Underground supperclubs have been sprouting up in cities across the country for years, so it was only a matter of time before someone came up with the idea for a vegan supperclub. That someone, or someones, are Carmen, Edward, and Mark; three talented chefs who spend their spare time planning gourmet vegan menus for those fortunate enough to land a reservation at their Brassica Supperclub in San Francisco.

If you’re unfamiliar with supperclubs, think of it as a dinner party in which the hosts have invited strangers who leave a “donation” in exchange for a meal. Many of the essential details are revealed to guests at the last minute via email so that the location remains a secret, lest the authorities get wind of it and decide to pay a visit to inspect the kitchen.

And so it came to pass, last Thursday I received “the email” with the location and password. Yes, you must give the correct password to gain admittance to Brassica, and it isn’t “tofu.” In fact through the four course vegan meal they served, there wasn’t a bite of tofu to be found. What I did find was fresh seasonal vegetables expertly prepared and presented in a way that I wish I could find at most restaurants.

The dinner began with a simple heirloom tomato salad with baby little gem lettuce lightly dressed in a basil vinaigrette that was subtly flavored to bring out the flavor of the lettuce. The chefs at Brassica understand that when you have fresh ingredients, the last thing you want to do is overwhelm their flavors by drowning them in an overpowering dressing or sauce. The sunflower seed cheese that accompanied the salad reminded me more of hummus than cheese, but complemented the lettuce and tomatoes beautifully.

A ribolita with a big hunk of focaccia floating in the center of the bowl followed the salad. Essentially a minestrone with big chunks of baby carrots, chard and cranberry beans, I enjoyed it slowly to allow the focaccia to soak up the perfectly seasoned broth.

Our entrée was a creamed kale and corn stuffed fresh pasta, roasted portobello mushroom, wilted spinach with garlic confit and red pepper coulis. Again, the flavor of the vegetables shone through and was enhanced by the generous amount of the red pepper coulis that seemed to pair perfectly with each component of the dish. The kale and corn stuffing had mild earthy flavor that easily made up for the indistinct flavor of the pasta into which it was stuffed. The only thing missing was some fresh bread to soak up the leftover red pepper coulis that remained on the plate.

Fortunately, the portions were generous, but not excessive, which left room for dessert. And this was not just any old dessert: Raspberry vol-au-vent with hazelnut frangipane, raspberry sauce, and an iced hazelnut espresso shot. At it’s most basic, you could call it a raspberry hazelnut danish, but that would be an insult. Served warm with a perfectly flaky dough, creamy hazelnut center, fresh raspberries and dripping with raspberry sauce, the pastry was light, yet rich in flavor.

Having done stints at Millennium and Café Gratitude, it’s no surprise that Carmen, Edward and Mark are turning out great meals at Brassica. Their passion for cooking is abundantly evident in the food they serve as well as their enthusiasm in sharing their techniques and kitchen tips.

One caveat for those with bad backs or similar issues: The tables are approximately one foot high, and diners sit on pillows on the floor. The meal lasted upwards of three hours, and while a few “seats” with backs are offered, some diners may get uncomfortable sitting on the floor for that length of time.

Tea and filtered water are served throughout the meal and diners are encouraged to BYOB. Brassica provides the glasses and there is no corkage fee.

Brassica Supperclub
brassicasupperclub.com

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