Twice Underground: The Rambling Restaurant & Savoy Truffle Supper Club
After I popped my underground restaurant cherry at Ms Marmite Lover’s pad, I found I’d acquired rather a taste for the scene. The combination of a buzzing atmosphere, where people are a bit high on the whole secrecy/naughtiness vibe with an opportunity to nose inside other people’s houses and get a damn good feed at a damn good price is a winner in my opinion.
The Rambling Restaurant is rather more ‘occasional’ than the others I’ve come across. When my friend and I got wind of it we booked ourselves in for the opening night. The first night of an underground restaurant is much more of a venture into the unknown than that of a legit outfit of course, you truly don’t know what you’re going to get. I mean, can they even actually cook?
We were greeted with a rather boozy yet delicious elderflower cocktail which got jaws loosened and soothed away all memories of our unwanted scenic tour around Camden (i.e we got lost). The RR dining room is studio in layout and the chefs had basically pinned a cloth across the wall to make a divide between kitchen and dining area and to screen themselves from view. I have to say, I’d do the same – particularly on my opening night. If I was in the middle of a monumental f*ck up, I certainly wouldn’t want people watching my sweat drip into the soup.
We started with liver, bacon and mushy peas. It wasn’t quite what I expected, the liver being a coarse pate rather than a lobe but it actually turned out to be the best part – rich and meaty with good depth of flavour. The accompanying pea/tomato/cumin yoghurt combo in a shot glass was less successful however and a little bit confused, something which chef and patron The Food Rambler fully acknowledged when I sent her my feedback (which she asked for).
The main was a trout fillet with fennel, rocket and a rosti. The fish was perfectly cooked with a good crispy skin and silky flakes and the fennel and rocket provided welcome punches of pepper and anise. The only problem really was the presentation of the dish which was just a touch too rustic and the texture of the rosti suffered considerably from sitting in the sauce.
As usual in these BYO situations, we were fairly plastered by dessert (on Portugese (!) wine from a nearby shop) but I do remember that the chocolate fondant was really, really good – wicked, rich, gooey and deep with cocoa. For £15, the evening was a bargain, as we left bursting at the seams.
Although we could hear a lot of sizzling, clanging and clattering behind the sheet, our host always emerged calm and collected (I imagine her doing a short sharp outward breath, pinning back a stray hair and composing herself before emerging). She tells me the evening descended into chaos somewhat after I left for the last tube, with guests scrabbling in the bedroom for cafetieres but personally, I think it would only have added to the charm.
Now we whizz South of the river from Camden to Blackheath and the Savoy Truffle Supper Club. Sounds a bit more formal I know, and it was – not stiff, or stuffy but just a little more slick and established. It has been running longer and is staffed by professional chefs, so this is hardly surprising. Being skint as usual I knew I would need to make a thrifty choice on the alcohol but the name ‘Savoy Truffle Supper Club’ didn’t seem to encourage this and neither did the matching suggestions on the website. With some time to kill before my train then I disguised my budget bottle with a cunning label (above), which was certain to fool everyone who laid eyes upon it. Sorted.
We started with an amuse of roasted red pepper soup with harissa crème fraiche and Greek basil (which the supermarkets have started selling I’ve noticed). It had all the expected sweet intensity of a pepper soup with a good fiery kick of harissa. An excellent warm up.
Our starter was simple, elegant and delicious – crushed broad beans and mozzarella on sourdough toast. Man that toast was crispy. Thankfully the room was alive with excited chatter, which was just enough to disguise our crunching. The mozzarella was wonderfully milky and generously proportioned. I’d like to eat this for lunch for a week.
Next up the holy blubber of pig. A good slab of belly, bearing crispy crackling with a little melty underside preceding tender meat. The accompanying rumble de thumps was perfect – nuggets of cabbage amidst cloudy potato. A swirl of Madeira and anise jus and a dollop of caramelised onions added lightly spiced sweetness.
Our palettes were cleansed with a refreshing elderflower sorbet before the main dessert arrived, a rather tidy version of Eton Mess. The meringue was good and chewy within, the berries sweet and ripe and the cream did its job of lubricating and binding in its own delightfully sinful way. The effects of generous portions were beginning to show at this point but I’m pleased to report that I struggled on through to the end.
My interest in underground restaurants shows no signs of abating and I’m thoroughly enjoying making comparisons. The clientèle at STSC were a little more mature than those at the RR, whereas The Underground Restaurant appears to attract a good mixture of both, for example. I’ve had my eye on the Pale Blue Door but apparently it’s shut in September and I’m waiting on a reply for re-opening times. Perhaps I should start my own in the meantime. Nah, I wouldn’t have the nerve…would I?
Category: Restaurant Reviews, Underground Restaurants 15 comments »
August 4th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
HAHAHA that disguised bottle of wine is just as funny as I remembered it. Would definitely revisit.
August 4th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
… or, would you? Any plans afoot? You’d be great!
Two I’ve not tried, and I also want to try The Pale Blue Door… let me know when you’re planning to go.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Well do let me know if you go for it Helen.
I was rather hurt that rambling restaurant did not invite me to their opening night despite the fact that they came to mine and found out about the whole movement from my blog!
Pale Blue door is very good.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Looks awesome. You’ve got to get yourselves down to the Saltoun Supper Club. It’s very good indeed.
August 4th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Do it do it!
It was good fun, wasn’t it? I definitely want to try Saltoun, and also Pale Blue Door. The more supper clubs the better, I say.
August 5th, 2009 at 10:12 am
How much did the second instalment cost?
August 5th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Chris – What do you mean funny? It cost me an arm and a leg that…
Niamh and MsMarmiteLover – Will keep you posted ladies!
Jonathan – Yes we do want to go, it’s getting in that’s the problem.
Lizzie – We are in wholehearted concurrence on this matter. Bring ‘em on.
Douglas – Yes, good point, I forgot to mention that. It was £25 but I think now it has gone up to £30 or £35.
August 5th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Of course you have the nerve… Go on…
August 5th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
What a fun looking event, love the special touches
August 6th, 2009 at 1:04 am
This sounds like so much fun! I wish I could go to an underground restaurant. I have heard about them in NYC and on the west coast….
August 6th, 2009 at 8:44 am
I want to taste the pea/tomato/cumin yoghurt combo it taste yummy. Do you have a recipe with that?
Seth Rodriguez
August 6th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
The trouble and effort people go to never ceases to amaze me! When I helped out at The Underground Restaurant, I realised I could never do it. Are you going to start one soon?!
August 10th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
All sounds so much fun. Was just reading about the TSC last night. Wish I could get more than 2 people in my little cottage…..
August 14th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Hey Helen, thanks for the lovely write-up! Have got to get to the Savoy Truffle Club – the food looks and sounds gorgeous.
Just to clear something up about the RR lauch – I didn’t actually invite anyone, as I thought the best way of getting a good mix of people was to just put the idea out there and see who was up for it. And the idea of inviting really experienced chefs/restauranteurs was a tad scary to say the least…
September 28th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Thanks for posting, just subscribed to your blog. drop by at camden markets,