Cello Supper Club is a swanky resto-lounge in downtown London that has quickly become my favourite place for a late-night dinner and drinks. Not only is the decor modern chic, comparable to the best Toronto lounges, they also boast a menu of over 30 martinis. The first time I came to Cello, we were seated in the lounge area with leather couches and were presented with two martini glasses full of gummy worms and fuzzy peaches. I was in love.
Despite my enthusiasm for candy-themed martinis in the colour of the rainbow, the skills in the kitchen were more than adequate to get my attention. With the first bite of sweet and tender spiced lamb kafta, I knew these chefs were not banking on our inebriated state to serve us less-than-delicious food.
Normally, I avoid lamb like the plague. From my Chinese background, I knew lamb to have a distinctive “aroma” that did not sit well with me. But this lamb did not have that aroma. Instead, it was unbelievably tender, cooked until the sinews had caramelized and the meat could easily be pulled apart, marinated with a sweet sauce and a spicy rub.
The next appetizer we tried was a bruschetta, which was not as memorable. But that is a good thing in my books, because the only memorable bruschettas I’ve had are bad ones.
The catch of the day was rainbow trout, with a buttery risotto and caramelized vegetables. The dish was perfection. The rainbow trout was well-cooked and subtly seasoned. The risotto had a creamy texture, juxtaposed against the more solid, caramelized potatoes and carrots.
The lamb entree was outstanding, although comparably less seasoned than the lamb appetizer. The sauce was flavourful and very complementing to a less-seasoned meat. The meat was soft and tender, and I could see that the chefs had taken care to cook it at the right temperature to leave a golden shell with pinkish flesh.
The entree I had been looking forward to the most was duck breast, which turned out to be flavourful with a crispy outer shell. The duck was not as tender as it could have been, especially considering all the fat sitting under the skin. Perhaps it was a little under-done, or perhaps it was the way my friend ordered it. The duck was sitting on a most delicious mound of mashed potato that was so smooth it could have passed for cream itself.
The beef-phyllo entree was most unique. The beef was subtly seasoned, and sat in a mushroom and escargot sauce that reminded me of a wine reduction. The escargot, mushroom, and herbs resulted in a very interesting taste.
Their classic martini (the “dirty cello”) came with three olives and a very smooth Bombay sapphire gin. There were several cream-based martinis to select from but real dessert came in the form of cassis ice cream on creme brulee, and a banana extravaganza I can no longer remember the name of. The creme brulee was far too sweet but the cassis ice cream made up for it. The banana extravaganza consisted of several banana-flavoured components (sorbet, cream, etc.) that all tasted heavenly.
On weekends, they have a DJ and the music can get quite loud, but weekday nights are more intimate. The dress code fares on the side of club-wear, especially later in the evenings, with girls in tights and men in blazers, but there are no bouncers so it is not like you would be turned away for being under-dressed. The servers are very attentive and accommodating, and give great martini recommendations.
Overall, this place has a great vibe, whether you’re with a date or a party of friends. With attentive service, top-notch food, the most extensive martini list in London, and gummy candies galore, what’s not to like?
Rating: 
svgallery=cellosupperclub
The duck was cooked well depending on which side you ate but I still agree: a little bit tough.
As for my drink experience during dinner: ordering a drink at the bar for Mel was the worst experience I’ve ever had. I can probably attribute their lack of willingness to work with me in coming up with a drink not on their menu to their knowledge of the liquids. I can tell you my tip would have been a lot more generous in the 25% range had they actually helped me – they certainly had the time to.
For our visit, Cello Supper Club had no permanent bartender so I can imagine the waitress just waited for a drink to be ordered and mixed the ingredients she read off the menu… they must have thought “who the heck tries to customize a drink when we’ve got the best martinis in London?”
I’ve been off my game of experimental mixing for several months now and not having ANY ideas to work with from the bar was quite disappointing. “Do you have any non-sweet drinks? – lime based, wine based…” no, nothing to work with. I can understand The Ceeps not catering to this type of service but definitely not a nicer club like the Cello Supper Club. Maybe I expected too much.
Where is your bartender?
[Reply]
A strictly “martini” menu isn’t a great thing. No bartender is another issue. Sadly, this seems to be a trend in all the restaurants in London. I don’t think there is a good place in London to get a cocktail.
[Reply]