least 5 cheese tasting events at Whole Foods this year and they are always very good with their display and cleanliness and how they label the cheeses.
They also had the cheeses cut into large cubes with toothpicks in them.
When I went to a fondue sampling- that was very well run!
The fondue was nicely displayed in a pumpkin (super cute),but the person serving the fondue was wearing gloves and would dip slices of bread and put them on a little place for you with some fruits and sausage and other items.
So, you did not dip your own food!
I have a couple pictures of the Whole Foods display as some people were taking pictures to remember later,so I thought that was a great idea.

Whole Foods had their cheese displays with a parchment or other paper under the cheese and the kind of cheese and country written in black letters below it.
It was very easy to read and photographed well too!

2015 Dec 27
Cue rant: I swear to fnck, the next time I'm anywhere there's a cheeseplate and some neaderfnck puts his entire hand on the whole piece of cheese to cut off a piece from the one part that he isn't touching, I'm stabbing him through the hand, the cheese and down into the cheeseboard with one of those silly little cheese knives...if the knife was in contact with the jalapeņo Monterey Jack, all the better.

2015 Dec 28
Is it really expecting too much for the cheeses at least to be labeled?
Esp if you are paying $100 for a meal plus drinks?

My mother used to have dinner receptions for 50-100 people, she would have to organize dinners for my stepfather's business and foundation.
She would label the cheese just with a sign on a toothpick with the kind of cheese and country.

Also saves you from answering the same questions a hundred times.
I'm not an expert on cheese,but generally have an idea. But if you have a white rind cheese that looks like brie, camenbert or maybe it is a goat or sheep cheese that looks like that?
I have seen a bunch that look so similar.

There was one cheese in red wax, now I shop at a store nearby where half the Polish cheese is in red wax. Baby Bel also is in red wax and the Red Dragon cheese I buy also comes sliced in red wax.
How the Fck am I supposed to even guess what this could be- esp if it is dimly lit too?

2015 Dec 31
Update,
I heard back from someone who was responsible for the buffet service/event at Chateau Laurier.

I was told that for the 8:30 seating (the one I was at)- they left the dishes and foods out from the previous meal- and that was why the roasted salmon dish was almost empty with a caked on serving spoon.
Also, was told they should have changed the serving utensils and overlooked that.

Was also told that usually for the cheese section at the brunch, they are labeled...but they forgot to do that for the holiday meal.

I know their shrimp and oyster platter was out quite a few hours and I did get quite sick from that.

I was not even offered a discount or anything after talking to the person who was responsible for the meal service.
But was told someone in another dept is usually responsible for that and they are supposed to call me today sometime.

Well, not overly impressed with their response.
Guess I will wait and see.
There is already a couple of places I already avoid for food (stores,not really a restaurant).

2015 Dec 31
I wonder if the City of Ottawa health dept. might be interested in this.

2016 Jan 1
Probably.

I spoke to the chef that was running the buffet for almost half an hour by phone and am somewhat appalled at some of the practices that day.

I know I'm fairly observant as I used to mystery shop a ton of food places (stores,sit down places, chain places, local stuff) and also prob a ton of retail (anything non-food related).

I thought of calling Ottawa health and know you can fill out a form online either anonymous or w your contact info and they will look into that.

I did not submit any complaints about food to the city last year, but had 3 different issues in 2014.

(one was kind of dumb, wanted to know what the fake scallop I had was made from, staff had very bad english. I did find out,I'm avoiding that item on the menu at a buffet place).

*Had a piece of ROPE in a chocolate chip cookie from a bakery on Bank st.

*Foodbasics walkley, when they have yogurt or some dairy on sale they just stick it on a wooden pallet. No refrigeration for the whole day.
I've seen this at least a dozen different times.

2016 Jan 1
"I spoke to the chef that was running the buffet for almost half an hour by phone and am somewhat appalled at some of the practices that day."

