Fluid Eating's Review of Supperclub
I never really got Supperclub until I dined. The club itself is great; right in the midst of gritty, trendy Ladbroke Grove, glamorous escapism in a very unpretentious fashion. It almost seems an odd contrast, too good to be true. But to get the full gist of the Supperclub, it's essential to go for supper.
From the off, Supperclub was unconventional, as we entered our first liaison was with Paulie Paul, one of the venue's hosts, who was decked out all in red (including his hair), and who looked after and entertained us throughout the evening. His stories included extracts about his elderly dear of a mother who had been piercing his condoms and accusing him of shooting darts.
Then there's the elegant Johanna, a lady boy who hosts the Wednesday night affair aptly entitled 'Toy'. According to the manager, the concept here is 'total freedom for everyone, whether you are black, white, transvestite, gay or straight’. Interestingly enough, he further explained that the Amsterdam sister club has separate toilets for gays and straights as opposed to male and female.
Supperclub London didn't know how people would react to all of that malarkey over here, so kept it standard. True, Paulie Paul did warn us that whilst the British are a bit tame, slowly but surely there's a conversion taking place. Essentially, the plan is to mould and shape us into their 'funky, kicked back' way of vibing. Apparently Supperclub Amsterdam is much more wild; bring it on, bring it on!
A word of advice, Supperclub London is bound to be different to Amsterdam or San Fransicso. Each club takes on the vibe of its environment so be open minded and expectant. With the philosophy here being the theme of acceptance, this is reflected in the décor. There are no windows, for example; very deliberate. Once inside, the trawl through the grimy estates or the Portobello Road is forgotten and people can be whoever or whatever they want to be.
The side bar is quite cosy, with red sofa chairs to snuggle on, whereas the rest of the club is decked out in an all-white, sparkly interior with bedroom style loungers (essentially beds) to sit/lie on. All this, combined with the jazzy house music being spun in the DJ booth, makes for a relaxing soiree. Signature must-try cocktails include Reflexion and Earthquake but personally, I most enjoyed the champagne French Kiss mixer and my old favourite, the Mojito.
Onto dinner, which really is the highlight. The waiting staff are attentive, yet fun and unconventional. They routinely fling napkins at the diners as they begin the four-course meal with canapés. Guests are all squashed up together on the beds, which have tables inserted in the middle; a good way to get to know a few strangers.
Supper usually begins at 9pm and is inter-dispersed with various performances, a favourite being the transsexual jazz singer, Ms. Kimberly, who, to be fair, she seems more womanly than many born that way. Within her show (much to the delight of the dinners) she sat on someone's head. Many more antics followed throughout the night...I won’t spoil the surprise though.
My favourite parts of the meal were undoubtedly the ‘Thai broth soup’ – made with aubergines, mushrooms, coconut milk and a touch of coriander - and the chocolate mousse - which featured delicious crumbly bits alongside a crushed ice drink. A four-course meal costs £40 plus drinks. The shenanigans at supper put a whole different spin on the experience.
Regarding dress code: the style stakes are high, but the emphasis here is more on pleasure, fun and entertainment with a well heeled South Kensington and Notting Hill crowd putting in a vote for their majority. Musical treats are provided by the musical director and resident DJ Femi Fem, who is joined by Sam Han Barley, Russell ‘son of Norman’ Jay and Seb Fontaine. Disco flavours, electric grooves, and all kinds of house (lounge, deep, soulful) rule the roost.
Supperclub is definitely my favourite London venue at the moment, maybe even my favourite of all time. This is something that needs to be experienced in full to really catch it. And to encapsulate the whole Supperclub vibe, 'supper’ must be attended. So: hair down, shoes off (it happens a lot), and literally do the Supperclub; maybe even give the Dutch a run for their money. Let Supperclub know that Londoners have vibe too, in our own unique way.
Reviewed by Danielle Aumord
DESCRIPTION:
Anything can happen here
?Don't come to supperclub if you're in search of a traditional restaurant, have lazy taste buds or are scared of new experiences. However, if you're looking for an unusual dinner experience in an unexpected place and are not afraid to discover the creative corners of your personality, then knock on supperclub's door.
Owner Bert van der Leden:?"Freedom is the keyword at supperclub. It's a mix of food, music, performances, art, our staff and... you. An evening at supperclub has been successful when all your five senses have been tickled. So to speak, supperclub is a free state of sensual experiences. It's hard to explain exactly what that is: you have to experience it yourself. Supperclub is all about creative freedom. It's a particular atmosphere -every night different- and a special place where people can let themselves go.
Have fun, eat, listen, dance and enjoy your evening. Nothing is obligatory. Everything's possible. Be yourself and anything can happen to you, at supperclub!"
Something that burns on your retina
?"Supperclub is an experimental creative platform", says creative performances-director Zjef van Bezouw. "It all just happens. Every evening, every performance must be different. How? That's up to supperclub's performers, staff-members and DJs, who have to create 'something that burns on your retina'".
Selected from famous art schools like the Rietveld Academy and the Theaterschool, we have singers, performance artists, musicians, DJs and we have... you. Yes, you are a part of the evening too, just like everybody here. Simply laying down on the white bed and waiting 'till the show starts is not enough. Supperclub isn't a theatre or concert stage, it's more. You can join in and interact.
Performances exist spontaneous so let's see what happens... We want you to feel at home and feel free; join in, go wild and enjoy the experience!" (Updated 12/11/2010)
“Not a bad Saturday night out, Not to everyones taste but i liked it, Big room, beds, food and entertainment all in one.
The food was not bad at all, asian infused and clean, was not a heavy meal. I thought the Pink pussy woman was funny and i must say the music was apt to the night, chilled out kind of a mix of everything and later on house music. I actually am not a big fan of electronic music, generally i like my 70's/80s and pop hits but i cannot deny the Dj did make me move and he played some very up house music that i had not heard before and he made my night by playing a dance version of one of my favourite Nirvana songs of all time "smells like teen spirit" It blew my head off...That was the winner for me..All round a good night out.”
Rating: 
— Simon Mcgregors, London
(27 Apr 2011)
“Wow, what a show. Not sure about eating here (I didn't arrive early enough) but as a club/bar, this place is very cool. We were treated to all kinds of hedonistic treats and visual displays by various performers. The beds around the edges are great too. Normal standard house music fare, but great speaker system. And LOADS of beautiful ladies!”
Rating:
— Andy Riggett, Chelsea
(08 Dec 2010)
“Went there last Saturday,
Had to wait 20mins outside before being told they messed up our reservation... they didn't do anything to make up for it - and pretented the nimbles were on the house but every table had them in the menu anyway....
Had to sit right up front to the acts (men in thongs throwing cream and flour at each other....) and dj - which meant really loud music and no conversation was possible...
Food was okay but definitely not worth the £45!!
Show was very cheap and freaky. At one point they took everyone of the dance floor for 30minutes for a pole dancing act which never happened!!!
Club was very boring and music very bad. All in all not a good experience...”
Rating:
— Alex, London
(24 Aug 2010)
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