Showing posts with label supper club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label supper club. Show all posts
Underground Supper Club: Dinner at Eight
Underground Supper Clubs definitely appeal to me. My friend Abby from Pleasure Palate blog and dining group recently organized a private event at Dinner at Eight.This group, created by food blogger Elliott Shaffner from F for Food, highlights some great collaboration by some talented and efficient women. The rest of team includes Kathy Emerson Maggie Stebar.
Their promise is for their 4-course, once-a-month dinner under the stars for 12 guests in the Hollywood hills. The seasonal ingredients come straight from the local farmers' markets and the garden.Meats are sourced from Lindy & Grundy and wine pairings are by Jill at Domaine LA.
The cost of the meal is all-inclusive from cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, the 4-course meal, coffee and even gratuity. It's always relaxing to pay in advance and not think about the bill on the night of the event.
This combination would make any foodie purr with joy, but the setting really adds to the stylish experience, especially if like me, you've fantasized about living in the Hollywood hills.
That anxiety disappeared quickly as I took in the clear night air, herb garden fragrances, firelight and relaxing ambiance.
Cocktail hour consisted of Maggie Stebar's classic martinis with garlic and dill pickled okra, along with garlic-rubbed crostini. She laid out the bottle of small-batch Leopold's gin as well as jars of her wonderfully tart, crispy okra pickles.
While she expertly mixed my drink, she mentioned her Maggie Mae Apron Co where she sews vintage-inspired aprons. As we migrated to the dining room after cocktail hour, I noticed one of her charming creations on display.
The kitchen was indeed on the small, cozy side, so I knew they worked efficiently to serve 2 tables of diners. The chalkboard cabinet contained a shopping list of some of the meal's ingredients.
The drinks are byob, but water, a refreshing blood orange soda and later, coffee, was provided.
Cocktail hour consisted of Maggie Stebar's classic martinis with garlic and dill pickled okra, along with garlic-rubbed crostini. She laid out the bottle of small-batch Leopold's gin as well as jars of her wonderfully tart, crispy okra pickles.
While she expertly mixed my drink, she mentioned her Maggie Mae Apron Co where she sews vintage-inspired aprons. As we migrated to the dining room after cocktail hour, I noticed one of her charming creations on display.
The kitchen was indeed on the small, cozy side, so I knew they worked efficiently to serve 2 tables of diners. The chalkboard cabinet contained a shopping list of some of the meal's ingredients.
The drinks are byob, but water, a refreshing blood orange soda and later, coffee, was provided.
The charming indoor/outdoor fireplaces with candlelit mantel, as well as the artwork throughout the house made for a cozy setting. I enjoyed the Spanish/50's/Shabby Chic fusion going on in the house.
The table setting, complete with more pickle jars to take home as a souvenir, maintained that stylish, feminine touch. I always enjoy when the table contains salt and pepper because I tend to like more spice and seasoning than most.
We all loved the butter crock that contains chilled water which keeps the butter fresh, cool and soft for hours. Paired with the fresh bread with roasted garlic cloves baked in, it spelled out comfort.
Most of their dinners have themes (you can see previous themes on their blog). In this case Abby worked out a garlic themed menu with them.
1st Course
Creamy green garlic & potato soup with black garlic chips & bacon
I loved that they used the green garlic and the black garlic chips in this course. A fairly mild and creamy start to the meal that made a strong impression. The glass serving dishes, which varied across the table popped.
2nd Course
Salad of arugula, strawberries, black walnuts & Mimolette Extra Vieille with roasted heirloom red garlic vinaigrette
This most unusual salad also popped with color and flavor. The peppery arugula against the sweet strawberries, walnuts and the bright orange aged cheese blended well.
Again, I loved the use of red garlic in the dressing.
In an underground setting I did not expect restaurant quality service in any way, but the ladies were so attentive with filling glasses and checking whether we needed anything.
I even found my napkin refolded when I left the table for a moment.
3rd Course
Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
This abundant plate held three pieces of 40-clove chicken from Lindy & Grundy, charred broccolini, anchovies, garlic confit and a beautiful presentation of roasted domino potatoes with roasted garlic slivers, rosemary and bay leaves.
I loved both of the sides and wanted to like the chicken more. However the skin did not crisp up as much as I'd have liked and the sauce tasted fairly mild and creamy for "40 cloves'.
It also arrived lukewarm and unfortunately both the potatoes and the chicken could have used a bit more cooking time to soften it up.
However, nobody could say they left hungry, nor was there any lack of "love" in the preparation. Their genuine efforts shone through.
4th Course
Honey-Garlic Mousse with Pinenut Garlic Brittle
Served with Chicory Coffee
Special guests Esi Imprain and Nastassia Johnson prepared our final course, this bold and textured dessert.
We all loved and devoured it. It hit all the right notes and the garlic made itself known without killing the dessert vibe.
They hit a home run. In fact, the ladies graciously brought out a couple more plates of the brittle for us to enjoy.
The chicory coffee also tasted heavenly, and once again, I loved the colored glassware. One of my dining companions offered me his cup as a trade because I enjoyed the color so much.
The wonderful evening and meal ended with a quick trip back outside for some parting photos and we all said our goodbyes.
I am still in awe of their artistic touches and being able to create a sensuous and dreamy environment while serving a hearty yet gourmet meal. Every touch was thought out and executed to perfection.
Find details on their upcoming events on their blog.
Moveable Feast
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| Moveable Feast - menu |
Their collaboration was inspired by farmers' market fresh ingredients.The innovative food and bold drinks as well as the Old Hollywood Glamour cocktail attire made for an unforgettable evening.
Upon walking in the bar was set up with carafes of citrus infused filtered water, gorgeous vegetable crudites with a light dip and a punchbowl of Matt's special punch.
