I Am a Picky eater, but there is a Supper Club in Appleton I love, “The Red Ox”. This supper club is one of few still flourishing supper clubs in the Fox Valley area. I remember growing up, going to eat at a restaurant was a big deal. Our family did this rarely, but when we did, we went to supper club. The experience is unique, compared to chain restaurants that are everywhere today. Supper clubs were locally owned joints in a rural area, only open for supper with a limited menu. The homemade menu usually focused on surf-n-turf or a variety of steak choices. Most supper clubs now keep the menu relevant to modern cuisine, with choices like Shrimp Diane or Garlic Stuffed Tenderloin. One of the signatures of the supper club is the “Old Fashioned” This drink was born in the Wisconsin area around the time of prohibition. Because the quality of liquor wasn’t good, mixing it with sugar, bitters, fruit and soda improved the taste and a classic was born.
The experience of a supper club is started in the bar. This is a focal area of the establishment. You start your experience there and end it there after your meal. There is no rush, you order a couple of drinks, I prefer a whisky old fashioned/sour. Watching the bartender prepare this drink is wonderful. First, they mull sugar with an orange slice, cherries and bitters. Next, they add the whisky and soda, I usually get mine with sour. Finally, they skewer a couple of cherry’s and float them in the drink. This classic is always satisfying and a staple for most patrons.
While enjoying conversation and drinks at the bar, you place your order and casually enjoy the ambiance. It’s like stepping back in time, when you weren’t rushed, and you let the host know when you’re ready to be seated. The table is set with warm freshly bake bread and butter, but don’t fill up on that because you won’t be able to finish your meal. No need to worry though, if you have food left, they put it in a doggy bag to take home and eat tomorrow.
Then the main event, your meal arrives. Becky’s 6 oz. tenderloin is cooked to a perfect medium temperature, the meat is so soft and juicy, you can cut it with a fork. The Shrimp Diane is a favorite of Becky’s. The perfectly cooked jumbo shrimp are stuffed with crab meat stuffing and wrapped in crisp bacon. This dish is to die for.
I usually order the pan-fried pike with a baked potato. My wife Becky usually orders a combination of a small cut of tender loin with the Shrimp Denise. My pike is lightly fried with a light coating of herbed bread crumbs. The fish is so flakey and delicious, the nutty flavored walleye melts in your mouth. The baked potato is drowning in butter and sour cream, it’s so good. After our meal we retire to the bar with our stuffed bellies for a final old fashioned. I can’t wait until our next outing to The Red ox Supper Club. Here is a link to their website, and remember to tip your servers and bartenders.
https://www.redoxseafoodandsteakhouse.com/index.php
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