Saturday Weekly Supperclub: An underground dinner party-with strangers

$45 for members, $55 for guests of members

Glen heard about Campoverde through his sister. An underground dinner party held at a Vancouver hidden lounge, hosted by a professional chef. The gourmet menu of a restaurant, in the intimate setting of a home. It sounded intriguing, so he signed up. He was contacted by e-mail, and only then was he given an address and invited in for a visit.

Armed with an open mind, he arrived one Saturday night. The lounge had a chic, Victorian parlour atmosphere, the decor almost entirely red, velvet and gilded. In the back room sat a long, custom-made dinner table with seating for fourteen. Music played through hidden speakers. Intricate place settings had been laid out surrounded by soft candle light and warm pools of chandelier glow. It could have been the dining room in a vintage British home, but it was the back room of a lounge - and an underground Supperclub.

"I think it's a brilliant idea," said Ms. Mauchamps, 43, a lawyer. "It's unlike any other place that's around here."

The new Vancouver arrival sat with thirteen strangers while hosts Rachel Greenfeld, 36 and Daniel Silveira, also 36, who run the lounge, served a West coast-themed meal, including marinated maple-sesame grilled wild salmon and season greens salad and lentil and vegetable strudel with Roma tomato sauce. For dessert, there was warm apple pie with vanilla sauce and fresh roasted coffee or exotic teas.

The Campoverde Supperclub is the pet project of Kamala Sunder, in her lat 30s already an award winning chef, and Jamie Christo, a professional bar manager in his early-50s- an underground Supperclub for foodies who want an innovative gourmet meal, good wine and fresh conversation.

"It was just the idea of putting our skills together," said Ms. Sunder. "So we thought, maybe just throw some private dinner parties in our lounge and see how that goes." But unlike with most "dinner parties," guests pay a fee for the privilege.

Ms. Sunder and Mr. Christo throw private parties for individual members and their guests with set menus, or parties for groups for which the menu can be chosen. Typically the cost varies - from $45 per person to about $55, depending on whether you are a Campoverde member or the guest of a member.

Supperclubs are popular in the United States and Europe, but in Canada they are only barely legal. There are about 70 such supper clubs throughout the United States, said Dennis Kercher, 55, founder of Sacramento's The Hidden Kitchen. The Ghetto Gourmet is another supper club in Oakland. It's word of mouth that has made the clubs so popular, particularly in California and New York.

"People are looking for something different in their dining experience," said Mr. Silveira. "This kind of fits that bill because it is not only about great food but more importantly the great conversations and interesting variety of people."

Campoverde Supperclubs have a tendency to sell out rapidly. Ms. Greenfeld and Mr. Silveira believe Supperclub is the easiest way to meet new people, it is a bonding experience, especially for those who host business meetings, birthdays and holiday gatherings. Word of mouth has built them a mailing list of over 10,000 people and turned Campoverde into a profitable venture. Among their guests was Robert Slater, 64, a Harvard educated professor of Economics who said Campoverde Supperclub fills a niche market not served by mainstream restaurants. "Not everyone wants waiters hovering over them. They don't want background noise from the tables. They want exclusiveness. And this gives you exclusiveness," he said. "I find it's really unique."

RSVP to supperclub@campoverde.ca to reserve your seat at the friendliest, most intriguing dinner party in town.

Saturday Weekly Supperclub: $45 for members, $55 for guests of members.

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