Chef-Curated Japanese Supper Club

The Pitch

Ask me what the most happening supper clubs in town are today, and I would stumble.  Back in my 20s, which would take us to the 2000s, I could name them all and was probably at a different one every weekend.  Now well into my forties, that scene lies in the rearview mirror.

However, when I was invited to Flyjin back in January of this year and witnessed its buzzing vibe, I vowed to make another night of it when my best friend and clubbing comrade-in-arms was in town.

To our surprise and (initial) disappointment, the place was near empty during dinner service on this Thursday night.  I counted more staff than the seven patrons on site – including us – during our first hour or two starting 8PM.

tagged:  NO NEED TO RESERVE SUPPER CLUB

The Mood

Spotting Flyjin if you've never been before is not easy.  Its entrance is found behind a Saint-Pierre Street building's door, which leads you downstairs to a hostess reception area.  Beyond that opens up a deep dining room with two bars and mostly bar-height tables.

The interior is flooded in deep red lighting, which is fitting considering its predecessor in the same locale was called Cherry, one of those aforementioned clubs I used to regular at.  Starting at around 10PM, our disappointment turned to excitement, as packs of youngsters started flooding the joint bit by bit.

By 11PM, stools were removed by the staff, to make way for more patrons and create some dancing space around the bar and tables.  Luckily for us, we were seated at the bar, so we got to keep our strategic spot amid the chaos of guys hitting on girls – lots of those tonight – and dancers bobbing to the resident DJ's tracks.

tagged:  HOOKUP POTENTIAL PAAARTAY! SIT AT THE BAR

The Food

Initially curated by famed chef Antonio Park, the menu seems to have changed hands twice since, but continues in the former's signature of Japanese specialties with Latin touches.

A long list of custom cocktails – priced between $19 and $25 each! – is followed by a SMART BAR of mocktails each with an alleged, eyeroll-deserving benefit such as mood realignment, vitality heightening or focus restoration.

For food, we ordered a bunch of shareable starters/tapas such as spicy tuna on crispy rice, tuna and wagyu beef tataki, chicken dumplings, chicken yakitori and a couple nigiris and maki rolls.

Everything was beautifully presented and mostly good; some dishes let the ingredient speak, others were heavy handed with garnishes and sauces.  Ultimately, I can't shake the fact that I paid $400 for appetizers – no mains or desserts – and 2-3 drinks for each of my friend and me!

tagged:  ALCOHOL RIPOFF GOOD FOR SHARING ORIGINAL DRINKS WALLET-BUSTER

The Service

If there's one thing that has not changed at supper clubs since the 90s, it's the waitstaff's type.  Of course I'm talking young, beautiful, scantily-clad women.  In an age when lady patrons outnumber gentlemen at such institutions and probably eclipse them in purchasing power, I'm not too sure why this is still the norm… but you won't hear me complain.

Demographic aside, the 2-3 servers at the bar who took care of us played all the right moves: drinks and dishes came out on time, empty plates and glasses cleared out expeditiously, glasses of water quickly refilled…

Two small objections I can raise: we were repeatedly asked if we wanted to order food during the first hour, when we were just taking our time catching up over drinks and opening up our appetites.  Second, our fried dumplings came way too fast (2-3 minutes, no kidding), which calls into question their freshness.

tagged:  HUBBA-HUBBA

The Verdict

Open since 2013, Flyjin has been a basement night spot before that was a trend.  From a food perspective, its chef-driven and ingredient-focused fare make it a far cry and improvement over the supper clubs of previous decades who all copied each other with extravagant, uninspired Italian/Mediterranean menus.

The fact that it's still banging and drawing the youngsters after 13 years is a surefire sign of longevity but also rejuvenation.  So, ask me again what are some of the hottest supper clubs in town?  I still have no idea; but I can suggest Flyjin as a great – if expensive – place to eat, drink, people watch and dance the night away.

tagged:  SOLID

Price per person:  $77