Foodie News
Eagerly awaited burlesque club opens with half-price lunch — but no entertainment (yet)
One of this fall's most anticipated openings will make its debut this week. Prohibition SupperClub & Bar in downtown Houston will begin its soft-opening with lunch service starting Tuesday (Update: mock lunch service will now begin Wednesday). In the interest of attracting customers and giving the kitchen a chance to practice, all menu items will be half off the first week.
If all goes according to plan, dinner service will begin Nov. 2. The supper club portion, which will feature three performances a week by the Moonlight Dolls burlesque troupe, will open in mid-November, but a special party featuring the performers will take place over Halloween weekend.
Some of the menu items include steamed mussels, smoked fried chicken, fried fish beignets and a double patty cheeseburger on a sesame bun (don't call it a Big Mac).
Prohibition tapped former Batanga chef Ben McPherson to serve as executive chef on the project. Together with sous chef Matt Wommack, McPherson's partner in this spring's pop-up series The Bull & The Pearl, McPherson has created a menu that features seafood and twists on classic dishes. High quality ingredients appear throughout, whether it's Anson Mills grits in the shrimp and grits, Benton smoked ham in the croque monsieur or a mixture of veal, beef and pork in the meatloaf.
Some of the menu items include steamed mussels, smoked fried chicken, fried fish beignets and a double patty cheeseburger on a sesame bun (don't call it a Big Mac). Dinner features a few upscale options like prime rib and a whole fried catfish for two.
Beverage director Lainey Collum won't be able to debut her new cocktail offerings this week, but expect a menu that improves on Prohibition's barrel-aging program, as well as a well-chosen selection of craft beer and wine.
The decor in the renovated space plays up the Art Deco theme, with vintage chandeliers and original artwork that features classic liquor brands. Servers will wear period-correct outfits including flapper dresses, suspenders and hats.
Overall, it's an ambitious project, but one the talented team has the experience to execute. Together with the newly opened JW Marriott a couple blocks away, Prohibition looks poised to bring about the next evolution of the current downtown revival from a "moving sidewalk" of bar patrons to a comprehensive entertainment district.