Underground Dining

[Ericandblueboy]

Link to article in WaPo

My knee jerk reaction is that they're skirting the law. They're not properly licensed. They're not following zoning ordinances. They're not paying taxes (maybe some of them do, but I doubt it). I'm sure someone will point out the merits of the practice that I fail to see.

[sandynva]

Link to article in WaPo

My knee jerk reaction is that they're skirting the law. They're not properly licensed. They're not following zoning ordinances. They're not paying taxes (maybe some of them do, but I doubt it). I'm sure someone will point out the merits of the practice that I fail to see.

I also wondered about the prices at some of them. $195? That price seems in line with the most expensive restaurants in the area, I'm wondering if a dinner at these clubs is really better than spending the money at eve or komi. And even for the less pricey ones, well, $50-$70 will get you a lot of vegetarian Gujarati Jain food at nirvana, though you wouldn't have the same amount of explanation. (Although at nirvana maybe you would. when I've been there the hostess/owner has always stopped by the table to chat and see how things are, so I'm guessing she'd be happy to talk about Gujarati food) I'm not criticizing these clubs, as I've never been to them. Maybe the experience is well worth the money. I was just kind of confused about the prices as if these are people who aren't paying rent on a restaurant, paying salaries for staff, etc, I would've expected the price to be less than that of a comparable restaurant experience. But then again I suppose restaurants have volume, can buy in bulk etc. also, maybe I'm just sad that since I'm a vegetarian I can't go to wok + wine which sounds like so much fun!

[deangold]

The dilema of their livlihood is that the more they are talked about the more likely the government agencies will have them in their sights. Just sayin ya know.

[cjsadler]

My knee jerk reaction is that they're skirting the law. They're not properly licensed. They're not following zoning ordinances. They're not paying taxes (maybe some of them do, but I doubt it).

You wouldn't happen to be a lawyer would ya?

On the other hand, who cares? I think it's a great idea for people who want to occasionally cook for others outside of a formal restaurant. A lot of potential for a fun, different experience and a chance to meet some interesting fellow diners.

[Ericandblueboy]

You wouldn't happen to be a lawyer would ya?

Guilty as charged.

[Miami Danny]

You wouldn't happen to be a lawyer would ya?

On the other hand, who cares? I think it's a great idea for people who want to occasionally cook for others outside of a formal restaurant. A lot of potential for a fun, different experience and a chance to meet some interesting fellow diners.

My guess is that a preponderance of the participants are lawyers, too. Doesn't really sound like a big health problem, though. Not much different than a big dinner party where you get to meet new people. Instead of a nice bottle of wine or flowers, you throw in some cash. Little expensive for me, but sounds like fun with the right crowd.

[zoramargolis]

For between $50 and $75 per person, Geeta serves the dishes she grew up eating in her mother's kitchen, including dhokla, steamed lentil-and-rice flour cakes, chana masala (chickpea curry) and sweet carrot halwa. It's a way of sharing her Gujarati culture and her religion, Jainism, which prescribes a diet that bans root vegetables as well as meat and dairy products.

Since when are carrots not root vegetables?

A few years ago, I regularly invited a school friend of my daughter and the girl's mother to dinner. The mother is from Chile and works at the IMF. She had lived in France and Mexico, enjoyed my cooking very much and was constantly advising me to start a "dinner club" such as the ones described in the article, which she said were extremely popular in the cosmopolitan cities of South America. The idea as she explained it, was that people pay a nominal fee, like $1 or $2 to join your club, and then pay a recommended donation for the dinner, which is determined by the host based on the cost of the ingredients and the time/labor involved. And that club meetings could be held as frequently or infrequently as the host wishes. It is essentially a dinner party where the guests don't necessarily know each other or the host, and the guests chip in to pay for the food. She said that the very best home cooks tended to do this in Santiago and Buenos Aires, it wasn't a way for professional chefs to avoid the overhead of running a restaurant.

I wasn't really interested in pursuing it for several reasons: I have a tiny house and small dining area and kitchen and don't have the silverware, dishes and glassware to serve a meal to more than 9 people, and that really stretches my resources thin. Nor do I have the cupboard space for storage, to acquire more; it's a lot of work, and I have no household help so I would have to hire someone to help me clean the house, cook and serve the meal, and clean up afterward (I presume that the upper class home cooks in South America who do this already have servants on hand to assist them)--my significant other would not be available to help me; I wasn't sure that I could charge enough to a small number of people who could fit around my table to make it worth my while, given the time needed for shopping, prep, cooking and cleanup and the cost of ingredients and hiring help.

If I had a bigger house and a bigger kitchen, who knows?

[1000yregg]

I just posted about a place in Baltimore, Sometimes Dining, associated with folks from Charm City Cakes.

It was only $20 "donation". A friend who went last summer paid $12. It was like a nice dinner party with strangers. Very hospitable, and I think they do it for the enjoyment of having guests who are enthusiastic about food.

