Recap of the Dallas Observer’s Member Only Supper Club at Ramble Room | Dallas Observer
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The Dallas Observer's Second Members' Supper Club Was a Hit

The Ramble Room was host to our August supper club, where Observer staff and readers sipped wine and ate decadent chocolate cake.
Image: The Ramble Room created a menu for our supper club, along with wine pairings.
The Ramble Room created a menu for our supper club, along with wine pairings. Jordan Maddox
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We started a new thing this year — in addition to trying to break through the AI chatter, battling an ever-changing media landscape and dodging assaults on liberal media: we're simply having dinner with our readers. Members, to be more specific, who are our most dedicated followers, those who find it particularly important to help sustain the free press.

Our first members' dinner was in July at Tiffany Derry's Radici. By the time the appetizers hit the table, we knew we were onto something special. Conversation flowed, connections felt natural, and by the end of dinner, everyone wanted to know when we'd be doing this again.

All of this happens while chefs prepare a multi-course meal with drink pairings just for us. We also get to meet chefs and owners who, along the way, come out to chat with us about the dishes and wine.

On Tuesday evening, we met at Ramble Room in Snider Plaza, Jon Alexis' upscale yet comfy bistro. Alexis is a longtime Dallas restaurateur; his other spots include the local staple, TJ's Seafood, the Tex-Mex spot Escondido and Birdie's Eastside.

On Tuesday, the menu started with perhaps one of the best shrimp dishes I've had: a crispy wonton shrimp wrapped in a basil leaf with a togarashi aioli. I could go back and just order these and eat the whole plate myself; alas, it's not on the regular menu, which is why you should come to our next members' only supper club. A Mumm sparkling brut was the perfectly refreshing summertime pairing. 
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The menu included a crispy wonton shrimp, roasted chicken and a flourless chocolate cake.
Jordan Maddox
The main course was a beautiful quarter-roasted chicken with perfect late summer vegetable gratin over a punchy salsa verde, served with an Iron and Sand cabernet from Paso Rablos. 

We ended the evening with a flourless chocolate cake topped with a maple syrup whipped cream and fresh strawberries, and served with a Norton Reserve Malbec that was up for the job of complementing the rich cake. This is also a calamity in that this dessert is not on their regular menu either. See, you guys, it really pays to be a member.

For over 40 years, the Observer has been dedicated to bringing you local news with an unbiased take. We believe that everyone deserves access to fair and fearless journalism, which is why our website is free from paywalls and more than 40,000 papers are distributed around the city — for free — each week.

Our members' program is designed to help keep this wild dream alive and thriving.

It's crucial that we interact with our readers. We're better when we're face-to-face with our community, even if a bowl of pasta is between us.

What's Next

Our next members-only supper club is scheduled for early October. We'll release the details soon and will let our members know via email.