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Nancy Nichols of D-Magazine (left) held another Supper Club last night at Stephan Pyles’ Samar on Ross Ave. Enjoying incredibly diverse food  whilst being entertained by winsome belly dancers is not something you normally do on a Sunday evening in Dallas but by George what a cracking time we had!

This was our second Supper Club and although the last outing at Nona was very pleasant, last night’s extravaganza was one of the most fun evenings we’ve had in ages. It was rainy & misty outside which only enhanced the experience of entering Samar. We went to the restaurant’s opening but it was a zoo with over 1,000 guests. Last night with every table full it was just right. There is so much energy in this space, from the myriad staff rushing around and being very attentive, to the beautiful chandeliers picked up (apparantly) in the old Souk’s of the Middle East. Stephan and his designers have created an amazing space that at times, with it’s curtains everywhere, reminded me of the old Starck Club – but much more elegant, and free of models & drugs!

You can see the full menu here so I won’t drive you mad with desire as I describe each of the twelve dishes, but here were my favourites.

1. Hummus, Moutabal, Labne, Three Spreads with Naan
2. Mejillones en Escabeche, Mussels Escabeche with Pears, Sherry and Cream
3. Kofte Laàteen, Fried Spiced Pumpkin Kofte with Peekytoe Crab Salad and Paddlefish Caviar
4. Candied Ginger Stuffed Semolina Croquetas with Natilla

I can eat good Naan with yummy spreads all night long. Samar’s Naan is so good – has to be made on the premises. It was piping hot and had a softness and freshness that is missing in most Indian restaurants in Dallas. The Moutabal (aka Baba Ghanoush) was the best I ever tried, I don’t really like aubergines, but this variant with its smoky notes was light and delicious. The Hummus was also a really good example of a simple dish prepared perfectly with just the right heft and taste.

The mussels were possibly my favourite dish. The shellfish themselves were quite small, but plump & sweet. The sauce was unbelievable with an incredible depth and richness. Slurped up with the Naan you could have wrapped me up in a Persian rug and taken me home after that.

The small Kofte were little croquette like mouthfuls with such a unique taste. Paddlefish caviar! Who would have thunk it?

Most of the desserts were good, I don’t really like chocolate but the Turkish coffee melange was fabulous with a wonderful crunchy/gritty mouthfeel from the beans. The Stuffed semolina Croquetas were outstanding though. I just Googled Natilla and it is a Spanish custard, which jives with the rich creamy sauce served with the dish.

I hate to have a complaint about an amazing evening but I wish D-Mag would have some greeters at these dinners who explain what is going to happen and how we will be seated etc. As it turned out we found a fantastic bunch of folks who had commandeered a small room and kindly invited us to join them, but some people could be seen drifting wondering what was going on. We were lucky though and sat with a table of foodies who were all great fun and as enthused about trying new dishes as we were. This was what we anticipated with Supper Club and last night we were not let down.

I knew that Stephan had belly dancers in the restaurant but I didn’t realise how much they would rock and totally change the evening’s atmosphere. When the three dancers came out the music was cranked – this isn’t your old squeaky Middle Eastern oboe drone, this was thumping, heavy disco beated house belly dance music. It was loud & brilliant! The girls weren’t as zaftig as you would expect but they were enchanting, very sensual dancers. One of them got on the floor near our table and did some gyrations with her stomach and flipped and rolled quarters around to make a pyramid!

Phew! What a night. I can’t recommend Samar enough for a fantastic change of taste and pace. Stephan et al have made a very magical place.