Lex Eat!, London, UK

Yesterday we had a lovely evening at Lex Eat! supper club in Hackney. We were nine around the table, including Alexis Coleman who runs the supperclub and it felt like being invited at a friend's place. All the guests were true food lovers, and most of the discussions were about good restaurants, ingredients, local food suppliers and supper clubs.

Lex prepared us a proper feast. To start we had aubergine caviar, roasted pepper, home-made flat bread, fried sardines, lamb keftedes and cheese balls. I was so busy eating that I unfortunately did not manage to take a lot of pictures.

Cheese balls

For the main, Lex had bought a huge amount of pork bellies and rolled them to form a roast. The pork was tender inside and stuffed with fennel and rosemary. The crakling outside was crispy and tasted lovely. It was served with saffron rice and tabouleh.

Lex cutting the roast

Pork belly roast

and again pork belly with saffron rice and tabouleh

Cobnuts and cardamone pudding

For dessert, we had a classic English pudding and some lovely dessert wine. The dinner was divine and everyone stayed until quite late at night chatting about everything and getting to know each other. Lex's flat is cosy and quirky and by the time we left we almost felt home!

We will definitely try to come back. Not only for the food but also for the people, which is in my opinion what supper clubs are all about.

Cost: £20 contribution

The Secret Larder

After 27 hours 46 minutes and 16 seconds I finally managed to remove the viruses, trojan, worms, rogue spywares, etc... from my computer with the help of Spyware Doctor and Malwarebytes. Ok, this is not a blog about computing but I wanted to share with the world (limited to 12 followers) my happiness (and pride) in succeeding in the annihilation of all this c%*p.

Before going on holidays, 3 weeks BCC (before computer crash), we got a booking at the Secret Larder in North London after two people dropped out at the last minute. This was our first time at a supper club and we were very excited. That night, Chef James Ramsden, who runs the supper club with his sister, hosted a photo exhibition for a friend returning from New Orleans and prepared Southern food for his guests.

Chef James Ramsden & sister & friends

To begin, bourbon cocktails and pork cracklings...

Prawn gumbo

Deep-fried oyster

Beef rib roast with coleslaw and potato wedges

Vegetarian main (I don't remember the specifics)

Chocolate French toast

Bourbon coffee

The idea of having dinner with total strangers can be awkward but we had a good time at the Secret Larder and James Ramsden's team was very friendly. The menu was original and nicely prepared without fuss. The chocolate French toast may not look very nice on the picture but it was great (and decadently rich).

Cost: a supper club is not a restaurant, and prices are not fixed. Guests are asked to bring their own wine, and it was suggested to give a voluntary contribution of £30.

The Secret Larder is a great supper club led by a young and charming group of friends. Do not hesitate to go and meet James and his mates.