Clandestine. Characterized by, done in, or executed with secrecy or concealment. Dinner. The main meal of the day, typically eaten in the evening. Combine the two concepts and you've got the most brilliantly awesome underground supper club in Chicago--Clandestino.
Given only the clue of a theme, dinner-goers are led to a mystery location for a meal that is out of this world. But it's not just dinner that you're getting. If you're looking for a truly unique and memorable dining experience...in addition to incredible food...you'll definitely want to check out Clandestino. They do entertainment and ambiance about as well as they do dinner.
Let me preface by saying that I am not a foodie by any means. I admittedly have the culinary palette of a two-year old and would be quite content living on mac & cheese and chicken tenders for a week. In fact, at 28 years old, I still routinely bring peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to work everyday (but I digress). So rather than take a seat at the table, I elected to volunteer behind the scenes to really get an understanding about how Clandestino works and figure out what makes it so special.
For this weekend's dinner, the clue was "The Whole Hog."
You can't even begin to imagine my excitement. As a Kansas City girl with Tennessee roots, one thing I do have an affinity for is for barbecue. I know what's good and I appreciate the fine art of preparing it to perfection.
As volunteers, we were responsible for all the behind the scenes action that didn't involve cooking. We handled setup. Tear down. Serving. Helping the guests enjoy their unique experience. And promoting an all around awesome time at what was sure to be a dinner to remember. Mind you, I've never worked food services in my life (with good reason), but I am happy to report that I didn't break any dishes, nor did I spill food on any of the guests.
For this weekend's dinner we found ourselves at The Blind Pig Records headquarters on Milwaukee Avenue (Blind Pig...The Whole Hog theme...get it?!). Tucked deep inside the basement, we prepared one long table set for 42. Dim lights. Candles. The faint scent of dust collected upon master reels of old blues artists lingering in the air. There was an obvious mysterious and welcoming (dare I say even romantic?) vibe that practically shouted something very special was about to occur.
One thing was very evident from the get go, Efrain Cuevas (the mastermind behind this operation) and the entire Clandestino crew are passionate about what they do. Not only do they love being in the kitchen and pushing their culinary limits, but they adore sharing that experience with others...and they are truly genuine and awesome people. There's a reason why so many folks who attend one Clandestino dinner find themselves coming back time and time again...and without a doubt, it's not only because the food is amazing. One guest told me that she has met some of her best friends through Clandestino, and they continue to dine together via the underground supper club.
My favorite overhead quote of the night was "That pig did not die in vain." And I can promise you, no truer statement was said.
I mean...check out this menu for a theme that had everyone in hog heaven...
Chicharrones with a tomatillo dipping sauce for starters
Grilled Oyster, scrapple, poached quail egg, french breakfast radish, and guajillo agave reduction
(paired with Dynamo Copper Lager)
Trotter Noodle Soup with bbq pork loin and pickled ramps & rhubarb
(paired with Flywheel Bright Lager)
Spring spinach and asparagus with a bacon vinaigrette
(paired with Krankshaft Kolsch)
Smoked shoulder and ribs, russian blue potato salad, grilled spring onions and arugula
(paired with the yet-to-be released I-Beam alt-style beer...which made its debut at this soiree)
Anise Hyssop Root Beer Float
Everything was made from scratch and at the end of each course, nearly every one of the guests' plates were empty and with good reason. There are simply no words to describe how incredible the food tasted. I could try, but it honestly won't come close to doing the dinner justice. If I could, I'd bathe in a bathtub of Efrain's homemade barbecue sauce and perhaps may have threatened to leave my husband for the leftover shredded pork. It was seriously that delicious.
It was obvious that the guests were having just as much fun as the volunteers and staff. Strangers of all ages and all walks of life came together and dined as a family...and the end result yielded an endless supply of laughter and new friendships. That's the thing about Clandestino...you share in the experience once and you're forever part of the family.
Before I left, Efrain and I were talking a little bit about the future of Clandestino. The next two dinners (complete with wine pairings from Forlorn Hope winery in Napa) are already sold out. That's the thing about Clandestino dinners. They tend to sell out fast. So if you want to join the party, you'll need to plan ahead and keep your eye open on their website. Tickets run around $100-125 per plate, but guests agree that the price of entry is well worth the experience received in return. And when you RSVP you never know just where you'll find yourself...you could end up dining in a barn, an art gallery, a rooftop in the loop or a luxurious mansion.
But it sounds like in the future more people will have the opportunity to take part in the Clandestino offering first hand. While the traditional sit down dinners will still occur once in a while, Efrain is looking to take a different approach starting later this summer. Envision something along the lines of a "come as you are" cocktail party with a plethora of food to graze upon as you mix and mingle with friends and strangers alike all at a lower price tag than the traditional sit down dinners. And at a time where people are looking to tighten their pursestrings while still finding ways to enjoy the luxuries of life, Clandestino will once again prove to be a perfectly unique evening out.
I, for one, can't personally wait to attend one of these events. And hope to see you there, too!
And while you're at it, why not join the Army of Awesome as well.
Until next time, my friends...
Filed under: Date Ideas, Dining
Tags: Al Brandtner, barbecue, bbq, Beer, Blind Pig Records, chef, chEfrain, Clandestino, Date Night, Dining, Efrain Cuevas, Guy King, Metropolitan Brewery, Secrets, Underground Supper Club
Everything about the Whole Hog Dinner was amazing. After I proposed the Blind Pig location to Efrain, he took over on menu and I went to town on music and art. Guy King and Al Brandnter were great finds.I love that Efrain now often features locally made Al Dente Pasta at many of his dinners, in this case the Trotter Soup.I'll post the recipe on our blog soon. www.aldentecanoodler.com