Back in the day, the term "Supper Club" traditionally referred to a
dining establishment that functioned simultaneously as a social club. They were
usually upscale and elegant, but provided reasonable prices to its members.
Today, however, Supper Clubs have taken on a whole new meaning –
referring more to “underground restaurants”, “guestaurants” or even “pop-ups”,
where paying guests are treated to a more intimate dinner party experience;
usually offering an impressive menu at an affordable cost. These Supper Clubs
usually operate in an establishment other than a restaurant and are advertised
by word of mouth and social media.
 |
| Great company in a welcoming ambiance |
In recent years, Supper Clubs have grown quite extensively
in popularity not just in the U.S.,
but in other countries as well. In Latin America, where they have been around
for decades, they’re known as “paladares” and in Europe, particularly in London, Supper Clubs and
Underground Restaurants are often reviewed in leading newspapers and
publications; in many cases having higher standards than
traditional restaurants. Miami
is no exception. From adventurous dinners to gourmet experiences, these foodie
havens are popping up everywhere and creating a stir.
 |
| Chef Jorge Montes |
 |
| Culinary magic at work |
I partook in the January kick off of one of these fabulous
meals put together by Roho Kitchen, formerly known as Chef George Catering, located at 8338 W. State Road 84 in Plantation, Florida. Roho Kitchen is owned by brother and sister
team Jorge and Vanessa Montes. After five years as Chef George Catering, the
siblings decided to rebrand their company as Roho Kitchen, using Chef Jorge’s
red hot passion for cooking as an inspiration. Executive Chef Jorge Montes is a
very talented chef with over 15 years of culinary experience. His natural gift of infusing spice and flavor into his cooking while creating original
dishes is part of his signature style.
Their newly launched monthly suppers are called SIDEDOOR, named after the side
door guests use to come into his commissary kitchen.
 |
| Crostini with Cognac-Liver Pate and Onion Jam |
 |
| Kir Royal |
 |
| Duchess Potatoes with Caviar |
The theme for the evening was “A Night In Paris”. The minute
I saw the menu, I grew more and more excited with each course and only wished I had been wearing my pink beret. I could tell
great preparation and detail went into putting each course together - not only by the beautiful presentation of each dish but also by the thorough descriptions Chef Jorge gave us as they were served. We started the evening
with a welcome drink called
Kir Royal; a sweet and refreshing mix of sparkling wine with chambord. Ooh La La. While we all got to know each other, we indulged in some passed Hors D'oeuvres:
Duchess Potatoes filled with chive cream and caviar and
Crostinis with Cognac-Liver Pate and onion jam. They were
manifique! I couldn't say no each time the platter came to my side of the table.
 |
Close up of Duchess Potatoes with Sour Cream & Caviar
|
 |
| French Onion Soup |
 |
| Nicoise Salad |
For our First Course, we were served
French Onion Soup, enticing our palates with the savory broth mixed with herbs, caramelized onions and gruyere. Chef Jorge added his own touch to the popular favorite, sitting the pain perdu on top of the bowl instead of placing it inside. I loved this variation because it allowed everyone to choose how much bread they wanted to dunk into their soup. I don't have to tell you my entire slice did a belly flop immediately into the savory, hot liquid. In keeping with the French theme, we had a
Nicoise Salad as our Second Course. Immediately I was taken back to Julia Childs and the movie
Julie & Julia. Olive oil poached tuna loin, haricot verts, olives, white anchovies and baby greens were drizzled with a delicious tarragon vinaigrette. It was a refreshing balance of flavors.
 |
| Duet of Duck |
 |
| Salmon Wellington |
If you're not singing
Le Festin, from Ratatouille by now, then let me tell you about our Third Course:
Duet of Duck. Two very sexy pieces of poultry rocked this plate; an aromatic and sharp-tasting duck leg confit and duck breast a l'orange. The richness of the duck fat flavored the meat and intensified the moment, while the sweet and sour orange sauce gave the crispy breast a zesty zing. It all came together with a leek and roquefort tarlet; an often overlooked delight that added a hint of bitterness and savory sensation to the dish. The Fourth Course was just as memorable:
Salmon Wellington. At this point I began to wish someone had stopped me from overindulging in the delectable passed hors d'oeuvres since I chose to ignore the warnings at the beginning of the meal. However, the elegant dish was too good to merely dabble on, so I went full force ahead. The well-seasoned salmon was topped with spinach and lump crab and wrapped in a flaky puff pastry. It was served with lemon hollandaise and watercress.
 |
| Chocolate Souffle |
The meal was so impressive and amazing so far I didn't think it could be topped. But of course, never say never. Out came the Fifth Course, a decadent and rich
Chocolate Souffle, mixed with blackberry compote and bathed with creme anglaise. Creme de la Creme! I don't care how full I was! I ate the whole thing.
Besides the catering and supper club dinners, Roho Kitchen also provides monthly cooking classes, wine dinners and healthy meal deliveries. They also have plans to open a Pop-Up restaurant very soon in a separate location. As I enjoyed my dinner and chatted with the other attendees, one thing stood out: Jorge and Vanessa have a loyal following. Everyone at the table had attended several of their events and were smitten. After this Parisian evening, I can see why.
No comments:
Post a Comment