CHRISTMAS doesn’t have to be all about the turkey and Brussel sprouts, some of the best festive treats come from high street chain menus.
I’ve been trying out Pizza Hut’s festive offerings, which are being served in restaurants until the end of December.
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There’s a hog roast pizza, pulled pork loaded mac ‘n’ cheese, and a cookies and cream cookie dough.
The menu isn’t traditional. There’s no cranberry sauce – but it does have more of a winter theme.
It’s the kind of thing you might want after an afternoon of last minute Christmas present shopping.
Some festive favourites like stuffing make and appearance, and of course, no Crimbo is complete without hoards of cheese.
Each of the new menu items can be purchased as part of a winter deal too.
It costs £28.99 and means you can get two large pizzas, two classic sides, cookie dough and a 1.5 litre bottle of drink – so it’s a festive twist that won’t hurt your budget either.
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Here are my thoughts on Pizza Hut’s festive menu.
Hog Roast Pizza, from £14.99 – £19.49
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The main event of the new Pizza Hut menu is a pulled pork, festive sage and onion stuffing, and red onion and mozzarella topped pizza, of course.
The array of toppings come on a classic tomato sauce base, so if you prefer a classic pizza over something a bit more adventurous like a BBQ base or the KFC gravy based spin off launched a few years ago, then you’ll be perfected suited.
But there is an optional apple sauce drizzle to top it off that I tried, and it gives the pizza a nice sweet edge.
It depends on what size you go for that will determine how much you’re forking out.
There are three sizes, small, medium, and large, and you can customise what crust you have as well as any additional toppings for an extra charge too.
I went for a large, of course, and there was definitely plenty to go round for the whole family, especially if you’re adding sides too.
- Value for money: 3
- Appearance: 5
- Taste: 5
- Festivity: 4
- Total: 17/20
Pulled Pork Loaded ‘Mac n Cheese’, £6.69
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Still feeling hungry?
Pizza Hut has launched the perfect pairing to go with your main in its festive menu.
Mac and cheese is another dish that the family might be fighting over at the table on Christmas day, so Pizza Hut has come up with its own take to try before then.
It’s a dish of pasta in a sweet and creamy cheese sauce, that almost reminded me of the post-pudding part of Christmas dinner, when the kitchen counter is lined with cheddars and camembert to snack on through the Queen’s speech.
The mac and cheese is also topped with tender pulled pork and festive sage and onion stuffing.
You can also get an apple sauce drizzle to go on top which I had to try.
For a side, it was a mega portion.
So if you were feeling frugal but still after a festive taste, you could order it on its own to save splashing out on the cost of one of the cheapest pizzas – it’s a difference of about 50% of the price.
- Value for money: 4
- Appearance: 1
- Taste: 4
- Festivity: 5
- Total: 14/20
Cookies and Cream Cookie Dough, £4.99
4
No meal is complete without a dessert, either.
But this one I decided was the least Christmassy tasting of all – especially if you’re not even leaving it behind for Santa.
But despite the lack of festive spirit, it was still truly delicious.
If you need to have a little something sweet after all that pizza, pasta, and cheese, then it is the perfect addition to the menu.
The cookie dough was crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, with pieces of white chocolate scattered throughout.
A dollop of ice cream on the side topped it off, but it’s no match for a Christmas pudding or a frosted yule log, if you ask me.
- Value for money: 2
- Appearance: 4
- Taste: 4
- Festivity: 2
- Total: 12/20
I’m not the only one to tuck into a festive feast though, check out what happened when we tested Costa’s festive menu.
We tried everything on the menu at McDonald’s too, including the two new burgers and camembert bites.
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