KWC: Proud's Cabaret

Irene found a deal for a dinner and show at Proud's Cabaret late last year and knowing that I am interested in shows of a singing and dancing nature, she went ahead and bought a package for two. Last night, after a couple of week's wait, we finally made use of the deal.

We began the night with a cocktail at Revolution bar next to my office. Then we made our way across a few blocks to Proud's Cabaret.

Proud's Cabaret is in a rather secluded location in the City of London. It came as a bit of a surprise to me that such a venue exists in the otherwise dead serious City of London.

Walking down the stairs to the actual dining and show area, we immediately felt that we were going to a classy cabaret show. Such was the effectiveness of the decor. Then in the dining and show room, the atmosphere and mood immediately turned to one of partying and fun where everyone really did dress to impress, as the tickets instructed us to. To create such an atmosphere, the venue employed dim lighting and the room was filled with a smoky haze.

Our table was pretty close to the stage and was at the edge of an elevated section, giving us a great vantage point for the show. Deciding to make the most of the night, we decided to go for a bottle of Champagne but was convinced by the waitress in a skimpy outfit and never short of words to say to go for a Proseco instead. We then went through the menu and was quite impressed by what was on offer.

Given we were at a cabaret show, we didn't hold much expectation for the food but surprisingly, the choices available and the actual food themselves were fantastic. For entree, both Irene and I had duck leg terrine with foie gras paste. That was superb! The flavours were subtle and well balanced, and the texture was smooth and delicate. The plating was also quite impressive. Seeing us finished with our breads, the waitress then insisted she bring us more to have with the terrine; a level of service that we never would've expected from such a venue.

For main, I had a deconstructed beef wellington. That was cooked to perfection and tasted equally of perfection. The serving size was also very very impressive. Irene ordered a slow cooked belly and that too was equally good. In particular, the crackling was made in such a way that it was not hard but crunchy. The meat on the pork was soft and did not have much fat, which is the way I prefer.

For desert, Irene got a cheese board. Again, they were generous with the serving, especially with the quince paste. I, on the other hand, ordered a rice pudding tart, which was divine!

The actual cabaret show lasted over two hours but came in three parts with rather lengthy breaks in between. Some acts were great but others were average. However, on stand out performer of the night was the hostess, whose singing was superb.