Supper Club Experts Gingerline Make A Triumphant Return With The Grand Expedition
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Last Updated 27 February 2019
An unprepossessing start in the yard of a tyre warehouse in — well, a location on the upper reaches of the Victoria line that remains a secret until 4pm on the day. Namecheck, wristbands, an Asahi beer and then through the keyhole into a world inspired by Jules Verne, the Montgolfier Brothers and maybe the spinning teacups ride from Alice in Wonderland. Nobody does imaginative immersive dining-theatre like Gingerline.
The food is always the star of a Gingerline event, and the made-from-scratch, made-on-site succession of five geographically-different courses in The Grand Expedition are truly impressive: delicious, meticulously cooked and presented, authentic and filling. After your £75 tour of global cuisines you won’t need the KFC you can see on the way back to the tube. The slick way they handle vegetarian and vegan preferences and allergies is impressive, especially as the actors don’t use any actual language.
It’s a ‘journey’ but unlike last season’s promenade Chambers of Flavour you sit tight and the world comes to you: with technically excellent 360 degree projection and sound, and some smart and crisp choreography from the passionate cast, it’s a truly enjoyable, immersive and all-enveloping evening.
But who’s it for? Shared boat-sized tables for six to ten makes it too gregarious for ‘date night’. In fact, there’s a bit of an office party atmosphere, and you’d need a big crew for exclusive use. Probably best enjoyed by peeps who love supper clubs and inspired dining, but sauced with a hugely entertaining ketchup of dance and activity. The drink’s well chosen too — especially the £25 wine flight which really does complement the dishes appropriately, and oh boy, do we love the Lovage vodka.
The Grand Expedition, by Gingerline. Secret Location. £60-75. Dates through April and May 2019.
