Arthur’s Supper Club, Spring Green, Wisconsin

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Old Fashioneds

Relish Tray: no relish tray, but the salad bar provided some relish-tray type fixings
Salad Situation: “all you can eat” salad bar with plenty of extras like cole slaw and two types of soup
Ice Cream Drinks: yes
Ambience: loosely “King Arthur” themed complete with digital photo frames and an indoor waterfall

The exterior of Arthur’s Supper Club features a prominent roadside sign claiming to be “the place for seafood and steaks” and and that “if your glass is empty, let us fill it.” Our glasses would not be the only thing to be filled that evening. The front facade of the entrance displays the restaurant’s name in backlit, medieval script, and a full suit of knight’s armor at the crest of the facade.

We entered the restaurant and found ourselves in front of the host stand. I informed the host that we had a reservation and she anticipated that we were the “Owen” party of two. On the way to our table we passed an impressive salad and soup bar. Arthur’s boasts a number of dining rooms, the first of which features a stunning waterfall faux rock formation with an artificial glowing flame and a recreation of the fabled sword in the stone from the legend of King Arthur. The back wall of this dining room features a floor-to-ceiling mural of the rolling green hills of an english countryside with a castle nestled near the horizon.

At first glance the room in which we were seated is treated with more subtle decor, though more unique than the first. The knights of the round table theme continues with wood panels and yellow ochre walls, ornamented with tapestries and knight’s shields. Our table was nested between two wooden partitions, creating a sense of intimacy while still allowing for a view of the rest of the dining room. Each “booth” featured its own digital picture frame featuring a slideshow of nature and vaguely medieval scenes. These screens were echoed by a larger digital picture frame set against the back wall displaying images of flora and fauna from across the globe. Our server greeted us with a basket of warm bread nestled in a brown paper towel that was suspiciously similar to the ones available in the gentleman’s washroom. The bread was served with a whipped cinnamon butter described by our server as “a little sweet for ya.”

A warm bread basket greeted us soon after we took our seats. We each tried a piece of bread with the cinnamon butter, which was tasty but perhaps a tad too sweet for a palate that leans toward a preference for savory flavors. Traditional butter continentals were available at the table. Our server inquired if we would like to start our meal off with something to drink. I ordered a brandy old fashioned sour with pickled mushrooms, and Jean ordered a pressed brandy old fashioned with fruit. The drinks did not disappoint. Jean and I both selected the two piece Friday night fish fry with a cheese and spring onion hash brown. Our meal also came with an all-you-can-eat salad and soup bar. Our server took our menus and invited us to help ourselves to the salad bar. The salad bar featured a full selection of vegetables and pickles. Also available were six dressings, two soups of the day (a hearty Atlantic seafood chowder and a “creamy” chicken soup, which could have been a little creamier) croutons and garlic toast.

As we were eating, we overheard our server relaying a story about the photo display on the large digital picture frame. When she first began working at Arthur’s, some senior staff told her that the slideshow consisted of photos of Wisconsin wildlife. Without paying much attention to the photos herself, she proceeded to pass this information onto guests. She continued until one day, someone responded “I didn’t know there were baboons in Wisconsin!” We finished our meal with a Brandy Alexander. I award Arthur’s four and a half out of five stars for unique ambiance, quality food, and excellent service. One half star is deducted for lack of a relish tray. This would normally be a full star deduction but a bonus half star is awarded for unlimited soup and salad bar.