Appropriately enough, we travelled to our high flying dining experience on North London's 'Cinderella' line without which staid West Londoners would struggle to access trendy east London.

Rattling past Hampstead Heath and the backs of houses in Kentish Town, it brought us to Dalston, where every second shopfront has been turned into a bar that's a study of casual urban cool.

This is the stamping ground of Gingerline, the immersive dining pioneers named after the Overground which connects our city, along which they started staging imaginative shows-with-food in pop up spaces 15 years ago.

This Is Local London: Diners sit in wooden balloon baskets while the performers and projected animations whirl around themDiners sit in wooden balloon baskets while the performers and projected animations whirl around them (Image: Gingerline)

Down a narrow mews street, we spotted a crowd of folk dressed as aviators queueing outside a shipping container. Through a door we entered The Grand Expedition in what felt like a magical underground space of a dozen balloon basket booths, wooden floors and a wrap around screen.

The ticket buys you four courses and a welcome drink - the only sour note of an otherwise joyful evening - a horribly bitter Negroni that our entire table disliked.

You sit with friends and strangers as the cast whirl around you, and the screens lift you off to various destinations courtesy of quirky animations.

This Is Local London: The planetary dessert is served by performers in white saucersThe planetary dessert is served by performers in white saucers (Image: Gingerline)

Weaving elements of dance, circus and mime, the performers are first aviators prepping us for flight, then guests at a Nordic wedding, a snaking paper Chinese dragon, or Indian dancers.

To joyous music, guests are encouraged to take part in a dance, write a fortune, throw a hat, or flap balloon silks - but it's also also ok to just sit and watch.

At each stop we're served a course which arrives with a theatrical flourish, a card explaining the concept, and a corresponding garland or lantern hung above your table.

This Is Local London: Performers encourage diners to interact getting up for a dance, helping with tasks or writing a fortunePerformers encourage diners to interact getting up for a dance, helping with tasks or writing a fortune (Image: Gingerline)

There's even an interactive element to the eating; scattering crunchy seeds from a bag over your delicately cured fish and pickles, or filling your bao bun with accompanying sauces and slaw presented in bamboo steamers.

Immersive dining can lean more towards performance, than culinary delights, but here the dishes are universally intriguing and delicious, from the bread with flavoured butters, to the 'planetary dessert' which arrives on saucers and combines all the destinations in a mousse, chocolate shell and cake.

Previous Gingerline experiences have worked in dark or edgy elements, but this is highly accessible, ahem, uplifting entertainment.

The tech is fairly basic, the screens give a slight sensation of 'taking off,' but it's no AR experience, more a polished live performance and sensual adventure that will please your eyes, ears and tastebuds.

The Grand Expedition The Incredible Edible Journey is now booking until June 2 at in Miller's Avenue, Dalston, E8.