Dinner and a show for $69
Le Bar Supper Club brings theater drinks and vaudeville nights to a suburb famous for its bayside golf courses.
French$$
Get ready for a different kind of dinner bell.
Maybe you’ve reached the bottom of the Blushing Violet cocktail, a concoction shaken with absinthe gin and violet liqueur. Maybe you’re spreading a duck terrine on a baguette. Of course, you look great on the black velvet banquette, while the onyx glint of the bar and the golden glow of the chandeliers add a little extra oomph in a suburb known for its golf.
Ding-a-ling-ling, the music turned up and two furry dancers burst into the restaurant; From full dress to G-string and nipple tassels, sequins, red lips and hi-de-ho jazz show for a one-song burlesque performance. The room buzzes as they walk away. A minute later, prawns nestled in a creamy herb sauce arrive, followed by eye fillet cooked to a perfect medium-rare as requested, with a packet of Cafe de Paris butter lusciously spread on top.
The mood is suggestive but not obscene; The dancers perform with young people as well as women. This night features a happy mix of dressed up moms, double dates, single women and couples. On a recent weekend visit there were customers from as far away as the US and Singapore, but this is also an offering for Gulf Coast locals: You don’t need to head to the CBD for a Big Night Out.
There’s definitely some skin on display (although no more than what you see at your local dog park or iview). I try to resolve my feminist uncertainties with Jamie Bucirde, an occasional burlesque performer at Le Bar and also The Guardian’s best performer. Good Food Guide opener, champion of cultural change and campaigner against sexual assault.
“Burlesque is rebellious, sassy and very elegant,” she tells me. “It’s reclaiming public space and our bodies, too. The first burlesque dancers danced at a time when women couldn’t vote, be seen or heard, let alone show skin.”
I turn to look at the newly arrived chocolate mousse; Drizzled with Cointreau and garnished with whipped cream, this is the epitome of French fare here. The food is good rather than great, but at $69 ($55 vegan), the two-course set menu for burlesque nights is exceptional value as it includes the show.
The drinks are excellent, with flamboyant cocktails harkening back to Prohibition-era New York and Parisian bohemia. I love the theatrical Van Gogh, which sees the tabletop fountain dripping cold water onto a burning sugar cube sitting atop a glass of absinthe.
Manager Dina Dames and bartender Jai Singh manage the unique, five-year-old venue with great care. Both were also involved with the Lobster Cave next door, which closed last October after 38 years of claw cracking.
We hope Le Bar has a bright future because experiential dining is one of the biggest trends in hospitality. People want to eat, of course, but they often long for something more to make the occasion stand out. Le Bar offers: fun and entertaining. Let the tassels spin for a long time.
Down
Atmosphere: Chatty charm and giggles
Dishes to use: Eye fillet ($55); Van Gogh absinthe ($39 for two); shrimp cutlet ($49); truffle fries ($20); chocolate mousse ($20)
Beverages: When channeling speakeasy charm, you need a serious cocktail menu, and Le Bar serves many drinks inspired by Prohibition classics.
Cost: Approximately $150 for two people, excluding drinks
This review was first published on: Have a nice weekend magazine.
Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and independently paid. A restaurant cannot pay for a review or inclusion on a list. Good Food Guide.
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