Photo by Matt Haas Photography
Supper is proof that everything old becomes new again. Gina Gruenewald, owner of Wolf Peach and now the ultra cool, modern-yet-retro Supper had a vision for bringing back a supper club, like the kind that gained so much popularity in the 1930s and ’40s.
Just walking through the large doors of the Shorecrest Hotel is like stepping into a movie that takes you to another place and time. The art deco chandeliers, stained glass and low lighting mesh well with the modern dark wood and copper accents and the huge windows that line the front of the restaurant.
Photo by Matt Haas Photography
Chef Erik Hansen does a nice job creating contemporary takes on nostalgic supper club favorites that are well thought out and playful with refreshing twists.
Your meal starts with complimentary house-made pickled and raw vegetables and their signature rye bread and buttered rolls. It’s not a supper club without a lazy susan and Supper has one of the best. You can have it all for $22 or pick three items for $11. The braunschweiger, smoked trout mousse and black truffle deviled egg were all done well and could be a meal in themselves.
There were other highlights in the starters like the beef tartare with roasted garlic aioli ($12), foie gras torchon with huckleberry marmalade ($17) or pei mussles with kielbasa ($12). The portions are generous enough for sharing. Classic salads like the wedge ($9) and warm spinach salad ($10) get a lighter contemporary makeover, the heavy wedge had a buttermilk-dill dressing while the warm spinach salad ($10) included slow egg, buttermilk blue cheese, red onion and warm bacon dressing.
As you move down the menu, the entrées are divided in two lists—even the font is different to distinguish between Classic and Contemporary. Although filed under Classic, the Veal Oscar ($42) was given a refreshing, contemporary spin. The 16-ounce bone-in veal chop with butter poached crayfish, béarnaise and shallot jam was tender and cooked well. The shallot jam rounded out the dish with just enough sweet and tart to cut through the butter. The trout amandine ($28) was served in preserved lemon butter, covered with marcona almonds and was accompanied by a delightful potato-frisee salad.
Photo by Matt Haas Photography
On the Contemporary side were the smoked half chicken ($25) with warm escarole salad, currants, cracklings, black garlic vinaigrette and jus; and the Duo of Duck ($22), which includes duck leg confit and duck sausage served with wild rice, apple-pineapple-plum salad and cherry foie gras reduction.
Other entrées include an 18-ounce pork chop ($31), 16-ounce Delmonico steak ($42), braised lamb shoulder ($35) and many options for dining vegetarian, gluten free or on fish and pasta.
There are lots of sides and add-ons ($4-$9) including fried oysters, artichoke panisse and chive spaetzle.
Dessert was fun and whimsical too. A lovely black forest cake took form in a bomb of a chocolate quinoa cake with dark chocolate mousse and candied cherries. Bananas Foster is reinvented as banana bread pudding. Don’t pass up the ice cream drinks. Pink Squirrel and Grasshopper share the menu with modern creations like Space Travel and Kentucky Mudpuppy. All are deliciously addictive and a great ending to a travel-back-in-time meal.
As the music of that era plays softly in the background of the dimly lit supper club, it was great to see so many young people enjoying a taste of culinary history.
Supper
1962 N. Prospect Ave.
414-509-6074
$$$
Handicapped access: Yes
