Well once again we’ve skirted a summer, had a short wet autumn, and are now in full on pre-Christmas-party-season mode. It’s time to dust off the sequinned frocks, and dry clean the Black Tie for a full on celebration.
Now we don’t know about you, but of all the nights of the party season, the one that gives us the biggest headache in deciding where to go and what to do is New Year’s Eve. Once committed to one thing, there’s always the concern that we should be doing something else, and eating even more extravagant food. Most of our friends agree, PNYEA (Pre-NYE-Angst) is rife. So to help you decide where to spend that most freighted night, where marriages are proposed, kisses are stolen under the mistletoe, and where we’ll all be acquiring a hangover that will last till Burns’ night, we’ve put together a quick summary of where to go in Brum. It’s quite a eclectic but if you think there’s something we’ve missed, tweet us up!
- A Night In On The Sofa – Catered by The Great Western Arcade
£ As much as you like…
Why not pop along to the Great Western Arcade and pick up wine from Loki, meats, cheese, and lovely nibbles from Anderson & Hill, lovelies from Chouchoute Chocolaterie, some whisky, cigars, and bread from the Bread Collection. Makes me hungry just thinking about it. Need a film to watch while you cosy up with someone? How about a classic like White Christmas. No one to cosy up with? Try Match.com! Don’t forget the fizz to toast midnight. - Aalto Restaurant @ Hotel La Tour
£75 per person dinner and entertainment, or £125 per person if you want the fabulous Chef’s table including wine matched to each course.
Enjoy an elegant New Year’s Eve at Aalto Restaurant, with champagne reception, a delicious 4-course meal, a signature 1889 cocktail, and fantastic live entertainment through to midnight and beyond.
http://hotel-latour.co.uk/new-years-eve/ - Symphony Hall, NYE Gala with London Concert Orchestra
Tickets are £17.50 to £45, or £54 for the 5 course seated dinner option.
The LCO will be playing a selection including the William Tell Overture, Largo et Factotum, the Thunder & Lightning Polka, and Nimrod. Not to mention favourites such as Nessun Dorma, Rule, Britannia!, Jerusalem, Hornpipe, Dambusters March, and Land of Hope and Glory – with the necessary audience participation included!
http://www.thsh.co.uk/event/new-years-eve-gala-1212/ - Away 2 Dine, Evening Dinner Cruise aboard a Narrow Boat on Birmingham Canals
£64.95 per person.
Board the Narrow Boat at 8pm for a 3 hour cruise with a sumptuous 5 course dinner – we’ve had sunday lunch with Away 2 Dine and you can read the review of it here.
http://www.away2dine.co.uk/special_events.html - Duelling Pianos
£35 advance, £50 on the door, or £100 per head for a booth, dinner and a bottle of Champagne or of spirits (think Vegas ultra-lounge style).
It’s sure to be a quality high energy party at this new live music venue. You can read the review of it here.
http://duellingpianobars.co.uk/new-years-eve/ - The Glee Club, bring in the new year with a giggle…
£29.90 per person.
You can eat here but it’s fried food in a basket. Go for the comedy, not the food! Doors open at 7pm and there are lots of other places to go for food beforehand, afterwards there’s a DJ.
http://www.glee.co.uk/pdf/Glee_Club_Bham_Christmas_2012.pdf - Gatecrasher, Birmingham’s premier nightclub – four rooms playing a variety of dance, trance, Indie, and R&B.
£25 Earlybird – sold out, £35 advance, £50 VIP.
Never been myself but my trance loving friend Phippsy has been a few times to see (hear?) specific DJs and has had a great time. Bear in mind with the VIP entry you are fast-tracked in (less queuing) and you will have access to the VIP area which, importantly, has its own toilets. Confirm this with the venue though as they’ve not responded to my emails (how rude).
http://www.gatecrasher.com/venues/birmingham/ - Nuvo Bar, Brindley Place
£20 advance, £30 on the door, with a Bellini and canapé reception.
Black and White ball – black tie and cocktail dress, or go all out on a ball gown. Either way, dress smart and trendy because this place has a strict door policy. A while ago it had a very odd range of cocktails including Roast Lamb. Bizarre. DJs will be entertaining you with House and Club classics.
http://www.nuvobar.com/events/ - Bar Room Bar
Free Entry, £100 to reserve a booth for 6 which includes a bottle of champers and table service all night – no queuing! This place does fantastic pizza – I think it’s the best I’ve had outside of Rome, that’s probably due to them having a proper pizza oven.
There’s a black and white theme at this Mailbox bar with a DJ from 8pm till 2am.
http://www.pizzakitchenbars.co.uk/ - Bank Restaurant
Book a table for their normal a la carte then hang around drinking fantastic cocktails until 1am. They’ll have live music in the bar from 9pm. Review here.
http://www.individualrestaurants.com/bank/birmingham/ - Piccolino Restaurant
Full a la carte and a nice place for a more chilled out New Years Eve with good food, wine, and company. If you book a table for 9pm you can keep it for the whole night, otherwise they’ll be a two hour return, and you’ll need to transfer to the bar to enjoy the atmosphere while you count down to midnight. Review here.
http://www.individualrestaurants.com/piccolino/birmingham/ - Marco Pierre White at The Cube
£125 per person.
Includes champagne and canapes upon arrival, a 5 course dinner with coffee, live music and a DJ. Review here.
http://www.mpwsteakhousebirmingham.co.uk/food/christmas - Dinner Cabaret @ The ICC with JD Parties
£69.50 per person for dinner and entertainment.
Five courses of delicious food and cabaret style entertainment. We did this last year – I was dubious that the food would be rubbish or the entertainment would be mediocre but actually the food was great and there were semi clad dancers everywhere – super evening.
http://www.jdparties.co.uk/2012-events/parisian-icc-birmingham/new-years-eve/ - Edmunds Fine Dining Restaurant
£75 per person.
We had dinner here at New Years Eve a couple of years ago (review here). I know that they’ve changed chef’s and we’ve not dined there since they have. The menu looks lovely (although it’s not on the website yet) and the interior of the restaurant is intimate and plush. They made us feel special when we went – and that’s all you want from a restaurant isn’t it?!
http://www.edmundsrestaurant.co.uk/ - Bodegas South American Restaurant and Sugarloaf Bar
Don’t know what they’re offering yet, but check them out anyway.
http://www.bodegabirmingham.co.uk/ - Mal Maison
£99 per person.
Five course carte d’hote and live music in this plush hotel. See my review here.
http://www.malmaison.com/locations/birmingham/christmas-2012-at-the-mal.aspx
- The Jam House, Jewellery Quarter
£35 entry show only / £100 per head for 6 Course Dinner with show
Entertaining you from 6pm until 3am will be a DJ, the resident band The Subterraneans, and local boogie-woogie pianist Dino Baptiste. Get your dancing shoes on for what’s sure to be an entertaining night.
http://www.thejamhouse.com/birmingham/live-music/event/1648/new-years-eve-with-the-subterraneans-december-2011.htm
Are you a venue owner that we’ve missed? Tweet us up, and we might add you on too!
OUT IN BRUM 