Do you want to share any details of this call ? How did he/she respond ? Any offer to compensate ? Any resolution ?


2016 Jan 1
Hi,
the chef told me that he was not in charge of compensation for the restaurant and that it was the manager and I am waiting to hear back from someone else.

So, was actually surprised there was not even an offer of a partial compensation.
For a meal that was $100 per person, the buffet should have been better.

The dessert table was pretty good-except for the lack of labeling along with dim holiday lighting. But the desserts were very tasty.

For a buffet, I find the NAC has always been really good with presentation and their display of food.
-Even the Whole Foods breakfast buffet was quite well presented-considering that one was just $12 was even more impressive.

Well hopefully someone from Fairmont Chateau Laurier will get back to me soon. I'm assuming since it is Jan 1 they are either busy or have a day off??

2016 Jan 7
Finally heard back from someone at Fairmont Chateau Laurier.
They were quite apologetic and offered me their High Tea meal for two.
That seems fair, I have not tried that yet- but have eaten at Zoe's lounge and their Sunday Brunch a couple times and it was quite good.

2016 Jan 14
The High Tea is usually very nice. Classy, good service, exceptional little sandwiches.
Price-wise iirc it runs about $50/pp. Ask them to throw in a glass of Moet each.


2016 Jan 14
Hi,
went for high tea- I can't really drink with a large meal and feel well, and my mother was driving-so she does not drink during the day.

But as my mother does not eat much meat,I asked if they could substitute some cheeses instead and I do not eat beef or ham (unless there is nothing else around or I am forced to-I have a few funny stories of my being made to eat ham at a friends house....)

They did give us a nice cheese plate with 5 cheeses and some chutneys.

I will def go back for their small plates menu.
The high tea is good,but I like their small plates and app menu best.

I also got to meet one of the chefs and the person who runs the catering dept there!


2016 Jan 15
Glad it worked out.. Pretty sure anyone senior was not working Xmas day and likely more junior ones drew the short straw in the schedule. Maybe standards are not kept as high by those forced to work on a holiday.

2016 Jan 16
I'm going to pipe in with a pedantic comment that the Chateau Laurier does not in fact serve High Tea; rather, they serve an excellent Afternoon Tea. :-)

High tea is the evening dinner of the working class. From Wikipedia:

High tea (also known as meat tea or tea time in Ireland) usually refers to the evening meal or dinner of the working class, typically eaten between 5 pm and 7 pm.

High tea typically consists of a hot dish, followed by cakes and bread, butter and jam. Occasionally there would be cold cuts of meat, such as ham salad. The term was first used around 1825, and high is used in the sense of well-advanced (like high noon, for example) to signify that it was taken later in the day than afternoon tea; it was used predominantly by the working class and in certain British dialects of the north of England and Scotland.

2016 Jan 16
I was just thinking that Warby;)

Here's a photo of the holiday afternoon tea (they had it up to around New Years). The chocolate Christmas log and scones were my favourite:) The sandwiches were nice too. It's a special holiday treat (they also have nice cocktails and prosecco in addition to amazing tea selection). The ambiance feels timeless and magical and the service was impeccable!
It's on the high range for cost and you can the experience at home for less but the historic venue, scones, amazing staff and tea selection makes it extra special :)

2016 Jan 16
REPRESSIVE IMPERIALS, GO BACK TO ENGLAND!

2016 Jan 17
This was the High Tea on Thurs last week.
I see for the one above- that is what happened to the "leftover" desserts from the buffet?
-that fruitcake? square looks familiar,but did not see any buche when I ate on the 25th.

*We did not get any wine or alcohol with out tea service.
I did get a cheese plate,as I asked in advance, as my mother does not eat any meats.

I'm generally not that exited by tea, as I have at least 10-20 kinds of fancy tea at home and some very hard to find handmade teas.

Overall enjoyed the tea and food.
It is nice for a fancy treat!