Rosie & Jim's Sunday Lunch - Holloway

Yesterday I went to my first ever supper club, run by James Ramsden (you might have read his articles in the Guardian) and Rosie Hogg. One Sunday every month they are kind enough to invite a bunch of strangers into their home for a four course lunch.

Dining at a supper club is an utterly different experience from eating in a restaurant. The usual rules and etiquette no longer apply, but that is half of the charm. Being able to watch your food being prepared and speaking to the cook adds a personal aspect you wouldn't get in a restaurant. There's something quite intimate about going to someones house, sitting at their dining room table and eating a meal they have prepared for you; I worried that it would be awkward, but our hosts were utterly charming and at ease.

We were greeted with a bloody Mary, which was much appreciated after a few too many post-rugby drinks on Saturday night. To start we were served smoked salmon and fluffy blinis, with a healthy dollop of creme fraiche and caviar. This is one of my favourite starters and it didn't disappoint.

The main course was roast chicken served with smoked garlic mash, roasted carrots, peas, bread sauce and a light chicken gravy. This was the perfect roast for what felt like the first day of spring. No heavy gravy or roast potatoes, just simply prepared and delicious food. If I was a judge on Masterchef, I'd say something about how they let the ingredients 'sing' by not overpowering them with too many flavours. I've no idea how they managed to cooked half a dozen chickens and vegetables for twenty people without using a professional kitchen, very impressive.

For dessert we had rhubarb crumble with orange ice cream followed by an incredibly creamy Stilton, oatcakes and homemade red onion relish. At this point we were pretty much ready to burst, but just managed coffee and homemade mint tea before heading home to lounge on the sofa for the rest of the day.

Everything we ate was delicious and for £30 it was great value. The food was simple but beautifully cooked, the atmosphere was cheerful and relaxed and despite cooking for twenty hungry guests our host's were incredibly calm and friendly. Yesterday's fantastic lunch sparked a new found interest in supper clubs, I'd love to hear your recommendations...

 

To find out the dates for the next Rosie & Jim's follow James on Twitter or have a peek at his blog.