Jake’s Supper Club, Menomonie

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Old Fashioneds (just need a relish tray for that 5)

Relish Tray: No
Salad: Choice of soup or salad with meal
Ambiance: Lakeside, extensive outdoor bar, dark northwoods interior – pretty much spot on.

Jake’s Supper Club on Tainter Lake boasts a large outdoor deck overlooking the channel between the upper and lower section of the lake, complete with a tiki bar and docks for boat-in diners. Jake’s also has one of the best Friday night fish fries in the greater Menomonie area, and an atmosphere that strikes the perfect balance between a cool, dark northwoods lodge and sunny views of the beautiful surroundings through its large windows in almost every square inch of the dining room. They might have had the “best food I’ve ever eaten at a supper club” (though Jean is quick to point out that I’ve said that at most of the supper clubs we’ve eaten at) and they definitely have the most interesting brandy old fashioned sour I’ve ever tasted. Given that there is no shortage of things to brag about at Jake’s, you’ve got to respect the humility of a restaurant whose tagline is just a reminder that they are “Closed on Tuesdays”.

Before walking into the restaurant, Jean and I surveyed the outdoor area. It was still very early in the summer, but you could tell the patio would be a popular spot to spend a Friday or Saturday night once the summer got into full swing. We sat down at the bar and ordered two brandy old fashioned sours, Jean’s with the traditional fruit garnish and mine with a pickled mushroom. When you order an old fashioned “sour” at Jake’s, they take the sour part seriously. At most supper clubs, “sweet” vs “sour” old fashioneds are a distinction without much of a difference – “sweet” calls for 7up as a mixer, where “sour” calls for another citrus-flavored soda: Squirt. While both are primarily just corn syrup and carbonated water, Squirt’s claim to fame is that it contains “less than 1% grapefruit juice.” At Jake’s, they use sour mix, which really delivers on the tart flavor.

After delivering our drinks, the bartender placed a little blue chip in front of each of us. Since we both love frequenting “locals only” establishments, we didn’t want to draw attention to the fact that we had no idea what the chips meant. Much to our delight, we later realized that we were in for a treat – two for one drinks. Not a bad start to the evening.

Dinner began with a bread basket that exemplified the golden ratio of butter to bread in Wisconsin. Our basket featured two freshly baked rolls and six packets of butter. Rest assured, dear reader, that none of it went to waste. This meticulous attention to detail with respect to quantity continued into the salad course. Atop a bed of mixed greens, each salad contained two cherry tomatoes, two cucumber slices, and three segments of red onion. I ordered my salad with blue cheese dressing, Jean’s with her standard french dressing.

For the main course, I selected Jake’s Monday night special: beef stroganoff. The stroganoff featured beef tenderloin tips and grilled onions served over egg noodles with a rich lemony cream sauce. A dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh parsley and lemon zest elevated the dish and ensured I would never truly enjoy it’s Hamburger Helper counterpart again. Jean selected broiled shrimp with a side of wild rice risotto. The shrimp was served with fresh lemon and a kale garnish, a reminder of kale’s former sideline status before it became a “superfood.” Jean loved the shrimp, but the lemony risotto was truly the star of the entree.

Jean and I will have to get back to Jake’s when tiki bar season is in full swing and extend our next visit to include after dinner drinks and live music at the outdoor stage. Even without all that, we had a great time. I’d highly recommend Jake’s Supper Club. Just don’t forget: they’re closed on Tuesdays.