The Chilltown Kitchen Supper Club Experience

Last summer, Chilltown Kitchen started hosting monthly supper clubs, each one with a different theme and corresponding tasting menu. Founded by Alysis Vasquez, the supper clubs are centered around the idea of communal dining and a shared experience. The meal is a multi-course format and prepared by a group of local chefs using seasonal ingredients.

Recently, I attended the January supper club which was "The Italian Menu". In the interest of full disclosure, I need to be clear that I did not pay to go. I was invited to attend as a guest, not in exchange for publicity or a review of any kind, but just as a kind offer to say thank you because I'd been sharing the menus on social media. The decision to post my experience is entirely my own and I am striving to make it as unbiased as possible. That said, I had long wanted to attend and was excited to find out just what it was like.

The supper clubs are pop-up events in different restaurants and are generally held on Monday nights when those restaurants are closed so that they are a) less expensive to run and b) more welcoming to a private group in the space. So while the reasons are practical, the effect is actually fantastic. To have an entire space dedicated to this one group and this one meal very much feels like you're a member of a secret dining society where you are part of this private and unique culinary experience - which, in fact, you are. In short, it's exactly the right vibe for a supper club.

The evening starts at 6pm with what is more or less a cocktail hour - drinks can be purchased at the bar, people socialize and chat (and are very welcoming - I was alone and within about 3 minutes, people started introducing themselves), and for those who can't show up right at six, it gives you some leeway before dinner which begins around 7pm. Each course is introduced with specific details by the person who made it and there is serving staff walking around, filling glasses, making sure you have everything. There was a little bit of lag time here and there between courses, but overall, it was very well-paced and the overall feel of the event was upbeat, social, relaxed,and light-hearted. Everyone was there to have a good time and eat great food.

This particular meal was six courses and we actually started off with a rosemary infused limoncello shot that set the tone for the evening before being served our first course, a citrus salad with roasted fennel. The next course was the stand-out for me and not only was it a stand-out for the night, it's probably one of the best dishes I've had over the past year, if not longer. It was a pressed ricotta brulee with pomegranate, pistachio, and mint. The creaminess of the ricotta was not only astounding (the smoothest and creamiest ricotta I've ever had), it was a wonderful follow-up to the intensity of the citrus in our previous course. The option to be creative is one of the key benefits of an event like this - ingredients can be played with, more time can be taken to morph something into a better version of itself - and the diner is the beneficiary of that creativity. The memory of that ricotta will be with me for a long, long time.

All the rest of the courses were also excellent. There wasn't a bad one among them. After those initial courses, there was a seared scallop course, some beetroot risotto, and an oxtail ragu pasta before the sweet and perfectly light dessert of anise shortbread, grilled stone fruit, and mascarpone. Portions were sized accordingly, but it still ended up being a lot of food. If you have a delicate appetite, this might not be the event for you.

The downside to the supper club is that it's not cheap. The price range is usually between $60-$80 (normally on the lower end of that scale), but considering the amount and quality of the food, it's entirely justified. The cost had actually been part of what held me back prior to this event (keep in mind I do run this blog which necessitates my spending a fair amount on frequently dining out which I consider when looking at the price of any meal) but I can assure you it won't hold me back any more. Will I go to every single event? No, although I met several people there who do. But if there's a menu that really appeals to me, I won't hesitate and I'd make that same recommendation to anyone else. If you like food and feel comfortable spending that amount on a dinner, this is a great option.

The other important aspect to consider with regard to the cost is that this is a fairly small, community-oriented, grassroots organization run by young chefs trying to do something different and collaborative and they're doing a really great job. By keeping the events fairly small but the preparation and creation fairly large, the costs do go up but these are efforts I do consider worth supporting. It was a unique, laid-back, and enjoyable experience that left me thinking, "Serious food. Fun time."

The next Chilltown Kitchen Supper Club will be this upcoming Monday, 2/29 and they'll be serving an all-vegan, gluten-free menu.