Among other things it contains pomegranate juice, possibly some rum and is garnished with beautiful dehydrated blood oranges. It was an elegant welcome to the event.
So now, let the pairings begin!
Depending on where attendees were located during the mobile event, in some cases the timing of the food with drinks were not totally in sync. However, both Matt and the servers were doing a great job in getting items in our hands as soon as possible. One example is these off-menu sweet potato fries with 2nd pairing drink....
The third drink was one of Matt's classics, served in a new way. The edible, furry flower garnish was a Mediterranean herb, borage. Matt pointed out that it had a slightly sweet, oyster scent.
The highlight of the food was this incredible savory-sweet ice cream and cone, paired wonderfully with the St. Germain drink.
The originally planned pairing cocktail for this course was the Cascading Hopshead, with hops infused gin, avocado honey, oro blanco grapefruit juice, lemon juice and Double IPA. Matt said the gin tasted too "hoppy", and since it did not meet his high expectations, he swapped out the drink. The milkshake worked very nicely with the burger, so I doubt there were any complaints.
Dessert, served in a very imaginative plating, even though my "tree" was slightly wilted. And it tasted as good as it looks.
A table out in the lobby was stacked with this additional dessert. Just saying Smuffin makes the dessert more fun. If you like s'mores, you will love this s'more formed into a cupcake.
The pumelocello was a brilliant riff on the popular Italian digestif, Limoncello. The jar with the rinds from various types of pumelos was gorgeous. The citrus drink also paired well with a sweet dessert, and I asked and happily received a second pour.
Chef Meg came out and cordially greeted the guests multiple times, and served some of the food personally. She graciously posed for a couple of photos for me, and while she's very photogenic, I did not use flash in the dimly lit room so they were unusable.
This photo is from her online album of John D Russell Photography photos, taken when she was chatting with my lovely friends Blaine and Sally (with me on the backstool).
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| Moveable Feast - crudites |
Among other things it contains pomegranate juice, possibly some rum and is garnished with beautiful dehydrated blood oranges. It was an elegant welcome to the event.
So now, let the pairings begin!
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| Pairing #1 |
Bacon Seafood Chowder with Vicchysoisse Foam
The One and Only - Bols Genever Gin, curry leaves, lime, agave, fresh celery juice, black Hawaiian sea salt
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| between-course dish |
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| Pairing #2 |
Deep Fried Burrata Corn Dog. Sir Kensingtons Ketchup & Turmeric Crรจme Fraiche Mustard
Italian Waltz - Champagne, Aperol & fresh blood orange juice
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| Breeder's Cup |
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| Pairing #3 |
Popcorn Crust Shrimp, Sweet Chili Sauce & Wasabi Mustard
Breeder's Cup - Hendrick's Gin, beet horseradish, cucumber, lime, agave and Cyprus salt
You can see bits of popcorn on the shrimp's breading. The horseradish in the drink played well with the wasabi in the paired dish, evoking a cocktail sauce vibe.
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| Pairing #4 |
Rhubarb infused St. Germain with myer lemon air
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| Pairing #4 |
Double Scoop St. Agur Ice Cream, White Chocolate Stilton Ice Cream. Topped with White Truffle Honey in a Squid Ink Mini Cone
The highlight of the food was this incredible savory-sweet ice cream and cone, paired wonderfully with the St. Germain drink.
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| Pairing #5 |
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| Pairing #5 |
Ultimate Hamburger. Gruyere, Bacon and Caramelized Onion Burger in a Chive Crepe Purse
Milkshake - ice cream, eggs, bourbon
The originally planned pairing cocktail for this course was the Cascading Hopshead, with hops infused gin, avocado honey, oro blanco grapefruit juice, lemon juice and Double IPA. Matt said the gin tasted too "hoppy", and since it did not meet his high expectations, he swapped out the drink. The milkshake worked very nicely with the burger, so I doubt there were any complaints.
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| Pairing #6 |
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| Pairing #6 |
Salted Nutella Budino with Fleur de Sel Caramel and Ground Dark Chocolate Espresso Beans
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| Pairing #6 |
Un Cafe Va Bene - Cynar, Cassis & chicory
The earthy flavors of this pairing also worked very well together, especially with the slightly bitter Cynar (an Italian bitter liqueur made from various herbs and plants, including artichoke) and chicory flavors taming the rich, sweet dessert. Because the portions of the dessert were so generous, a couple of us took it "to go" in their built-in, portable containers.
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| Bonus Pairing - Gotta Have S'more Smuffin |
Gotta Have S'more - Smuffin
Homemade Pumelocello - made from three different types of pumelos
A table out in the lobby was stacked with this additional dessert. Just saying Smuffin makes the dessert more fun. If you like s'mores, you will love this s'more formed into a cupcake.
The pumelocello was a brilliant riff on the popular Italian digestif, Limoncello. The jar with the rinds from various types of pumelos was gorgeous. The citrus drink also paired well with a sweet dessert, and I asked and happily received a second pour.
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| Chef Meg Hall - photo by John D Russell Photography |
This photo is from her online album of John D Russell Photography photos, taken when she was chatting with my lovely friends Blaine and Sally (with me on the backstool).
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| Mixologist Matt Biancaniello - doing what he does best |
As far as Matt, he was also on top of his game. Although I don't make it to Library Bar as frequently as I'd like, I am somewhat of a regular there and definitely a fan.
On this evening his ability to expedite the complex drinks while also connecting with and gathering feedback from his loyal clientele was impressive. Out of the more than a dozen photos I took of him that night, this one really captures his attentive service and enthusiasm during the event.
With all the attention to detail and creativity, and a couple of surprises, Moveable Feast 2 was a delicious feast for the senses.
