Mulligan’s Restaurant & Pub - Rhinelander, WI

A mulligan, in a game, happens when a player gets a second chance to perform a certain move or action. The practice is also sometimes referred to as a "do over."

Since this restaurant is located in the Northwoods County Club in Rhinelander it was only fitting that we take a mulligan on our first visit.  Step up and get tee’d off with me on the second visit.

It’s Friday night and time for cocktails and fish.  The Little Marinara and I flip the coin and decide to give Mulligan’s another try.  We arrive and receive  a friendly greeting from the hostess.  We tell her we are going to the bar for a cocktail and to hold a table for us – no problem.  I order my usual Martini and Marilyn decides on an Old Fashioned.  I can immediately tell from the vacant look in the bartenders eyes that this is going to be difficult.  She asks me if I want a lemon or lime twist and I tell her lemon, what I get is a big chunk of lemon in my drink, which is served on the rocks.  Umh – I asked for it straight-up – OK she answers and pours it in a water glass, dumps some vermouth on it and plops in the lemon chunk.  Wow – this place is class.  Well never to be deterred in the face of stupidity I ask her if she has any Straight-up Martini Glasses (they are hanging on the rack above my head).  “You mean these she crokes, most men don’t like these girlie glasses”.  My eyes wandered over the crowd and I decided she was probably correct, however, I sucked up my manhood and asked for the glass.  At this point it was time for a table.

As we look over the menu it is apparent that their main strength is sandwiches for golfers or people who happen to be hungry and not too picky.  Friday evening they have the traditional Fish Fry with the following:  Fish Fry:  three pieces of Beer Battered or Lightly Breaded Haddock with Fries or Potato Pancakes $10.95.  All you can eat Haddock, Beer Battered, Lightly Breaded, or Broiled with Fries or Potato Pancakes $11.95.  The true creativity of the chef is founding the next entrée that is the Sampler Platter; this consists of one piece of Beer Battered, one piece of Lightly Breaded and one piece of Broiled Haddock for $12.95.  Additionally you can get Clam Chowder or a Salad. 

Our waitress tells us that the Beer Batter is very heavy so we both opt for the Lightly Breaded Haddock, we both order Clam Chowder and Fries and additionally I order some of the Potato Pancakes.  Our waitress asks if we want another round of drinks, the Little Marinara still has a full drink on the table and she tells our waitress that this is the worst drink she has ever had.  The waitress says nothing; she just leaves.  This sucks because now I am with an unhappy girl with a drink that also sucks.  The Chowder arrives and it looks good. Lots of clams but it has a kind odd taste, like uncooked flour.  The fish arrives and as you can see by the photo it is just average as are the freezer fries.  This is all pre-breaded Sysco type food.  Now for the Potato Pancakes; they are a step in the right direction.  Good consistency and good flavor, out of the jar applesauce but then that’s to be expected.  Total for dinner and two poorly made cocktails is $35.  Way too expensive for the product received.  No more ‘do overs’ for this place.

The Big Ragu gives this a 2 Outa 5

Rhinelander Cafe & Pub

Our usual focus is on the WI Fish Fry, however, those of you who enjoy the ‘fry’ and the cocktails that accompany the tradition know there is a fact of life to be delt with.  In the morning after a good night out you need to feed the furnace, and what better place than the Rhinelander Café & Pub.

The RC&P has the best breakfast in town and I say that for several reasons.  First the English Muffin Toast; not only is it tasty - they still butter toast the ‘old fashioned’ way…they use a brush and paint on the clarified butter.  (Honey dial 911 cuz the arteries are startin to close.)  The Little Marinara loves this, her pet peeve is when she gets toast and it only has a meager dollop of butter.  We are true Wisconsinites when it comes to butter; don’t insult us with your margarine or oleo crap.  Second: are the breakfast entrees.  I always have the Corned Beef Hash with Poached Eggs and an order of Hashbrowns with fried Onions.  It seems that I have only found two places that can poach an egg, here and the Eagles Nest in Wausau.  (At most places the poached eggs look and task like golf balls) Of course the plate is garnished with fruit, which I promptly remove from the plate least it attempts to make me healthy.  Marilyn always orders Eggs with a slab of Ham and Hashbrowns, she also eats the fruit..someone has to!

