Episode LIV: Treasure Island Supper Club (DAY)

Have you ever been to a supper club? Do you know anyone who still even uses the word supper? The Reuben seems to be a generational thing but you may have to go back another generation to find the supper club crew. Well the supper club scene is alive and well in Dayton, OH. The Treasure Island Supper Club is in the shadows of the shuttered manufacturing plants of Dayton. The old car factory next door and a refrigerator plant down the street remind you of another time.

The Treasure Island Supper Club is an unassuming building on the outside but as soon as you walk in there is a vibe about this place. It is dimly lit, low ceiling, Vegas style lounge. (For my Atlanta fans, this place is just like Johnny's Hideaway without the dance floor). We were there with my wife’s family and sure enough one of her aunts saw an old friend at the bar. This is a place where regulars have their own table. The servers know your order. It would be strange if you didn’t see someone you know. The only thing the people here love more than coming is bringing an out of town guest to experience the magic.

Oh, and they have a Reuben.

Reuben Sandwich

“corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on Rye”

Appearance – (3.6/5.0)

Evenly toasted bread, big pickle, there is nothing crazy going on here. The chips are really what struck me. Part of the conversation at the table was that they feature local chips. These look like Lay’s to me, they tasted like Lay’s too. There is plenty of cheese but you can tell it was melted but then cooled and solidified. That is not a great sign. 

Quality of Ingredients – (3.9/5.0)

The solidified cheese was not bad and the sauerkraut was surprisingly mild. Usually when I have an old world Reuben or a Reuben served by/for the old world crowd, the sauerkraut is intense.  The first ingredient that is substituted out when a Reuben is re-imagined is the kraut. You can throw in coleslaw or even just a milder, less acidic sauerkraut. The Corned Beef was tender and not too salty, checks the box.

Price – (4.7/5.0)                                                      

$7.95! There we go!  This is a good deal. The portion itself was not huge but you get unlimited crackers and you are paying for the atmosphere. Rents in this part of town have to be pretty low so I am glad they are passing it on to the customers.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.7/5.0)

The JNSQ is really the value proposition of this place. The food is simple and honest. You come for the crackers, stay for the corn fritters, come back for the people.  This place has survived generations and economic cycles. It is not going anywhere.

Taste – (8.5/10.0)

The solidified cheese was hard to get past. I think what happened is that they wanted to bring everyone’s food out at the same time. It was a big group and most groups at this place are. Have you ever ordered an appetizer as your entrée and they ask if you want them to bring that out first? Maybe they should do that with the Reuben. The rest of the sandwich was also not quite up to temperature. The bread was toasted just right and the Reuben as a whole was ok.

Overall – (25.4/30.0)

Would I order it again? No. There was lots of other really good food on the table. Did I mention the corn fritter? I am really happy I had the chance to go. I could tell this place was special to all of my in-laws and it makes me happy that they go out of their way to share it with me. I will be back in Ohio soon.

“If I were giving a young man advice as to how he might succeed in life, I would say to him, pick out a good father and mother, and begin life in Ohio.” - WILBUR WRIGHT

Episdoe LIII: The Pioneer Woman Mercantile (TUL)

Oh what a beautiful morning! Well, not really. It was shaping up to be a rainy weekend in North Texas so we wanted to get out of town. The flights to Tulsa looked good so we decided to have a go.

I never thought I would spend this much time in Oklahoma. I grew up out in West Texas but, up until this year, I had never made it across the Red River to the Sooner State.  Danny and I took an overnight trip to OKC earlier in the year and this time Mom was coming along. The flights to Tulsa looked open and we thought it would be nice to drive the open range and check out Pawhuska. 

It is a small town in northeast Oklahoma that has been put back on the map by my TV wife Ree Drummond, aka the Pioneer Woman. Her family bought and renovated a building in downtown and created a real destination. There is a full restaurant and general store and they call the whole thing The Mercantile, or “The Merc”. I love Ree and redheads in general.  When Mary Alice was pregnant we decided not to find out the sex of the baby. I really thought it was going to be a girl. Who knows why but I had it in my heart it was going to be a girl. I kept asking Mary Alice if she thought we could get a redhead. She said no. No one in her family has red hair, but I kept asking every once and again anyway. I wanted a little redhead daughter. It was not in the cards but life turned out just as it was supposed to.

Beef Brisket Reuben

“This brisket has to sit on rye bread or it will fall apart before it gets to your mouth. Topped with creamy sauerkraut slaw, Thousand Island dressing and melty Swiss Cheese.”

Appearance – (4.6/5.0)

Golden brown, just like me.  The sauerkraut slaw has a pretty rustic cut to it. The homemade chips look great too but I think they could have fit a few more on the plate. Those little pickles (I’m being told they are called sweet midgets) really give some color. There is a good portion of brisket in there but it is not sliced the way you usually see in a brisket sandwich, in Texas anyways. By the way, Danny did the most Texan thing ever and chose to wear his "Texas is Calling" shirt on our trip north of the Red River. So proud!

Quality of Ingredients – (4.8/5.0)

Ree has spared no expense. The brisket, chips, slaw… it was all top notch. The kitchen is visible from the dining area and you can tell they are doing things right.

Price – (4.2/5.0)                                                      

$11. Anywhere else in NE-middle-of-nowhere Oklahoma I would say this was expensive but here I think it is a good value. We even got a picture with Lad, Ree’s husband, so that is worth something! 

The folks at The Merc are also really nice to you while you wait in line. It was more than two hours for us. They bring you bottles of water and freezer pops. They also have umbrellas for you when it’s raining like it was when we were there.  All of these things add value to the experience.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.8/5.0)

This really is a destination. I got to spend some time in the general store and had fun looking at all of the little trinkets and widgets they had. It is a cross between a William Sonoma and Cracker Barrel. The restoration of the building itself is amazing. There is the original exposed brick juxtaposed by state of the art kitchen with stainless steel hoods and all the works. There is an original advertisement from the National Biscuit Company that is two stories tall! The whole place is just fun.

Taste – (9.1/10.0)

This is an awesome brisket sandwich but no doubt a Reuben In Name Only (RINO). When people ask me what’s the best Reuben I have ever had, I won’t say this one because it is not really a Reuben. I loved it but I think it has strayed too far.  The brisket was excellent but the flavor is very different from Corned Beef or pastrami. Also, the sauerkraut slaw was more coleslaw than anything else. It did not have the acidic taste of sauerkraut. To me, those to me are cornerstones of the Reuben.

Overall – (27.5/30.0)

Would I order it again? Yes. Would I fly to Tulsa, drive an hour, stand in line for two hours, just to order it again? Probably. If the flights are open! Did mention we rented a Jeep for $28 bucks a day. All taxes and fees included. Plus we did not get to see Ree this time so I really hope to see her when we go back.