Skip to main content

Supper Clubs Hit the Culinary Mark

By Shandana A. Durrani May 14, 2014 1:54 PM

supper clubs portland — 1. Trout ceviche is often on the menu at Casa Saltshaker in Buenos Aires.
2. American Jimmy Haynes has been hosting strangers and friends at his atelier in Paris for more than 30 years.
3. Portland’s Holdfast offers chef Will Preisch’s innovative cuisine.
4. Table for 20 is one of the hottest dining concepts in Sydney.

supper clubs jimmy haynes — 1. Trout ceviche is often on the menu at Casa Saltshaker in Buenos Aires.
2. American Jimmy Haynes has been hosting strangers and friends at his atelier in Paris for more than 30 years.
3. Portland’s Holdfast offers chef Will Preisch’s innovative cuisine.
4. Table for 20 is one of the hottest dining concepts in Sydney.

The lone diner. You sit in restaurants by yourself, savoring your wine and food, listening in on conversations but never being a part of one. It’s a solitary experience that can sometimes become lonely. But loners need not suffer anymore. From Portland to Sydney to Buenos Aires, crafty entrepreneurs and chefs have created supper clubs that don’t just serve multiple delectable dishes, but friendly discourse as well. The Manual picks our top-four from around the world.

Casa Saltshaker, Buenos Aires

Recommended Videos

Billed as “Food. Wine. Conversation. New Friends.” Casa Saltshaker in food-rich Buenos Aires makes good on that promise. Ten guests meet and mingle at the home of American Dan Perlman. Diners are treated to a five-course tasting menu—think Andean and Mediterranean cuisine—paired with local wines. Conversation is as easy flowing as the wine. While the food isn’t five-star, the intimate ambiance and friendly host make up for it.

Chez Jim, Paris

Paris is well known for its myriad great restaurants. But for a unique experience that’s been going on for three decades, head to Chez Jim on Sundays. American Jimmy Haynes hosts up to 100 people at his beautiful atelier in the 14th arrondisement. Haynes recruits different friends to cook their signature dishes each week and guests truly enjoy a convivial atmosphere. You might be sitting next to a Bosnian one night and an Estonian another.

Holdfast, Portland

No supper club article would be complete without a mention of Portland, land of the farm-to-table restaurants. Holdfast is the hottest ticket in a town full of great eateries. Chef Will Preisch—of Bent Brick fame—serves nine-course meals every weekend, every month, at KitchenCru in NW Portland. The food is innovative and the atmosphere is intimate, both stemming from Preisch’s recent culinary stint in Europe. The dinners sell out quickly so getting on the list is crucial.

Table for 20, Sydney

Thousands of restaurants make up the Sydney dining scene, so finding a place to eat can seem daunting. Enter Table for 20. Michael Fantuz hosts a four-times-a-week meal in his home to anyone wanting to join, as long as they’re friendly and willing to pitch in if needed. Diners enjoy three unique courses with homemade limoncello—you can still BYOB wine—while listening to live music.

Shandana A. Durrani has been a magazine editor and travel writer for more than two decades. Her work has appeared in numerous… Read Full Bio

Topics

Food

Tip Your Hat to Stetson Bourbon: The Natural Evolution of America’s Most Iconic Western Brand

Alcohol, Beverage, Liquor

Stetson. You know the name. You proudly wear the hats. Now get to know its bourbon. America’s most iconic Western brand is launching Stetson Bourbon, touted as a “super-premium, high-rye proprietary blend distilled and bottled in Bardstown, Kentucky.” The brand, created in 1865 by John B. Stetson, who invented and perfected the cowboy hat, is bringing the same quality and craftsmanship to its bourbon, blended by Kentucky Master Blender Dan Callaway.

The launch has been a long time coming, resulting in a bottle and spirit worthy of the Stetson name. After a three-year journey of sourcing and tasting, Stetson found its ideal blender and two of the most respected bourbon producers in Kentucky, Green River Distilling Co. and Bardstown Bourbon Company.

Force of Nature is elevating the meat delivery game

Cookware, Skillet, Food

An old high school buddy recently hosted a boys’ weekend at his farm in Virginia. We spent two glorious days fishing, cooling off in swimming holes, and sipping whiskey at sunset. Before I headed back to New York, he sent me off with a box full of frozen venison. He had harvested the deer the previous fall, and a local game processor had turned it into sausages, backstrap, and steaks.

Back in Brooklyn, I seared the lean, ruby-red cutlets in French butter, spooned over a dollop of cherry jam, and paired them with a bottle of Daou Soul of a Lion. My girlfriend agreed: it was one of the finest—and healthiest—dinners I’ve ever cooked.

New tequila finished in mole-seasoned barrels celebrates two UNESCO-recognized Mexican traditions

Alcohol, Beverage, Liquor

A new limited-edition tequila is bringing together two of Mexico’s most celebrated cultural traditions in a single bottle. Reserva de la Familia, the luxury tequila brand from Jose Cuervo, has unveiled Private Cask Collection Edition No. 2: Mole Cask, the first tequila finished in mole-seasoned barrels.

The release highlights the deep connection between Mexico’s culinary and distilling heritage. The tequila begins its journey in the agave fields surrounding Tequila, Jalisco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its historic agave landscape and tequila production. It is then finished in barrels seasoned with mole, one of Mexico’s most iconic dishes and part of the country’s UNESCO-recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage of traditional cuisine.