The décor is right out of the mid seventies, dark furniture and carpeting that has throw back colors, dark paneling on the wall and some pictures that are always for sale.  Most of the waitresses in the morning have been there since day one; they are tired but friendly.

We have been there for lunch several time and always found the sandwiches to be of a generous size but slightly expensive, we have never had dinner there. 

The Little Marinara and I have always worked on the theory that you dine on the strengths of the establishment and for us this is a breakfast only place.

Big Ragu gives this place a breakfast rating of 4.5 Outa 5

Henkels Town Pump - Rhinelander, WI

Why would you want to eat at a place called the town pump? The Little Marinara and I have been asking ourselves that question for years. We go by this joint all the time; it is only a ½ mile from our house. I am guessing it is the curb appeal or lack of, that has kept us away or is it the name. Now I know why they call it the town pump. Years ago when I was the Little Ragu this place had two gas pumps and was a local gin mill. It was also in the Town of Woodboro, hence town pump – or maybe it was because they pumped booze into the old geezers who hung out at the bar.

Oh well, it is Friday and raining, no it is a huge downpour so the Little Marinara and I decide we do not want to drive too far. We look at each other and decide Town Pump after all. If it looks too bad on the inside we can just leave. Three minutes later we are walking in the front door soaking wet, heads turn to look at us and I am waiting for the usual they must be from Mars attitude. To our surprise everyone is friendly asks how we are and comment on how bad the rain is. We find a place at the bar and Marilyn orders an Old Fashioned and I have my Martini. I am guessing it is better to have it on the rocks and forgo the straight-up option. The drinks are great I am smoking a good cigar and my edge is wearing off. As I look around, the place is full of old lumberjack tools; saws and big things that can take your arm off. There is also a non-smoking as well as a smoking dining room. One end of the bar is a 60” flat screen, not bad for a Town Pump. My eyes focus on a jar behind the bar labeled ‘Lake Slime” and over the jar is a sign indicating a contest between Squash Lake and Crescent Lake, order a drink, name your lake and a ticket goes into a pot, on Labor day the lake with the most tickets wins a pizza party. This stuff is gruesome it looks like someone put some frogs in a blender and then added some yogurt to give it body. I’ll pass on the pizza party. So lets eat!

We get a table in the no smoking section, and look over the menu. The Fish Fry here is pan-fried not deep-fried. We both order the standard Fish Fry. As we gaze over the other tables we see someone having Homemade Potato Chips. They look great so we order some and were not disappointed. Dinner is served and the Fries are also homemade, there is a side of slaw that was average and then something different – fry bread. I can tell I am going to need an extra dose of some simvastatin tonight. The fish was fantastic, light, flakey and full of flavor. Marilyn also said the same about hers. I’ll be back I want to see how the lake slime jar is doing.

I guess I am pumped about the Town Pump. Henkel's Town Pump is located West of Rhinelander at 7161 US Highway 8.

The Big Ragu gives this a 4 outa 5

Budreau's Backwater Supper Club & Lounge - Rhinelander, WI

Sometimes finding a place to eat is as easy as throwing a dart; in our case it was find a phonebook, open to restaurants and throw a dart; where it lands is where you eat. It’s very scientific and takes all the decision making out of the process. So we are off to Budreau’s Backwater Supper Club and Lounge. The word backwater conjures up all sorts of images of swamps, everglades, and the creature from the black lagoon in this case it is pretty much on target. The bar has a gorgeous view of a swamp; I am hoping the food is better than the view. This place definitely has an AARP clientele, the upside is tonight the Little Marinara and I are among the youngest in the place. Anyway we slide into a nice corner spot at the bar, Marilyn orders a Vodka and Cranberry and I order my usual Martini, I ask for it up and the bartenders says ‘you want that on the rocks’ – umh – no – up as in no ice. I get a drink that is about 50/50 Vodka and Vermouth, the bartender is a bit put-out when I explain that my drink has the flavor and odor of paint thinner, he whines but mixes it again. I ask if I can smoke a cigar and am told no problem – the evening is getting better. Some friends join us and we have another cocktail and decide to order, about that time the bartender comes back and tells me I have to put out my cigar because some geezer in the other room is complaining to the owner about the smell, (the owner doesn’t say anything to me he sends the bartender. Someone needs to grow a pair). Anyway the cigar is almost done so I don’t complain, at least not too much and we go into eat.

