Can a members’ club in Shoreditch stay true to its East London roots whilst offering potential members a reason to join? East Room deftly walks the line between edgy and upmarket. A real find.

The Venue
East Room is located at the bottom end of Tabernacle Street, ideally sandwiched between the edge of The City and Shoreditch. You’d be forgiven for strolling straight past, discounting the nondescript doorway adjoining its far brasher sister venue Sosho. However, keep your eyes peeled for the small sign and press the buzzer to speak to the receptionist and be allowed in.

Ascending a cold, almost harsh stairway, you’ll come to the first floor landing. Through the glass doorway you’ll immediately be encapsulated into the warm, cosy world of East Room, in stark contrast to the bare entryway. The lounge bar is only open to members and their guests, although membership is pretty cheap, starting at just £150 a year. Your coat will be secreted away in a hidden, small cloakroom that’s built into the wall and you’ll walk down a narrow corridor, flanked by small seating areas, whereupon the space opens to reveal its full beauty. And what a beauty it is. Floor-to-ceiling windows run along the periphery of the space, punctuated by industrial style blinds. The ceiling offers an edgy, industrial twist to the usual members’ club glamour, a bold silver affair that manages to be both bare and a design feature. Adourning the ceiling are several small chandelier-style light fittings, interspersed with larger chandeliers; however, these maintain a designer chic style rather than looking like something you’d spy in any tacky pub these days.

The exposed brick walls are effective and interspersed by a wall covered in what could be described as toilet tiles and another wall adourned with attractive modern art. The carpet is a daggily cool red and black pattern that would look old fashioned anywhere but here, mirrored by an eclectic mish mash of granny-style lamps, were your granny a cool interior designer or model in the Sixties. Seating consists of racer-style leather sofas, running around the outer edge of the space beside simple dark wooden tables, surrounding a central low-slung sofa area with low tables for lounging. The bar itself barely features; a small, contained space that lets the huge range of spirits on display do the talking. The eclectic, kitsch nature of the decor, outlined by glamour, is a real treat for the eyes, coming across as genuine rather than a contrived attempt to be cool.

Upstairs is the dining area, which is also open to non-members. Rather than selling non-members short, it keeps to the eclectic, funky style with a restaurant edge. The silver industrial ceiling and blind-filled windows are the same as in the lounge, except here the ceiling is covered in attractive bubble lights that hang at intervals above the tables below. The tables here are quite sandwiched in, but the charm of the area doesn’t make you feel like a sardine, the high ceilings giving a feeling of space to the room. A central large table is ideal for groups bigger than four. Brick walls again take centre stage, offsetting the simplicity of the black tables, which are sleeker than the bar tables downstairs. Again, modern art hangs from the walls and low slung black leather sofas offer a quiet hideaway for non-members to enjoy a pre- or post-dinner drink. The dim lighting, heightened by romantic candlelight, is appealing. Nods to the restaurant nature of this space are provided courtesy of hams that hang by the large food station at the far end of the room, where you can see chefs at work. Smaller bread tables and, at lunchtime, a self-serve salad bar complete the look effectively.

A real selling point of East Room in the summer is the outdoor areas. A terrace complete with BBQ is open for hire, running adjacent to the restaurant space, offering a nice place to enjoy a balmy summer’s evening. Upstairs on the roof is a third bar with an eclectic mix of seating and tables and a small, basic bar providing alfresco drinkers with sustenance. Fairylights give the space a romantic feel. It's an ideal spot to enjoy their Sunday brunch in the summer - open to both members and non-members.

The Atmosphere
The East Rooms is a refreshing change for a City-side members’ club; where many similar establishments have an almost exclusive gentleman’s club feel to them, the atmosphere here is actually very girl- and couple-friendly. The almost romantic ambience acts in tandem with the after-work vibe of the members’ bar, and you’ll find people kicking back in nice surroundings, forgetting the worries of the world outside. The restaurant continues this feeling with candlelight and sofa areas providing perfect spots for romantic liaisons and the large central table offering the space for big groups of colleagues to kick back over dinner.

The staff here are friendly, efficient and very knowledgeable about the menu, and the tactile way in which food and drink is offered adds a unique slant to your experience. Although this is a members’ club, they’re not in your face and don’t suck up to members, instead striking up friendly banter and mixing it with top quality offerings in attractive surroundings.

