Time Out says
Tue Dec 14 2010
Like some sort of high-definition advert from the future, Supperclub is the latest outpost of an international empire which, 18 years ago, was founded by a group of Amsterdam artists.
It probably wouldn’t call itself a bar or even a restaurant but rather a concept or a space or, worse still, an experience. And you'll have to book.
It has landed near the top end of Portobello Road underneath the Westway where Neighbourhood once was, and before that, Subterranea.
The first thing you’ll notice about the vast two-floor dining area is that it’s very white and stark. It’s hard to imagine white gets any whiter than this – your eyes feel like they’re being poked with a pin.
The next thing you’ll notice is that instead of being seated at tables or chairs or other formulaic furniture, punters take their shoes off and recline on enormous white mattresses.
Silky mouthfuls of food and designer drinks are whisked to each bed by staff wearing fancy dress – examples include a burlesque angel, a bellboy and a bullfighter.
The bouncers look like the Bee Gees, there’s ‘creative’ visuals splashed on one of the white walls; a pair of dancing robots jerk around near the decks; the music is loud and beepy, diners are given massages and cajoled by a man whose job, it seems, is to jump around and laugh a lot – it’s the kind of place you’d expect a unicorn to walk in.
It is all overly cool. The staff are very friendly though.
If you’re not eating, you can drink in the red bar to the side of the main event, but it feels a bit like you’re missing out on the people-watching action. Better to sweep upstairs and lean against the bar of the mezzanine level.
A cocktail menu, informed the friendly barman, is in development. In the meantime, they can spirit up most drinks on request.
The Negroni, however, had far too much ice and, at £11, was too expensive. A run-of-the-mill bottled beer selection plays second fiddle to an all-embracing and expensive wine list.
Picky eaters beware - there’s no menu to choose from. Instead, for £50 per person, you get what you’re given, spread over four courses.
Much of the food is dished out in the centre of the room and eaten, with varying degrees of awkwardness, while lying on the bed. If it’s soup, you may be in trouble.
Notwithstanding the man who jumps around and laughs a lot and the robots, there are international superstar DJ types who take centre stage after dinner when there’s disco dancing and suchlike.
This is mainly performed by good-looking people in preposterous clobber each striving to out-beauty each other. It’s quite tricky looking cool when you’re walking around in your socks.
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