The nights are getting colder, the central heating is on and Christmas window displays are appearing in shop windows up and down the country.
But one of the telltale signs that Christmas is on its way is the arrival of festive menus in cafes, restaurants and takeaways.
Nothing says Christmas like a Festive Bake and a mince pie.
Read more: 20 of the best bakeries and patisseries in Cardiff
On Monday, November 22, Greggs launched the second wave of its 2021 Christmas menu and its vegan Festive Bake has appeared for the first time ever.
We tried everything which is currently available except for the pigs under blankets baguette as it wasn’t on sale in the two Cardiff city centre stores we visited.
So, what’s our verdict?
Festive Bake - £1.60
This is the headliner of Greggs' Christmas menu and for good reason. Crisp golden pastry gives way to plenty of tender chicken and salty bacon coated in a thick sage and onion fragranced sauce. The occasional sweetness of cranberry adds further interest.
Score - 8/10
Vegan Festive Bake - £1.60
It’s the debut year for the vegan Festive Bake and it’s following in the hallowed footsteps of the vegan sausage roll and vegan Steak Bake. Understandably, the pastry isn’t as golden or buttery as the non-vegan version but it’s a decent effort. It’s filled with a good quantity of meaty quorn pieces and sage and onion stuffing balls in a nicely flavoured sage and cranberry sauce.
Score - 6/10
Christmas Lunch Soup - £2
This looks like a bog standard cup of vegetable soup except for some slices of run-of-the-mill looking sausage floating in its depths. It tastes as disappointing too and would benefit from a much bigger hit of seasoning.
Score - 4/10
Mint Mocha - £1.95
The Christmas drinks were a real low point for me and the mint mocha was an absolute shocker. Everything about it tasted pretty bad from the bitter coffee to the artificially sweet-tasting chocolate and nasty mint note.
Score - 2/10
Salted Caramel Latte - £1.95
This was also disgusting. Unpleasant, bitter-tasting coffee combines with a horrible note of sweet caramel. I think it’s put me off flavoured coffees for life.
Score - 2/10
Mint Hot Chocolate - £1.95
This was the best of a bad bunch and light years ahead of the other two hot drinks. It’s chocolatey and minty but perhaps a little too sweet. But you know what, it’s perfectly drinkable.
Score - 4/10
Christmas Cake Slice - £1
The fruit cake is pretty flavourless and dry so it’s a real disappointment compared to the decadent booze-soaked fruit cakes I associate with this time of year. The only saving grace is the marzipan which actually gives you something to taste.
Score - 3/10
Christmas Tree Biscuit - £0.90
This is a lovely crisp ginger biscuit with a fine layer of milk chocolate surrounding it. It could have taken a bit more ginger heat but overall it’s something I’d buy again.
Score - 7/10
Christmas Star Biscuit - £0.90
A pretty nondescript tasting sweet biscuit is coated in a thin layer of creamy milk chocolate. It’s pleasant but entirely average.
Score - 5/10
Christmas Shortbread Bites - £1.50
Now, this is a pretty good shortbread bite. There’s a nice and crumbly biscuit topped with a layer of buttery caramel and creamy milk chocolate. Overall I enjoyed it.
Score - 6/10
Christmas Bun - £0.85
First of all, I don’t understand how this is a bun as it’s not made of bread. It’s a cupcake and a very average one at that. It’s the kind of thing you’d expect to buy as part of a cheap multi-pack from the supermarket. I’d save your money and give it a miss.
Score - 4/10
Mince pie - £0.50
This is a good mince pie. The pasty is crisp and it’s filled with plenty of sweet citrus-fragranced mincemeat. I’d gladly have another one of these with a cuppa.
Score - 7/10
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