Seth Shezi

Very few places in the world can get away with mixing high end food prices and a lively, boisterous dining room. Typically the higher the prices the more civil and subdued the establishment while lower prices tend to attract rowdiness. Achieving this balance is an art of detail. No dining room feels more right than The Pot Luck Club. Pared down tables, offset with edgy urban details and sumptuous food hits the sweet spot. The towering vantage point of Woodstock and the surrounds doesn’t hurt either.

Food
After a ranking in the Top 10 at the 2017 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards, securing a table at PLC went from difficult to near impossible. A brainchild of Luke Dale-Roberts and headed by rising young gun, Chef Frederico Dias, PLC is celebrates all the flavors of the palate. The menu is broken up by flavour profiles, salty, sour, sweet and the all encompassing umami.

The tapas-style dishes are made to share with servers suggesting diners order six to eight plates between two people. All you have to do is pencil down your choices and quantity desired, and kick back and relax and leave it all to the kitchen to decide the order in which they’d love you to experience the flavors. Often starting with the lighter fish dishes, such as the now classic Pot Luck Club Fish Taco from the sour section - fresh ceviche, with black bean purée, avocado and sour cream or my absolute favorite, the fish sliders. A fluffy hake medallion doused in amasi and maize meal comes inside a chewy steamed bun - sounds basic, but it’s sensational. Because this is no ordinary dining experience dishes such as the beautifully unctuous prawn and king crab stuffed chicken wings with lime green fraiche and sriracha can be found under the sweet section and one taste and you’ll know why.

Be sure to leave some space for a sweet serenade to end off the sumptuous eating extravaganza. After the removal of the popular s’mores from the menu I was sure nothing would ever live up to the simple splendour, but the hazelnut and apple tart with salted caramel and smoked cinnamon ice-cream is nostalgic nirvana.

Drinks
Considering it’s incredible popularity, The Pot Luck Club’s extensive wine list is quite reasonably priced. While the menu caters to all tastes and brews, from ciders to beers, the tipple not to pass up is the Thai Green Curry cocktail.

Service
The waiters are attentive and good at making you feel at home. They know the intricacies of the dishes and their preparation processes, and often able to easily identify which dishes are suitable and which aren’t in accordance with dietary requirements.

Ambience
In a nutshell The Pot Luck Club is a bustling high-rise city loft-style restaurant with twinkling city and harbour views. Located atop a silo complex in the ever-cool Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, PLC is hip with an aesthetic of trendy New York meets Tokyo exclusive tapas haunt.

Best for…
A spirited night out with friends or a convivial celebration with incredible food. It bears mentioning that The Pot Luck Club’s famous Sunday brunch is still a thing - the sensational brunch includes a set menu and bloody marys - and if you’re ready to hit the weekend farewell on a good note, opt for the bottomless bubbly option -

(2018)

Eat Out critics dine anonymously and pay for their meals in full. Read our editorial policy here.