A few days ago I accepted an odd dinner invitation: I was asked to attend a dinner, but not told of my host’s name; I was to join a dozen strangers for a three hour meal consisting of items unknown. I was also told that my cell phone was to remain out of reach the entire evening. No texting. No tweeting. We would be required to talk to one another the entire time. Weird.
This was an invitation to Table, an “underground dinner party”, and something completely up my alley. Had I been asked to arrive blindfolded and to eat in the dark, I probably would’ve agreed to that too because sometimes dining out is about more than the food; it’s about the experience.
Indeed, I have supped sightless (O.Noir in Montreal); I’ve ridden by camel to dine in the Arabian desert, I watched my man-friend get spanked by a “nurse” for not finishing his Triple Bypass Burger, and I’ve consumed half-fermented whelks in Normandy (that was a mistake). Even when the experience isn’t great, it still makes for a good story.
I arrived at the secret location (revealed to me in an email) and followed two other people into the building. They looked suspiciously like food types, I thought: he with a waxed moustache, she, with a distinct European air. I was right – we all headed down a hallway and were ushered in to a spectacular dining area that featured a glorious view of downtown Edmonton. It was surprisingly easy getting to know the other diners. We were a disparate dozen brought together by an appreciation of good food. It wasn’t long before we were toasting and laughing and sharing stories. I think the punch may have helped a bit with that.
Then came the food: nine courses with each dish presented with a thoughtful drink pairing. Each of the food courses and drink pairings were divine. It became evident early on that we were in the hands of very competent hosts. Sorry, no photos. No cell phones, remember?
This dinner is not for everyone: if you’re vegetarian or vegan, you will go hungry. If you have any food sensitivities or allergies, sorry, no substitutions. There will be meat. There will be nuts, there will be wheat, and that’s just the way it has to be.
Part of what makes this so much fun is the mystery surrounding the meal. All you know is that it’s going to be good. If you’ve heard about Canada’s ultimate “underground restaurant”, Charlie’s Burgers, you’ll understand.
In 2010 I had the pleasure of helping arrange a dinner at Charlie’s Burgers in Toronto. Being privy to the inner circle, it became obvious who the real Charlie was and I swore to keep that secret safe. A couple of years later, after hosting several underground dinners, Charlie’s identity was revealed by Globe and Mail food writer, James Chatto. Franco Stalteri, the man behind Charlie’s Burgers, revealed the information saying that it was time, that Charlie’s had run its course. And yes, it was definitely fun while it lasted.
For now, in Edmonton, this underground dinner party is just getting started. I hope Table’s course is a long and prosperous one. Follow @TableYeg on Twitter to find out when the next dinner is going down.
You can listen to my full review of Table here with Mark Connolly on CBC Edmonton AM.