The supper club of the Upper Midwest is unmistakably authentic, as
unique to the region as great lakes, cheese curds, and Curly Lambeau.
The far-flung locations and creative decor give each supper club a
unique ambience, but the owners, staff, and regulars give it its
personality. Author Dave Hoekstra traveled through farmland, woods,
towns, and cities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, and Illinois,
eating at salad bars, drinking old fashioneds, and most of all talking
to old-timers, local historians, and newcomers. He discovered that far
from going the way of so many small establishments, supper clubs are
evolving, combining contemporary ideas such as locavore menus and craft
beer with traditional Friday night fish fries and Saturday prime rib. He
brings to life the memorable people who have created and continue the
tradition, from the blind dishwasher at Smoky's to the Dick Watson Combo
playing "Beyond the Sea" at the Lighthouse and the entrepreneurs and
hipster crowd behind the Old Fashioned. Corporations have defined
mainstream eating habits in America, but characters define supper clubs,
and this combination oral history and guide, with more than one hundred
photographs, celebrates not only the past and present but the future of
the supper club.