A few days ago I was lucky enough to be invited along to Gingerline’s current immersive dining experience, The Grand Expedition. I’m now going to try to review it without giving away the surprises too much, as there’s a real ‘keep the secrets’ thing going on and it’s better not to include too many spoilers. One thing I will say is that it’s a unique night out and it’s a whole lot of fun.

Gingerline’s past supper clubs and dining experiences have all been based around venues near to stops on the London Overground railway (hence ‘Gingerline’, it’s the orange one on all the schematic maps), but this latest venture needed a specific kind of space so it’s tucked away at a hidden location. All I can say is that it’s somewhere on the Victoria Line to the East of Euston station. You get the full directions by text at 4pm on the day you’re due to attend, and it’s very close to the designated tube stop so it’s fairly easy to find before the 7pm start.

You also have to option to dress up a little, and your hosts tell you that “although not compulsory, budding aeronauts are welcome to wear flight goggles, scarfs or hats for their Grand Expedition,” which is all in keeping with the general ‘above the clouds’ theme. So in the unlikely event you do get a little lost, just look out for the people with the aviator goggles on their heads as there’ll be a few of them around.

The interior of the venue has been completely decorated to turn it into its own magical little world, with a touch of vintage and a dash of surreal theatricality. There’s a main seating area with bespoke booths surrounded by serving and performance space, plus a separate bar serving beers, wines and cocktails. Without giving away too much, I can tell you that throughout the event the mood lighting changes, and the whole scene shifts regularly with the help of sound effects, music, beautiful animations and striking projections.

Food and drinks

What about the food, you ask? Your entry fee gives you five generous courses and a beer, and we found that this was more than enough to keep us well fed. The caterers are able to cover most eventualities, including vegan to gluten free, so let them know in advance.

The theme changes with each course, including an unexpected one for the dessert which included some clever molecular gastronomy and was rather delicious. There wasn’t a bad morsel on the table, and my guest and I both loved the informal ‘feasting’ nature of the whole spread. It was clear that a lot of thought had gone into making the food interesting, with all the different cuisines, ingredients, textures and styles on display – but saying anything more than that might spoil the surprises so I’ll stop there…

You can also purchase all kinds of extra drinks on the night, including reasonably-priced flights of wines and cocktails designed to go with each course, and there are some very good non-alcoholic options available too. I tried a couple of the cocktails, and they were both creative and delicious so I’d happily recommend trying at least one of those as they’re a bit of a treat.

Entertainment

The entertainment is non-stop, with performers greeting you and serving some of the food and drink alongside the regular waiting staff. They stay in character throughout the evening and speak a made-up language, keeping you amused with a mixture of mime, acrobatics and dance that changes with each of the five courses.

You might be invited to interact at different moments, so you could end up helping to dish up the food, join in a funny sketch or do some dancing in groups (no talent required, don’t worry). The combination of venue, food and performers definitely creates an immersive experience as promised, and it’s quite unlike anything else around.

From an accessibility point of view, there’s seating for one wheelchair user plus their companions at each performance. You should also be aware there’s strobe lighting used at points during the show, and while it’s all very exciting but not scary it might be a bit of an overload for some. Children aged 12+ are welcome, with the matinee events being the more recommended. The non-stop nature of the performance also means that you need to be slightly careful when leaving your seat, so I’d advise that you wait until any sketch or episode of dancing has finished before getting up.

Gingerline’s The Grand Expedition runs until the 6th of July, although some performances have already sold out. Prices range from £60 to £75, plus booking fee, and include all five courses and a drink. You can book tickets singly or be seated together in a group of six, eight or ten. Buy tickets here.

If you want a big night out in London that’s charmingly quirky and unique then this one’s something you won’t want to miss. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and the food was delicious. 

Full disclosure: I attended Gingerline’s The Grand Expedition as a guest, without obligation to review. We paid for our own drinks. There are reporting restrictions to keep some of the surprises under wraps, but these are my honest opinions (without spoilers).

Photo credits: Rob Greig.