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Erykah Badu, an MC on a skateboard, extremely strong cocktails and camp hula hooping. This it seems is an ordinary night in the life on The Brickhouse supper club on Brick Lane. Eryka Badu cooly breathes "You got me" over the sound system, as my friend and I weave our way to bar, in between a throng of 1930s party goers, looking for fun on a Friday night. On its website The Brickhouse says it aims to provide top quality cutting edge performance with exciting modern European cuisine. We're here to find out if it lives up to the promise.

As we sit in prime position waiting for the cabaret to begin, we order a bottle of rose Sancerre (£18) and blow away the cobwebs of the week listening to Air in the laid back, but elegant, surroundings. The 5-course menu seems to cater for all tastes, and it's a snip at £25. So far so good.

The wine arrives pretty quickly. It's warm. One point deducted. I ask the waitress for ice but she insists on replacing the bottle. Point replaced. The place easily caters for intimate meals for two or party bookings of up to 10 people on one table.

Pork belly with bok choy and Asian spices kicks us off. It's a good size for a five course menu and the pork belly is juicy without being too fatty. Next up, the hake with olive, cress and brown shrimps. This is my favourite. The fish is delicate yet flavoursome and the assortment of colours on the plate is visually tantalizing. A short wait and the chicken with basil crumb appears with potato fondant and basil jus. I'm still quite hungry so I’m glad it’s a large portion. But it's tough. I look at my friend who is chewing like a beaver on an oak tree. It's not attractive. Sawing into the chicken is akin to trying to apply lip gloss in a taxi. It's difficult and not worth the effort. To divert my mind away from the chewy chicken, the acts thankfully begin.

The MC slides in on a skateboard and does a bit of stand up. It's funny, but not setting my world on fire. Maybe it's the chicken? Then the 5ft 2in Colombian gymnast comes on - balancing on one hand on top of a very precarious object in a physics-defying feat of abdominal masochism; I can hardly watch. Chicken what chicken? Then there’s a break between food and the entertainment. My friend goes for a cigarette and the Colombian decides to sit next to me. He's a 24 year old trainee dentist by day and hula hoop supremo by night.

The cheese course comes and goes, no-one can possibly do anything wrong to cheese. Then the pièce de résistance finishes off the famous five: summer fruits, champagne jelly and mascarpone ice cream. My friend is literally salivating and I can't work out if it's the champagne jelly, the espresso cocktail or the hot MC on the skate board. The hen party behind us are certainly having a whale of a time. The bride-to-be, Beth, not shy of volunteering whenever audience participation is needed, offers to lay on the floor while skater boy jumps over her on the proviso he strips to the waist. Brave or stupid? I'm a little sozzled by the mix of delicious chilli vodka and watermelon martini cocktails from earlier, so I'd probably say brave.

For his next trick our daredevil MC asks the audience to throw knives at him whilst perching on one leg on a skate board on top of a tin can. I'm thinking that might be stupid, but I'm impressed and entertained all the same. Fellow artistes include an extraordinarily cute and extraordinarily camp sailor hula-ing an impossible number of hoops to the rousing chants of 'Your Disco Needs You', and a beautiful finale performed by a painted pair of acrobats on silks.

The Brickhouse has achieved cutting edge performance and exciting European cuisine under one roof….and to top it off there is dancing. Cheesy dancing. I'm told that it's usually more dance tracks but put me on a dance floor with Kylie spinning around and I'm happy as can be. Brickhouse: you got me.

Reviewed by Melissa Davis.

Description: Housed in the famous 18th century Old Truman Brewery, this u¨ber cool and contemporary fine dining restaurant and supper club serves modern European cuisine for lunch and dinner, mixed with captivating entertainment in the evenings. The Brickhouse opened at the end of 2007.

Making the most of the monumental building’s impressive height the space, by director Nick Cash pays homage to urban chic. With a floor to ceiling performance area, the ground floor boasts a sleek black L-shaped bar, traditional dining tables and open plan kitchen. Two mezzanine levels provide further seating, with the best in the house – a private dining room. On the first, deep red booths create an intimate setting for groups of six, with beds on the second enticing those searching for a truly hedonistic setting. A rear alfresco terrace is a welcome addition.

Large windows and a glass ceiling, with views of the building’s iconic stack, allow light to fill The Brickhouse during the day, whilst evoking the ambiance of a city loft at night. Stark white walls provide a minimalist blank canvas for striking modern art and engaging sculpture throughout the venue. Artworks will change and move over time creating a dynamic environment for those visiting time and time again.

Brickhouse restaurant opening hours:
Tuesday to Friday: Lunch: Noon – 3pm Dinner: 6pm-10:30pm
Saturday: Dinner: 6pm-10:30pm


Brickhouse bar opening hours::
Tuesday to Friday: Noon – late
Saturday: Noon – 4am (Updated 15/10/2009)

The Brickhouse Opening Hours

Day	Hours	Day	Hours
Monday	Closed	Tuesday	7:00pm - 2:00am 2:00am - 7:00pm
Wednesday	7:00pm - 2:00am 2:00am - 7:00pm	Thursday	7:00pm - 2:00am 2:00am - 7:00pm
Friday	7:00pm - 2:00am 2:00am - 7:00pm	Saturday	7:00pm - 2:00am 2:00am - 7:00pm
Sunday	Closed

Customer Reviews for The Brickhouse

“Food terrible, but the show was great and the venue is cool. Go for the show but avoid the £35 set menu!”
Rating: — Lilac, London (31 Mar 2010)

“Brick Lane has it all, really. I just wish I didn't live so far away. The unusual shape of this venue lends itself to amazing performance, especially those that involve someone dangling and dancing in mid-air. I also like that you can start and end your whole evening here - cocktail, dinner, show, boogie, then home Jeeves.”
Rating: — Leigh, Tooting (19 Sep 2009)

“My best night out this year! A one stop venue. Food is exciting and very well prepared. Staff are trendy and friendly. The acts added to the evening and the DJ took us through til 2am. Great night.”
Rating: — Sam, London (04 Mar 2008)

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