It’s a cold, wet and dark early December evening, the streets are bare, Christmas is brewing but not in full swing. You enter 1000 Trades in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter and realise that this is where everyone belongs, getting swept over and cosy by the fire and vibes of this neighbourhood institution, conversation humming whilst punters sip on organic wine and hazy IPAs. The kitchen at the rear is refining pub classics with a Christmas twist, delivered by their talented in-house team. It’s Christmas at T’Pub and we’ve come to sample the menu.
We take a couple of IPAs and find a nest in the corner of the restaurant seating area, staff being attentive and showing us the way. We’re handed menus and this is what we’ve got to say.
Luckily I wasn’t hungover on this occasion, but could only imagine that 1000 Trades have, in fact, invented the perfect hangover cure with this new ‘Christmas at T’Pub’ offering.
Although the menu is split into starters / mains / burgers and hot sandwiches, we decided to go small plates style and order up loads of the good stuff to all come out together and share. This worked really well, as we both got to sample more but not fill on individual dishes, though on certain mouthfuls I could have easily stolen the whole plate and fallen out with my dining companion.
There is seriously good feeding to be had on this menu. Everything we chose was just on that higher level of lusciousness, that ‘mmmm’ with every mouthful, that ‘wow, that’s a clever Christmas twist’, that ‘bloody hell this is delicious’.. honestly, all the way through. Luckily I wasn’t hungover on this occasion, but could only imagine that 1000 Trades have, in fact, invented the perfect hangover cure with this new ‘Christmas at T’Pub’ offering.
After a toss-up between the three starters on offer, the Classic Prawn Cocktail was our choice over the French Onion Soup and the Free Range Chicken Pate. We liked the way this was a plated dish, as you’d usually expect a prawn cocktail to be served in a glass, yet having the ingredients free from its glass constraints gave the dish a different eating experience.
Off the mains, we chose the ‘Boxing Day Hash’, and this was pure dirt, like in the best dirty food way; a beautifully messy fusion of culinary greatness
Nothing has been refined here, just a very quality version with a deliciously tangy, sweet mary rose sauce served with the best toasted focaccia slices we have every eaten; crispy, soft, comforting and the perfect dipping weapons to mop up future dishes to be brought to the table.
Off the mains, we chose the ‘Boxing Day Hash’, and this was pure dirt, like in the best dirty food way; a beautifully messy fusion of culinary greatness (the presentation was actually lovely) bringing together in one bowl: pork belly, potato, sprouts, red peppers, crispy onions, cheddar, mozzarella, spring onion, red pepper dressing and fried egg. Mind blown, tastebuds quivering, so many textures, so many tastes, all hanging out and loving each other. Like a Christmas food party in your mouth! I still think about this every day since eating it.
Other mains to choose from include Bangers & Mash (and its veggie alternative), Katsu Fish & Chips and Homemade Shepherd’s Pie, all of which were very tempting but we were going heavy on the sides so held back.
Pig in Blanket – big circles of magic. When did anyone reinvent the pig in blanket – 1000 Trades did! The chefs have mixed black pudding with free range sausage, then wrapped in bacon and delivered in smart two inch diameter slices, served with an oh so complimentary honey mustard dip.
The sides were a particular highlight, so much so that I felt a little sad that this was a limited time Christmas menu and these moments of food joy would be taken from me, though I have every confidence that the chefs will always deliver at 1000 Trades, so tried to be positive about the whole situation.
Imagine spicy Calabrian nduja sausage, mixed with juicy pork mince, encasing a quality runny orange-yolked boiled egg, all sealed with beautifully seasoned breadcrumbs… that’s the Scotch Egg on offer and it’s a killer (in the sense of going to heaven, no deaths, not religious).
Pig in Blanket – big circles of magic. When did anyone reinvent the pig in blanket – 1000 Trades did! The chefs have mixed black pudding with free range sausage, then wrapped in bacon and delivered in smart two inch diameter slices, served with an oh so complimentary honey mustard dip. Just so good. Thank you.
To conclude our sides we went for the Korean Fried Chicken Tenders, which held their crispiness even though dripping in hot, sweet, red pepper jang juice. Succulently, spicy chicken tenders done as good as you can get. Other options include Triple Cooked Chips, Xmas Loaded Chips (and its veggie alternative) and a Baked Camembert served with those stunning focaccia slices I mentioned above.
There’s also a Burgers and Posh Hot Sandwiches section on the menu which we didn’t sample on this occasion but we did clock two burgers being delivered to the table opposite and saw the customers studying them in delight, then full on devour them.
My dining companion couldn’t comprehend how I could entertain a dessert after filling on everything that had come and gone, though if the savoury was anything to go by, I had to get 1000 Trades culinary creators’ take on the sweet, and a Biscoff Sticky Toffee Pudding was my choosing. Spoon in, I went into a bit of a food trance, the flavours and textures hypnotising me in all its soft, sticky, gooeyness, with a Biscoff seasoning and perfectly balanced with the vanilla ice cream. I’m a sticky toffee addict and this was up there, but they also offer a Dark Chocolate Oreos Rocky Road for the GF, VG crew.
I can’t be any more passionate about this experience from start to finish, lovely cosy neighbourhood bar and restaurant, innovative drink offering, inspiring soundtrack, genuinely friendly and helpful staff that go out of their way, food that is inventive but still homely, presented with rustic precision and tastes that blow your mind.
Considering the quality, taste and inventiveness of this menu, you’ll definitely want to revisit to choose dishes that you didn’t make on your first sitting, as there’s so much to tempt, and only so much belly room. Or just pop in for a pint and get toasty by the fire. But eat, you have to.
Serving from 2nd – 31st December (NYE) Mon – Sat from midday. Large bookings welcome.
Words by Ollie Lloyd for Grapevine Birmingham