Alexandria, VA – The definition of a supper club varies widely. To some, it is a dining extravaganza where the evening features paced tasting with coordinated sipping of selected spirits. To others, it is pairing a well-planned menu with an array of wines that signal a beginning, such as an aperitif, then selected course pairings, and after-dinner ports or cordials with dessert.
At some venues, various performances offer added entertainment—covering popular Cherry Blossom Supper Club events to drag shows to individualized dining experiences in domed “igloos.” Frequently, the head chef will share a few words on the origins and the preparation of a dish, its plating or pairings, along with input from the spirit stewards or sommeliers.
Reservations with prepayment, or at least partial payment, at supper clubs is standard protocol, reflecting the growing demand for such events and the need to cap attendance to special seatings. Available soon at the King & Rye Restaurant at 480 King Street will be the individually themed Winter Wonderland Igloo suppers, which include a Ski House, Hawaiian Holiday Northern Lights, and an Into the Woods (cabin-like) dome.
According to Allison Strunk, director of food and beverage at King & Rye, there are three 90-minute seating times for igloo reservations on weekends; the seatings open Dec. 3 and run through mid-February. On weekdays, there are two seating times. Available seatings for the Winter Wonderland Igloos and other upcoming supper club events are found on the King & Rye website: kingandrye.com
“We have a good group of regulars who are at every supper club,” Strunk said, adding that patrons can find events announced at the King & Rye website and on social media, including Eventbrite. “If people wanted to make it a date night or dress up, they definitely could. The igloos are ‘you make it what you want’ and we’ve had people get engaged and celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and even Girls Night Out get-togethers.”
“We do a riff on mocktails that make it non-alcoholic for any event,” continued Strunk, who is a certified Executive Bourbon Steward (similar to a certified sommelier) and trains bartenders and managers at the restaurant and also on distillery tours with staff.
A recent 5th Anniversary Chef’s Supper Club program featured a remarkable two-hour-plus dinner beginning with its Southern-style appetizer of Serrano ham topping a warm buttermilk biscuit with a generous dollop of specialty apple butter and a savory Cherry New York Sour. The evening delighted diners as seven courses of gourmet cuisine—including appetizers, entrees, and desserts—were introduced by former King & Rye chef Peter McCall, the head chef starting in 2019, and current Executive Chef Tomas Chavarria.
Chavarria spoke wistfully of his grandmother’s Le Leche dessert as the inspiration for the 5th Anniversary Chef’s Supper Club dessert. Old Town residents and world travelers Norm and Susan Dailey were among the diners, and both expressed their culinary pleasure with plate after plate arriving full and disappearing empty during the anniversary event. The Daileys keep avid tabs on supper club events in the region through social media.
A word to the wise for supper club revelers: Arranging a return-trip driver is highly advised for a large set of courses, and also individual adherence to the 1-2-3 alcohol rule, which suggests no more than one drink per hour, no more than two drinks per occasion, and no more than three drinks per day in order to limit consumption and prevent a high blood alcohol concentration.
Conveniently, King & Rye has a lobby door into The Alexandrian Hotel, and the restaurant serves breakfast and dinner throughout the week as well as caters for conferences and special events.
