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6 Secret Restaurants You Need To Know About

We're spilling the details on the coolest places you've never heard of.

By Kiri Tannenbaum and
Dish, Cuisine, Food, Ingredient, Meat, Produce, Recipe, Duck meat, Venison, Veal,
Chelsea Lupkin

Secret supper clubs and hidden restaurants have been a growing trend these past few years, but often, as quick as they appear, they're gone. Here's the latest on the places — and events — you can't miss.

1

The Naked Lady Room, New York, NY

Wall, Room, Interior design, Table, Furniture, Floor, Architecture, Flooring, Art, Building,
Chelsea Lupkin

How It Works: This tiny room hidden behind a door in the West Village restaurant Bell, Book, and Candle is the definition of a hole-in-the-wall spot. It's decked covered in pink wallpaper featuring a whole bunch of scantily clad women (hence the name), and can squish up to six people.

What's On The Menu: "Hawaiian nachos" topped with tuna and guacamole, Brussels sprouts and ricotta salad, and grilled salmon. And that red phone in the wall is a direct line to the bar: You can order any drink and have it delivered to the small pass-through in the wall.

How To Score A Seat: Call the restaurant ahead of time to book the secret room. Get more details at bbandcnyc.com.

2

Borrachito, New York, NY

Dish, Cuisine, Food, Ingredient, Meat, Produce, Recipe, Duck meat, Venison, Veal,
Chelsea Lupkin

How It Works: Knowing this restaurant's name won't help you find it. Keep an eye out for The Garret East — the taco joint's tucked past a dark hallway in this East Village bar.

What's On The Menu: All kinds of tacos, with tortillas made fresh daily. The burrata taco features a 2-ounce ball of cheese on it, and the New York Strip Steak taco is not to be missed.

How To Score A Seat: Slip past the hallway at the back of the bar and you're in! Get more details at borrachitonyc.com.

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3

Sunday Dinner Club, Chicago

Sunday Dinner Club
Sunday Dinner Club

How It Works: Dinners occur several times per month and typically have three to five courses shared with about 20 diners.


What's On the Menu: Cassoulet with duck confit, leg of lamb, garlic sausages (yes, please!), hickory smoked bacon (extra porky!), with white beans and grainy mustard. The pièce de résistance: chocolate mousse and mint chocolate cookie tart.


How to Score a Seat:
"Invites are sent via a mailing list, but the mailing list is cultivated by referral only," says the hosts. So, if you are lucky enough to be invited through a friend in-the-know or if you miraculously cross paths with the chefs, you're in! Hint: They shop at local Chicago farmers' markets. Another place to start? Sign up for the mailing list: sundaydinnerchicago.com

4

A Razor / A Shiny Knife, Brooklyn, NY

A Razor / A Shiny Knife
Flickr/Emily C.

How It Works: Though most events take place in Brooklyn, New York, their epicurean offerings have been held all over the world — Chicago, LA, San Francisco, Austin, Boston, Panama City, Panama, and Bogota, Colombia — in non-traditional venues: an uncompleted apartment building in Brooklyn, a wild boar farm, and inside a swanky art gallery.


What's on the Menu: The folks who run A Razor, A Shiny Knife like to treat their kitchen more like a laboratory. Mesmerizing meals are produced using molecular equipment: lasers, infizzilators, vacuum chambers, and liquid nitrogen. Which means what you read on the menu, may not be exactly what you eat.


How to Score a Seat: Get your email on their radar: arazorashinyknife.com.

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5

Hush, Washington D.C. and Chicago

Hush Supper Club
Hush Supper Club

How It Works: Founder and organizer, Geeta, acts both as chef and storyteller for her authentic vegetarian Indian meals. "During the meal, I give a 30 minute Spice Tour," says Geeta. We end with 'Playing with Food', where I have guests taste and sniff various ingredients used in that meal."


What's on the Menu: Specialty spices are also incorporated into cocktails, like the Viceroy, a cinnamon- and saffron-infused gin and tonic. The vegetarian feast features organic ingredients whenever possible.


How to Score a Seat:
To make a reservation, click "Reserve" on the Hush website and fill out a questionnaire for every member of your party. Then make sure you remember the secret password upon arrival.

6

The Sunday Night Dinner, Astoria, NY

The Sunday Night Dinner in Astoria
Facebook/The Sunday Night Dinner in Astoria

How It Works: What began as a regular gathering of friends evolved into a gustatory gathering of strangers. Proprietor Tamara Reynolds, a former server from Prune restaurant in New York, prepares a feast for about 20 folks in her tiny Astoria apartment.


What's on the Menu: This is one serious gastronomic supper! Favorite dishes include radishes with butter and sea salt, fried oysters with housemade remoulade, and rumaki: water chestnuts wrapped in bacon then broiled in a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, and freshly grated ginger.


How to Score a Seat: Find upcoming events on the Facebook fan page: The Sunday Night Dinner In Astoria and check out their flavorful pics on Flickr.

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