Springtide Obsession Supper Club Review 

Spring is here! On Monday we attended Springtide Obsession, the latest supper club from The Bridge Club. Here chef and baker Jack Ponting transformed the season’s best ingredients into a bold, decadent feast.  

As the name suggests, Springtime Obsession is a celebration of renewal, indulgence, and creativity. The menu captured the essence of spring, balancing seafood, slow-braised meats and the comforting warmth of spiced, seasonal desserts. Jack likes making classic Western European cuisine  with a modern twist and where good food is at the heart. 

Held at The Jolly Gardeners in Vauxhall, we sipped on a cocktail in the bar area. The cocktail was comprised of oat-infused whiskey, honey rum, orange juice and zest, double cream and freeze dried raspberry. It’s made by mixing everything until the cream splits and then clarifying it, giving a crystal-clear drink that holds beautiful flavors. This technique is inspired by an old English drink called milk punch. 

It was now time to head to the two large wooden communal tables where guests were encouraged to mingle. Three of the dishes are served on platters made for sharing, for us it was about 6 people per platter.  This meant we were passing dishes and serving one another which helped with the communal vibes. There was ample food and we liked the spacing of the dishes, none feeling rushed or a long wait. 

We started with a classic Provençal dish: petits farcis. These are spring vegetables filled with a meat mixture and herbs and baked in the oven. These vegetables/fruits including onion, zucchini and tomato. It was a comforting dish. Next was the Moules Frites (French for mussels and fries). The onion, white wine and cream sauce was lovely. This was my favourite dish of the evening. For those who can’t have seafood, the vegetarian option was provided. My friend enjoyed the variety of vegetables in her tempura vegetable dish. 

Of course, it’s not British springtime without lamb. This braised lamb was tender. It was accompanied by roasted carrots and crushed salt-baked swede. The batter haggis is something neither of us had had before, and although neither of us have liked haggis in the past when we tried it, we decided to give it a go. I preferred these to traditional haggis due to the golden crisp outside. 

To finish we had Eve’s Pudding. This is a spiced apple classic reimagined for the season using brandy butterscotch and vanilla ice cream. I liked the combination of soft apples, soft sponge and a slightly more crispy top layer. It was warm, fluffy and oh so delicious.   

The four courses and cocktail cost £60. There’s water on the table and you could buy other drinks at the bar.  We enjoyed the warm, communal feel and good quality dishes. You could feel the care that Jack and his team out into the food and the night as a whole. 

The next Supper Club is the long awaited collaboration between Jack Ponting and Chef Manifest. Chef Manifest  is an expert in making exciting vegan food that replicates the flavours and textures of its meat counterpart. Diners will receive a meat main and its vegan alternative to showcase that we don’t only need meat to have a good time. Th escort for four courses, a cocktail and tea or coffee is £60. It will be held on 12th May at The Jolly Gardeners Pub, Vauxhall. 

Address: The Jolly Gardeners, 49-51 Black Prince Rd, London SE11 6AB

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Written by Caitlin Neal 

Photos by Dan Say.