Christmas Sandwich at Cafe Mauds – Belfast

Mmm... Mauds. Don't make the mistake of visiting the Titanic Experience in Belfast (I learned more watching the film when I was seven) Instead, head over to Cafe Mauds where you can spend your £15.50 on something waaaaay better.

Karen and the girls insisted that Mauds was the best for lunch, so we listened. They were right.

Inside it's fairly plain, seating-wise, but the bar area is phenomenal. The first thing I saw was the assembling of a sort of ice cream sundae – it looked incredible.

How perfect does the rocky road look? I know it's meant to look 'rocky' (heh) and uneven, but I kind of like this neat and tidy(er) version. I used to make Nigella's rocky road all the time when I was 15/16. All the cakes, pies and biscuits on display in Mauds left me inspired to start baking again. It's been too long since I enjoyed milk and cookies.

But as soon as I saw turkey on the menu, there was no going back. You should know by now how much I love Christmas, and despite fully embracing summer this year for the first time...ever...I'm still very much a lover of winter, and a taste of what's to come this season was welcome indeed.

The waitress said it would be great toasted, so I said ok then. I love when staff give you their recommendations, it makes me feel like they're letting me in on a secret.

To drink I chose a green tea. Sometimes I try to be healthy, you know.

Bethan ordered a bacon and maple syrup crepe - you read right. Next time I'm getting me some of that.

I couldn't complain about my dish, though. Lots and lots of turkey stuffed inside two nicely toasted pieces of soft white bread, stuffing crumbling through the edges, more than enough onions and a generous helping of cranberry to glue it all together. It wasn't exactly how I imagined it would be, but it was unlike anything I had ever eaten before and it was delicious and beautiful and got me all excited for Christmas which is, err, more than three months away...

Have you been to Mauds? If not, why not?! I want to go back and try everything on their menu. And did I mention the staff are great? Shout out to the cute guy, Michael, who served us at the till : )