Openings
Dining out at...The Trading House
Unleashing the animal
It's a pretty unusual day, even for a journalist, when you step out of the sea of black suits by Bank tube station and into a traditional horse and carriage, especially when you are then met with a waiter offering you an ice cold beer.
But this is the journey chosen for us to NTWC's first London site, The Trading House, and you can tell the multiple operator are obviously keen to show off its latest opening.
And why not? It is some venue.
When set against the background of the City's finest office blocks, including the brand new Leadenhall building - popularly known as 'The Cheesegrater' - it is apparent The Trading House is going to be operating in a tough market of premium bar operators.
Design
Once inside the Grade II listed building - which has only a small entrance doorway, like a stage door to a theatre - the venue is everything you would expect from Living Venture's NTWC. Design props, such as stuffed animals and suitcases, offer the Victoriana/Art Deco mash-up that the operator has worked hard to perfect.
Dark wood panelling, wrought iron and brass fixtures and spiral staircases - which lead to a mezzanine floor with a small bar overlooking the larger hall below - complement the overall look and feel, which is as distinctly NWTC as its Botanist, Smugglers Cove and Oast House sites in the north of England.
Seating is located around a main central bar and at the rear of the venue - fortunately a solid wall closing the bar bar area is due to be removed, which will open out the space to create full views for all customers. The mezzanine bar will be available for private parties and events.
The size of the building means The Trading House is obviously not solely functioning as a wet-led operation for City bankers' after-work drinks. But the long and well-developed cocktail and beer menu mean it will definitely bring in that crowd. The operator has also kept the prices the same as its northern venues, meaning you get decent change for a tenner when ordering cocktails - no mean feat in this part of town.
Drinks
Interesting drinks include seven varieties of Mojito (a personal recommendation is the 'English version', which features apple), beer cocktails and 13 types of Martini - i.e. enough for even the most committed cocktail consumer to get through.
There is also the 'Anthology of Ales' for craft beer enthusiasts - a beautifully-presented, soft-bound book presenting the operator's range of hoppy and malty products such as Beavertown's Gamma Ray Pale Ale, Flying Dog's Snake Dog IPA and Left Hand's Nitro Milk Stout.
NWTC's recently launched Pacific Pale Ale, made in conjunction with Freedom Brewery, is also available on tap. A fruity and sessionable amber ale it has an ABV of 4.4% and, of course, New World hops - in this case from New Zealand: Moteuka, Pacific Jade and Rakau - which provides the citrus-y and black pepper flavours.
Beyond the drinks, the food menu adds significant value to the overall offer, with sharing deli boards of meats, cheese and tapas-style snacks placed alongside the traditional three course meal for customers to choose, dependent on the length of their visit.
Food
Starters are typical pub grub, but presented with the gastropub care and freshness required in such a location - options include such dishes as baked camembert, garlic mushrooms, pork crackling and chicken wings.
Mains are varied and extremely competitively priced for the location. Half a rotisserie chicken with chips is £10.50, which as one PMA journalist pointed out is near in price to a certain fast-casual restaurant.
Also on offer are hanging kebabs, ranging from £10.50 for chicken to £13.95 for either beef or prawn - as well as a Halloumi vegetarian option. Traditional fare includes burgers, gammon and egg, scampi and a range of pies - all around the £10 mark.
Dessert again is exactly the kind of warming pub food to complement the rest of the menu, with chocolate fudge cake, sticky toffee pudding and a Rum Baba among the filling dishes available.
Success?
All in all, The Trading House has entered the tough and extremely competitive London marketplace with the verve and commitment that has come to be expected from the Living Ventures brand.
Time will tell if it can stand up next to the other sites in the area - Drake & Morgan's The Anthologist is literally across the road from the entrance - but judging by the heaving mass of bankers crowding around the bar when the PMA visited, it is looking good for NWTC.
