After more than a year of construction delays and pandemic-related setbacksJamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel’s anticipated Supperland restaurant finally opened in March. The spouses and business partners, who also own the NoDa facilities Haberdish, Crepe Cellar, Growler’s Pourhouse and Reigning Donuts, turned a 69-year-old former church in Plaza Midwood into a restaurant and cocktail bar. From themAs soon as you step through the double wrought iron doors, it’s clear that the couple has used their year on hold tweaking every detail, from the mosaic bathroom tiles to the custom dinner plates adorned with birds, butterflies and flowers.
The chief mixologist Colleen Hughes shows a Honey Mint Julep. Photos by Peter Taylor.
The nave functions as the main dining room. The sanctuary is now an open kitchen, framed like a large stage by tent-like globe lights. The nine-person chef’s counter offers guests a glimpse of the 14-foot fire grill that smells of North Carolina hickory wafting through the air. To preserve the character of the church, they kept the walls raw and refinished the two-tone floors. Purple, leather-padded pews run on either side of the room, forming cubicles with wooden dining tables that Tonidandel built himself. On the ground floor, a private dining room can seat up to 10 guests and a wall-to-wall wine display can accommodate more than 200 bottles.
In the adjoining building of the church is the bar in Supperland, where you can order drinks from an absinthe fountain. Photo by Peter Taylor.
The annex of the church in the Secret Annex houses the bar in Supperland, where senior mixologist Colleen Hughes garnishes cocktails with edible flowers and serves them on plant-based coasters with gold metal straws. If you have to wait for a table – frankly, even if you don’t – have a seat and order a highball ($ 12), a Midwood Manhattan ($ 14), or a drink from the absinthe fountain. Then, grab your drink and meander back to the dining room or take a table under the pergola in the courtyard.
Chef Chris Rogienski’s menu starts with a mix of entrees such as Hot Onion Dip ($ 9) served with warm potato chips, Baked Brie Bites ($ 16), and NC Roasted Oysters ($ 16) that come with a saucepan of coal-fired butter sauce become. The seven-layer salad ($ 14) is served in a glass bowl with collards, black-eyed peas, carrots, goat cheese, and edible flowers.
The flanks are short ribs of beef with horseradish gremolata. Photos by Peter Taylor.
Entrées and side dishes are all served informally. The pork can can ($ 46) is a fire-grilled bone-in pork with a cherry mustard compote that’s both flavorful and hearty. The flank ($ 19) consists of short ribs of beef topped with horseradish gremolata, a herbal spice with a dash of citrus fruit. The Wagyu Pot Roast ($ 32) is a slow-cooked Wagyu roast in a hearty vegetable sauce. Get it with an order of porridge ($ 7) to soak up all the drops.
Side dishes include grilled vegetables like the bone marrow broccoli ($ 13), charred florets with crispy benne seeds and blackened onions ($ 9), roasted sweet onions with extra virgin olive oil. For something unexpected, order the Franks & Beans ($ 13), a hearty bowl of red peas and chopped Wagyu hot dog. For something you don’t want to share, get the Miso Mac & Cheese ($ 14), bite-sized clams topped with miso cream.
The dessert menu features a rotation of handcrafted cakes by pastry chef Liana Sinclair in custom sizes in flavors such as chocolate peanut butter ($ 15), citrus ($ 14) and sweet potato ($ 13). If you’d prefer to take your treat home with you, order a box of four $ 16 Chocolate Chip Biscuits with Pecans and Benne Seeds from the Sweets To-Go menu.
The North Carolina Oysters with a Pot of Coal-Fired Butter Sauce Photos by Peter Taylor.
Supperland has so many thoughtful touches and enticing eating habits that one visit is not enough. Come back for a date, birthday dinner, or a seafood Saturday. Order something new, have a cocktail on the patio, and don’t forget to check out the yellow flower tiles in the bathroom on the way out.
> Don’t go without trying: The Miso Mac and Cheese with Miso Whipped Cream is an adult version of a staple food for children.
> Bring the culinary experience home: If you are still thinking of those custom Villeroy & Boch plates after you leave, you can order a set for your own collection on the Supperland website.