Courtesan
Address: 69-73 Atlantic Road, SW9
thecourtesan.co.uk
Tw: @CourtesanDimSum
Cuisine: Dim Sum
We checked out the Courtesan for a special evening celebrating the launch of their unique female-only spirits list.
There was live enterntainment, talks from the manager and representatives, tastings and of course…dim sum!
After undergoing refurbishment, the Courtesan relaunched in September with new interiors, as well as a new exterior. The Courtesan is a dim sum restaurant, tea room, cocktail bar and subterranean late-night live entertainment space located in the heart of Brixton.
We went along to their private event to learn about their remarkable female-curated wine and spirit list. Courtesan is the only place that features beverages exclusively produced or grown by women – pretty darn impressive!
We got to taste some of these drinks and I must admit I’m not a big drinker, so I just about sipped some of them. We also heard from a couple of the makers themselves before tossing them back. The only drink I could tolerate was the Blossom Cherry syrup, which was the perfect entree into the evening.
It was great to hear from female experts such as Gabriella Thorpe – Vintage Velvet and Aude Dupont – Blossom Cherry syrup.
The night was filled with performances by Anna Woodside (starred in Cats, Carousel, The Last Tango, Sunset Boulevard and The Wizard of Oz), Rebecca Parker (currently starring in Rat Pack the Musical, Cats, Tonight’s the Night and Crazy for You) and Tim Rogers (starred in Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, La Boheme and Jekyll and Hyde).
The interiors are very cool – 1920s Shanghai inspired with vintage Chinese artefacts and velvet seating.
If an all female drinks menu wasn’t special enough, how about an all-female chef team led by experienced dim sum chef Feng Juan Xue!
The menu will honour the regal origins of Dim Sum while at the same time producing a contemporary and inventive menu that uses modern ingredients from around the globe.
We ate from a set menu, with a couple of different variations of dim sum. My fave piece on the meny was the Torelli al Vapore (Italian ricotta, parsley, egg and parmesan filled pouches).
The Courtesan hosts an array of events – upcoming events include:
- The Courtesan Club
Vintage jazz jam every Thursday night - Burlesque cabaret every Saturday night
Regular performers to include Vicky Butterfly, Eliza DeLite, Suri Sumatra and Exotic Luna Rosa - Female Vintage DJs every Friday night
A fun late-night party filled with exotica, soul, disco and smooth grooves from the four corners of the globe - The Shim Sham Club
London’s Queer vintage night, hosted by Chardine Taylor-Stone
Ideal for: Dim Sum and live entertainment.
Overall Rating ★★★★
