The Christmas season is here once again.
The turkey's in the oven and Black Friday is only hours away; the Christmas season is here once again. Though plenty will be vying for our attention in the weeks ahead, a number of area restaurants have organized events that are great ways to tap into the fun, music, and good cheer that make the holidays the special time they are.
Chandler's Restaurant at the Yankee Candle Flagship in South Deerfield plans to celebrate with two different programs presented in conjunction with by Ja'Duke Productions of Turners Falls
On December 14, 15 and 16 Ja'Duke will perform a dinner-theater version of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." The first two dates are evening shows, which begin at 5 p.m.; the performance on the December 16 starts at noon.
The staff at Chandlers will set the mood with a traditional dinner buffet featuring roast turkey and baked haddock. The "White Christmas" performance itself promises seventeen Irving Berlin tunes as part of the performance. Tickets are $26 plus tax and gratuity.
Ja'Duke will also be putting on a Holiday Musical Series at Chandler's on December 17, December 22, and December 23. A lively smorgasbord of Christmas-season ear candy, the show will be preceded at 6 p.m. by a buffet dinner. Tickets are $34 per person plus tax and gratuity.
Contact Chandler's Tavern at (413) 665-1277 for more information on either series.
Stageloft Repertory Theater of Sturbridge will once again be teaming up with the Salem Cross Inn in West Brookfield to present a Yuletide dinner theater event, "Christmas Memories."
Based on Dylan Thomas's "A Child's Christmas in Wales," the performances, five of which are planned for various weekend dates in December, will feature the players caroling as throughout the dramatic performance.
The Salem Cross Inn's part in "Christmas Memories" is to be a traditional turkey dinner with all the accompaniments, including a decadent peppermint stick ice cream cake ball for dessert.
Tickets for "Christmas Memories" are $52; contact the Salem Cross Inn at (508) 867-2345 for details. Tickets may also be ordered on-line at salemcrossinn.com.
Up in Berkshire County the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge has some special holiday moments planned. This December the Red Lion Inn will be serving up supper and song on three evenings, December 6, 13, and 20, as vocalist Mary Verdi and her special guests perform holiday favorites.
"Christmas at the Inn" will begin at 6 p.m. with a three course dinner; the music will start around 8 p.m. Santa Claus will also be making an appearance.
Tickets are $75 for adults, children 13 and under qualify for reduced rates. To make reservations, call The Red Lion Inn at (413) 298-5545 or email reservations@redlioninn.com.
Even though it's Santa's busy season, he's already agreed to table hop at a few area eateries.
Tucker's Restaurant in Southwick is holding its annual "Dinner with Santa" night on December 4 starting at 4 p.m., and the Jolly Old Elf is likely to show up at a number of other locations in the weeks ahead as well.
The Delaney House in Holyoke will be celebrating Christmas Irish style when it holds a "Christmas in Killarney" evening on Sunday, December 9 starting at 5 p.m. Live music by the Healys is to be featured, and a traditional Irish dinner buffet will precede the entertainment. Tickets are $30; contact the Delaney House at (413) 532-1800.
Max's Tavern at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield is getting into the holiday spirit by sponsoring its annual Max Teddy Bear Brunch on December 2 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The Brunch benefits the Ronald McDonald House, and guests are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy, which will be donated to charity.
In addition to a kid-friendly menu that includes custom-made omelets, a "rainbow" bread table, and make-your-own cupcakes, the brunch will feature music and a keepsake photo. Participants are encouraged to dress to impress; the cost to attend is $30 for adults and $25 for children younger than 13 years of age. Call (413) 746-6299 for reservations.
One Springfield's most enduring of Yuletide traditions is caroling at the Student Prince and Fort Restaurant in Springfield.
Generations of area residents haven't felt the holidays to be complete without a visit to that venerable downtown eatery where, during the run-up to December 25, singers in period costume serenade patrons.
Another Fort tradition, a bowl of rich-yet-bracing homemade eggnog, will soon be assuming its seasonal place of honor on the Student Prince's bar.
Partaking of the fun requires advance planning, since these special holiday moments, which are offered nightly starting December 20, are always sold out weeks in advance.
Several other area restaurants plan to host strolling carolers as well. The Munich Haus in Chicopee, for instance, will be featuring the Dan Kane Singers nightly starting on December 13. The restaurant will have a special holiday menu in effect.
Side Dishes
As is his custom, Mino Giliberti, the chef-owner of Buon Appetito Ristorante in Westfield, will be celebrating his birthday in the manner he most enjoys -- with his customers.
On December 9 he'll be presenting an Italian Dinner with Wine at Buon Appetito. The menu for the five-course feast will include escarole soup, a traditional seafood salad, lobster ravioli with saffron cream, and Mino's special ragu sauce served over homemade pasta.
For dessert there will be a Santonore, the Italian version of a traditional French celebratory cake.
Price for the event is $85, including tax and gratuity. Giliberti will be pouring special wines to go with each course.
Reservations, which are required, can be made by contacting Buon Appetito at (413) 568-0002.
Rudi Scherff and the staff of the Student Prince and Fort Restaurant in Springfield are pitching in to help one of their own.
This weekend the restaurant is holding a fundraiser to help a longtime waitress who had the misfortunate to suffer a stroke earlier in the year. In order to help offset her mounting medical bills, the service staff at the restaurant has organized a special benefit dinner for November 25 at 1 p.m.
Tickets are $25, and Rudi Scherff guarantees it will be a good afternoon for a good cause.
For those who'd like to help but can't get to the dinner, Schreff suggests the Help4Sabrina raffle that the Student Prince has also organized. Grand prize is a forty-inch flat screen TV and second prize is an iPad Mini; you don't need to be present on November 25 when the drawing will be held. Tickets are $5. Contact the Student Prince at (413) 788-6628 for information or tickets.
Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Community College's hospitality and culinary arts program and has over 35 years of restaurant and educational experience. Please send items of interest to Off the Menu at the Republican, P.O. Box 2350, Springfield, MA 01102; Robert can also be reached at OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com.