Dai Due Supper Club
www.daidueaustin.com, 769-7261
Dai due regni di natura piglia il cibo con misura (from the two kingdoms of nature, choose food with care). This Dai Due (say “die dooay”) motto indicates what to expect from meals offered by proprietors Jesse Griffiths and Tamara Mayfield – carefully selected ingredients from the land and the water, conscientiously and skillfully prepared dishes, and an emphasis on communal aspects of cooking and eating.
“We are connecting Austinites with local farmers in an effort to eliminate the harmful elements of a food system gone awry,” Griffiths says. “By illuminating responsible agricultural methods and exposing diners to local food resources, Dai Due is cultivating a more conscientious food culture in Central Texas. We shop at Austin farmers’ markets, directly from local farms. … We also use herbs, vegetables, and eggs from our own garden.”
Griffiths and Mayfield met literally over a box of local vegetables – he was cooking at Vespaio Ristorante, where she delivered organic farmed produce. They joined forces in pursuit of their joint passion, and Dai Due was born just over a year ago.
The heart of the business is the Supper Club – regularly held three- to six-course plated dinners composed of only locally produced, seasonal ingredients (meats, fish, cheeses, vegetables, fruits). Limited to 25 guests and ranging from $55 to $85 per person, dinners are held at various locations, inside or outside depending on the weather. The website provides the schedule and dinner themes, as well as sample menus and photos from past dinners; handmade gift certificates are available upon request.
In addition to the regularly scheduled Supper Club dinners, Dai Due also offers customized small classes on food topics, catering for small groups, and delivered dinners for up to eight people.
This article appears in December 7 • 2007.