The Food
The menu at East Rooms is succinct, offering nibbles and a varied range of rustic Italian starters alongside a couple of mains and a vague Big Fish section of the menu that dominates the choices. However, the quality of the ingredients, presentation and flavours blow other, larger menus out of the water.

The Puglia olives are huge, bright green, plump and delicious, with the salty aftertaste not overshadowing the rich flavours of the strong olives. The portion size is hefty for just £3. You’ll also receive a basket of piping hot, freshly baked bread that’s fluffy and light and comes in a variety of flavours, accompanied by oil and balsamic vinegar. It bodes well for the starters. The yellow fin tuna carpaccio in citrus oil with mustard cress (£9) doesn’t disappoint. Several thin slivers of fresh tuna come with a simple flourish. The fish is delicate and the flavour of the tuna is brought out nicely by the light dressing of citrus oil, which provides a delicate lemon-flavoured undertone. The perfect palate cleanser. Alternatively, the small portion of Kalamata peeled prawns in warm lemon oil with basil (£10) is a much heartier starter that could easily act as a standalone meal. The portion size is extremely generous and the number of prawns isn’t skimped on. The plump, perfectly pink prawns are full of flavour and are of the perfect consistency without a hint of chewiness. The lemon oil is a little too oily, tasting almost like melted butter it’s so rich, but it’s nicely lifted by the fresh flavour of the basil that cuts through the dish.

For mains, there are a handful of dishes to choose from, some with unusual twists like the lamb cutlets with an Indian influence in the form of saffron, Indian spices and yogurt (£17); however, it’s the Big Fish section that really catches the eye. Vague in itself, it offers a range of fish (you need to ask the waiter what’s in that day), cooked in one of several styles (Atlantic, Mediterranean or Andaman style). Served between two, the whole fish of your choice will be brought to your table in the tray it was cooked in. Your waiter then fillets the fish at your table, adding an excellent tactile edge to the experience. The fish is fresh, flakes at the touch of a fork and is incredibly meaty. Mediterranean style is highly recommended, the fish cooked in olive oil, lemon, vine tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, chorizo, saffron and potatoes. The olive oil and lemon give a nice, healthy tasting but rich aftertaste, and the meaty mini chorizo sausages add a meaty flavour that isn’t too spicy. Huge chunks of peppers, courgettes and potatoes add a rustic appeal to the dish that brings it all together perfectly.

If you have room for dessert then the rhubarb and custard sundae (£6) is highly recommended. A large glass filled with thick, creamy custard with dollops of cream and lots of fresh rhubarb create a well-balanced sweet, tart and creamy dessert that plays across the tastebuds nicely.

The Drink
The cocktail menu at East Room, available across the venue, is also small but like the food menu it’s well executed and open to expansion. Highlights include the Fondue – a large bowl filled with Golden Rumour vodka, pomegranate, lemon, cranberry, bitters and seasonal fruits, served hot for £40 (serves 6-10 people). One of a handful of signature cocktails (at an average price of just £7.50) that’s worth sampling is the Ivy Gimlet Royale (vodka, fresh lime, mint and Champagne), which basically tastes like a delightfully refreshing fizzy mojito. A charming section is the ‘Boat Drinks’, tropical celebratory cocktails that apparently offer a ‘just released from prison’ feeling. The expert mixologists can mix up pretty much anything you can think of, and are also happy to match cocktails to your tastes.

However, it’s the wine where the drink selection of the East Room really shines. You can select bottles via a grid selection, which makes your choice simpler – you select the region, grape and price you want to pay and they select a bottle to match your requirements from the current stock. However, it’s a shame to miss out on their enomatic wine samplers. Simply fill up a pre-pay card, insert into one of several machines in the members lounge and dining room and select one of three measures of the bottle of your choice, priced between £2-£10 a go. This is an excellent way of sampling different wines if you’re unsure of what to choose. The food matching suggestions by the machines also mean you can build your own wine-tasting menu. The tactile nature of the experience is a fun talking point.

The Last Word
The East Room is a refreshing breath of fresh air for a corner of the market that breeds pretension. This is a members’ club that hasn’t forgotten its East London roots and offers a drinking and dining experience with a twist. Well worth seeking out.

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