[Miami Danny]

Since when are carrots not root vegetables?

A few years ago, I regularly invited a school friend of my daughter and the girl's mother to dinner. The mother is from Chile and works at the IMF. She had lived in France and Mexico, enjoyed my cooking very much and was constantly advising me to start a "dinner club" such as the ones described in the article, which she said were extremely popular in the cosmopolitan cities of South America. The idea as she explained it, was that people pay a nominal fee, like $1 or $2 to join your club, and then pay a recommended donation for the dinner, which is determined by the host based on the cost of the ingredients and the time/labor involved. And that club meetings could be held as frequently or infrequently as the host wishes. It is essentially a dinner party where the guests don't necessarily know each other or the host, and the guests chip in to pay for the food. She said that the very best home cooks tended to do this in Santiago and Buenos Aires, it wasn't a way for professional chefs to avoid the overhead of running a restaurant.

I wasn't really interested in pursuing it for several reasons: I have a tiny house and small dining area and kitchen and don't have the silverware, dishes and glassware to serve a meal to more than 9 people, and that really stretches my resources thin. Nor do I have the cupboard space for storage, to acquire more; it's a lot of work, and I have no household help so I would have to hire someone to help me clean the house, cook and serve the meal, and clean up afterward (I presume that the upper class home cooks in South America who do this already have servants on hand to assist them)--my significant other would not be available to help me; I wasn't sure that I could charge enough to a small number of people who could fit around my table to make it worth my while, given the time needed for shopping, prep, cooking and cleanup and the cost of ingredients and hiring help.

If I had a bigger house and a bigger kitchen, who knows?

(There is a correction online for several Jain-related errors)

[Barbara]

(Tap, Tap--is this on?) There's a member of our motley community who might wish to add to this thread from his/her new home elsewhere.

[jayandstacey]

This seems like a social phenomenon, not a new restaurant / business paradigm. The appeal is partly for decent food, but mainly for novelty - specifically the clandestine nature of the events. Thus the evocative names like "Hush" and "Orange Arrow" having little to do with food.

What this isn't...is a sustainable alternative to a successful business. It might keep a chef having some pocket change, but like all such ventures, it eventually collapses under its own popularity - either as the facilities can't handle it, or the cops shut it down, or a novel-er place comes along.

Thus I tend to agree with the Rob Wilder quote near the end, that such efforts don't represent competition to him.

[dcs]

Link to article in WaPo

My knee jerk reaction is that they're skirting the law. They're not properly licensed. They're not following zoning ordinances. They're not paying taxes (maybe some of them do, but I doubt it). I'm sure someone will point out the merits of the practice that I fail to see.

I have read about zoning issues that have plagued others who charge for private affairs.

[a1000]

Has anyone been to HUSH yet?

http://hushsupperclub.wordpress.com/reservations-and-menu/

[chefgunshow]

Has anyone been to HUSH yet?

http://hushsupperclub.wordpress.com/reservations-and-menu/

Isn't that one of those "I'd tell you, but I'd have to kill you situations?"

[legant]

I've been invited to one of these "underground" dinners. Other than the news articles and info packet -- it's all very secretive and scary; I've given my ICE contact instructions on what to do if I don't return in 12 hours -- that accompanied the invite... can anyone who has attended a DC event tell me what to expect?

~ louise

[edenman]

(Tap, Tap--is this on?) There's a member of our motley community who might wish to add to this thread from his/her new home elsewhere.

Oh hai. Started doing something out here called @gastroclub. We're getting around the pay/tax/etc issue by running it as a "club" where everybody just chips in on food/drink cost. And I don't include the cost of the homebrew, to avoid running afoul of the "it's illegal to sell homebrew" restrictions. So far no issues, but it's all just friends and friends-of-friends. Tends to be like $30-$35 for 4 courses of beer and food. I do the brewing and the braising/curing beforehand, and a friend of mine who is a cook comes in and does the day-of cooking, while I wash dishes and talk to people about the beers and food.

It is a most satisfying undertaking. We recently expanded to two seatings in a night...we'll see if demand keeps up with supply, but at the very least, I now have full place settings for 16

[Choirgirl21]

On the other hand, who cares? I think it's a great idea for people who want to occasionally cook for others outside of a formal restaurant. A lot of potential for a fun, different experience and a chance to meet some interesting fellow diners.

My thoughts exactly.

Doesn't really sound all that different than the dinner club my friends and I set up really. We cycle through who hosts each month with a group potluck at the end, we split the bill for food and wine with a limit of $25/person although often we spend more and just eat the cost b/c we want to serve a more expensive wine or protein, or that unnecessary 6th course. The difference is that over time we've lost members who just weren't as enamored with food and wine. I often lament the fact that i don't have more foodie friends who can participate.

So waht I want to know is where do I sign up.

[goodeats]

Underground Grilled Cheese. (would it catch on here??)