It’s that time of year when the smell of roasting chestnuts envelope the festive air, when cheerful carols are blasted onto the streets as shoppers scramble for the finest turkeys and seasonal veg. It’s a time for flouting weight-loss diets and embracing the calorific delights that Christmas brings. But you’re in Viet Nam. The importance of getting your fix of a hearty traditional feast will go by un-noticed this year, or so you think. Some joyful news for all you ex-pats out there: The Green Mango restaurant in Ha Noi hears you.The restaurant is laying on a four-course festive spread on Christmas day and New Years in a move that can only be extolled for answering the call of the ravenous.

It doesn’t just do this at Christmas though. The Green Mango offers international food all year round. For breakfast, you can go French, British, American or Australian.

I didn’t expect much when my mate told me about its Christmas spread. I thought it might just be a mere effort by a popular ex-pat restaurant to keep hold of loyal customers.Upon arrival at the restaurant in Hang Quat Street, a bubbly waiter handed my friend and I a glass of spicy, warm mulled wine. He showed us to our table outside in the quasi Mediterranean-inspired courtyard.

The area successfully teams avant-garde experimentalism with classic cultural finesse.Arching purple, chiffon sheets hang from the high ceilings. White walls, terracotta tiles, verdant plants and garden-like furniture encourage a kind of serenity that can be hard to find in Ha Noi. Lanterns hang from every pillar, splashing the airy room with colour and cheer. The restaurant is chock–full of quirky touches, like ceramic, hugging salt&pepper couples and bendy, designer cutlery. Every opportunity is taken to tease a smile out of the diner. You’ll find the dessert selection under "sweets for the tooth".

The Christmas menu sparkles with seasonal cuisine. The sight of dishes like oven-roasted turkey and chestnut soup on the menu almost hug you with their warm familiarity. The meal will cost you US$60. A hefty price tag, but so is the meal. There’s 20 per cent off on Christmas day, though.

You can start with a Pepper Crusted Beef Carpaccio. My friend tried this, while I went for the vegetarian chestnut soup. Christmas can be a tough time for vegetarians – especially in the omnivorous Viet Nam – but I was well looked after at the Green Mango.

The chestnut soup wasn’t as viscous as typical winter soups, so left plenty of room for the next three courses. It was smooth and mellow, and needed a sprinkling of pepper to liven it up.For our main, my friend chose the lamb tenderloin; I opted for the nut roast. The lamb came with the creamiest, fluffiest mashed potatoes I’ve seen. I’ll admit – I’m one of those annoying plate-pickers, so I used my Ralph Lauren fork to scoop up a generous helping. It was perfectly lump-less, just how I like it. I was really pleased with the nut roast. A lot of roasts I’ve had in restaurants have been dry and heavy so it was refreshing to enjoy a smooth, moist, seasoned one. It oozed flavour, from the mixed herbs in the roast to the side salad dressed in mango juice. It’s rare that a non-citrus fruit complements a salad, but the mango really worked. It brought an extra something, without over-doing it.

The oven-roasted turkey my friend chose was sprinkled with mushroom and sage stuffing. She had cranberry sauce and giblet gravy over vegetables on the side.

We finished with a glass of wine. I went for a glass of Oxford Landing Sauvignon Blanc; my friend had a ruby red Cabaret Sauvignon. Had I the knowledge, I would have chosen something less mainstream. The menu offers a truly global selection, with plenty of quality vintages.

We got through everything and tucked straight into Ambrosia pudding. We quickly found ourselves well on our familiar way to that annual, post-gorging coma.

And why not? It’s the only time of the year when it’s socially acceptable to undo your button at the dining table. But you might not want to do this at the Green Mango. Despite its friendly atmosphere, it’s not home. You may stun and offend the other customers. Instead of sobbing it out at the table after your meal, choose some wine from the restaurant’s vast selection, take a sip and wander into the Shisha lounge. It’s tucked away behind bright yellow curtains. Your heavy belly will appreciate a rest on the floor cushions after you’ve loaded it with a feast.

You can choose from an array of flavors for your shish a pipe. Cherry is an old, reliable favorite of mine, so I went for that. The bubbling pipe added a refreshing lightness to the evening.

There’s a wine room upstairs for the cerebral connoisseurs amongst you and a bar for the frivolous who can sample the cocktail "concoctions". The wine room can be rented out free of charge for bigger groups by calling ahead in advance.

There’s a VIP room upstairs next to the wine room, which is also free to book. It seats about forty people and is quieter than downstairs. It might suit an office party or a get-together with family and friends.

There’s live music at the restaurant every Wednesday and Friday, mostly ambient to keep with the tranquil theme of the place.

The Green Mango also runs a seven-bedroom hotel above the restaurant. Prices range from US$55-100 per night. It has been open in Ha Noi for just over a year and has enjoyed popularity right from the beginning. It helped that the first Green Mango had already taken off on Cat Ba Island in Halong bay.

Overall, the food is good, staff are friendly and service comes with a smile. Prices are higher than average for Viet Nam, but it’s to be expected – The Green Mango is not your average run of the mill restaurant. — VNS