Christmas lunch at the Salamanca Inn, Hobart

A top priority when planning our Hobart trip last year was booking a restaurant for lunch on Christmas day. Through our internet research, we found Christmas lunch with seafood and carvery buffet, salads and desserts at the Beef & Seafood Grill at the Salamanca Inn, an easy walk from our accommodation.

Christmas lunch at the Salamanca Inn is a sell-out each year. I made our reservation at least six months in advance; they contacted me in late September to confirm and pay in full by credit card over the phone.

On the day, it was well organised, the dining room festively decorated, the buffet inviting and bountiful, the food delicious. Lunch kicked off at noon. The whole poached Tasmanian Atlantic salmon was beautifully presented, with a scattering of leafy herbs, lemon wedges and bright and colourful antipasto vegetables. Deep-fried fish at a buffet is rarely something to rave about, but the sesame-crumbed meaty fillets of deep sea blue eye were a surprise favourite and I went back for seconds. I was delighted by the two dishes (TWO!) of pork crackling; Jac was thrilled by the tub of oysters and slabs of smoked salmon. At the carvery, chefs sliced meats to order – honey glazed leg of Christmas ham, roast turkey breast and roast leg of pork – and we were encouraged to try all three.

The Christmas pudding was too boozy for my taste, but to other diners, probably perfect in the spirit of the day. The impressive spread of desserts included a stunning croquembouche wrapped with spun sugar. The abundance of fresh cherries and berries all along the dessert table was a real treat.

The line at the buffet moved steadily and the mood was cheerful. Buffet veterans honed in on the cheeses and raspberries and had them demolished before most of us thought to raid the stocks, but otherwise, there was plenty of food.

King prawns with cocktail sauce and sweet chilli sauce King prawns with cocktail sauce and sweet chilli sauce

DSCF5566A chef tends to the platter of poached Tasmanian Atlantic salmon infused with herb and caper olive oil

Sesame-crumbed deep sea blue eye Sesame-crumbed deep sea blue eye

The carvery, with roast leg of pork, roast turkey breast and honey glazed Christmas ham, all sliced to order The carvery, with roast leg of pork, roast turkey breast and honey glazed Christmas ham, all sliced to order

Pork cracklingThat’s enough pork crackling for me – what about the rest of you?

Buffet Buffet – salads and Tasmanian smoked salmon

Potato salad, Greek salad

Tasmanian oysters with sour cream and chives, baby capers and wasabi Tasmanian oysters served with sour cream and chives, baby capers and wasabi

My plate My plate, with ham, turkey, pork, crackling, gravy, cranberry and apple sauce, snow peas and green beans with roasted pine nuts, cauliflower and broccoli in basil cream sauce, and roast garlic potatoes and roasted pumpkin

Jac's plateJac’s plate, with everything I had, but a lot more gravy

Rich chocolate mud cakeThe desserts, coffee and tea were set up in a different room, which you were free to raid at will. This was the rich, stick-to-your-teeth chocolate mud cake, with cherries and blueberries in the background

Pecan pie Pecan pie and a bowl of strawberries

Croquembouche The gorgeous croquembouche

Raspberry infused cheesecake Raspberry infused cheesecake

This cheese platter was demolished pretty quickly This cheese platter was demolished pretty quickly

Christmas pudding with brandy custard Christmas pudding with brandy custard

DSCF5605Tables were decorated with Christmas crackers, candy canes and balloons

Salamanca InnBeef & Seafood Grill at the Salamanca Inn

A very well executed buffet – you can tell they’ve done this before. We’d arrived in Hobart on Christmas eve and this was the perfect way to settle in and enjoy Christmas day – with paper party hats, a feast, and friends.

Salamanca Inn
Beef & Seafood Grill
10 Gladstone Street, Hobart TAS
Telephone: (03) 6220 0404
Christmas lunch buffet 2013 prices were AU$74.50 per adult, $54.50 per child

About this series

In December 2013, my partner Jac and I went on holiday – 3 nights in Melbourne, then 3 nights in Launceston (Jac, to stay with a friend) and King Island (me, for a photographic safari with our friends Craig and Caroline), and finally, Hobart for 6 nights. This trip was not sponsored in any way.

The full list of posts is below:

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