They have a small limited salad bar with the customary pasta, salad, dressings, veggies and slaw. The place is not busy but it takes a long time for the food to come up, by the time the food arrives there is only one other table in the dining room and it is not even 7:45 PM. The fish finely arrives; we ordered the Friday Fish Fry but mine looks like large fish McNuggets with commercial fries and portion controlled tarter sauce to make matters worse it has absolutely no flavor whatsoever. The Little Marinara has nothing to say – bad sign. Worse yet is the waitress thinks this is the way a fish fry is supposed to be.

So let’s recap: Cocktails – don’t waste you money drink beer, Food – don’t’ waste your money drink beer, Cigars – go somewhere else.

The Big Ragu gives this a 2 outa 5 – somewhere there is a trucker that will like this.

Circle K - Rhinelander, WI

Have you ever been to a place that when you walked inside people stopped talking and just looked at you?  I found one.  The Circle K has a kind of sterile environment - no log siding and no animal parts on the walls; there is however, an ATM and a pool table.  The ATM must be for the pull tabs.  There was a blue haze over the bar and no objection to my smoking a cigar, but this is about where the fun ended.   The Little Marinara ordered a beer and I ordered my usual Martini - wrong move - there was a discussion on the other end of the bar as to what was in a Martini.  The bartender came back and asked me if it was with the "white stuff or the red stuff" - I ordered a Miller to save us both some pain.

We both decided to order the Fish Fry which turned out to be some breaded deep fried cod with a few fries  a plastic cup of cole slaw and a piece of rye bread.  This place is why people stay home to eat.  The Big Ragu gives this a 2 outa 5

The Fireside - Rhinelander, WI

I admit it I like the Fireside. There must be some kind of affinity I have with the obligatory Northwood’s décor there aren’t any dead animals hanging on the walls but there is a great view over Town Line lake.  I also like the personal touch, if you have been there once or twice Margo the Hostess/Owner, will call you by your first name. Most of the wait staff has been working here for over ten years and they know their customers and how to make them feel wanted.  How many times have you been to a place where you are just another bag of bones walking in the door?  The major plus is this is one of the few places that can make a Martini the way I like it – chilled straight-up glass, shaken, and a twist done the correct way, the Little Marinara can get a good Cosmo – the weekend starts off good.

What I really like is the Friday Fish Fry.  You can order from the bar then slide into your table and enjoy Friday night, as it should be, all you can eat.  The Little Marinara usually has the Tilapia, which is always good, but I can always make that at home and just as good as anywhere I can order it.  If I put in a commercial deep fryer we could also do the fish fry, but then once a week on fried food is enough.  That’s really BS, everyday would be good, but then I would need to set-up weekly appointments at Cardiovascular Associates.

Arriving at the table we find it has been set with sides of pasta salad, marble rye with ice cold WI butter, homemade tarter Sauce, cole slaw, and potato salad.  The potato salad outside of Marilyn’s is the best I have ever had – I am told that Margo makes it every week herself.  The cod has a light breading and is always hot when served.  The downside is the Fries; they aren’t bad just average.

They don’t take reservations on Friday night, but if you get there early you can get your request in for a table by the fireplace, it offers some protection from the hungry hordes of summer tourists.  The Friday night Fish Fry is $12.95 about average for most places.  The Big Ragu gives this a 4 outa 5

Al-Gen Dinner Club - Rhinelander, WI

You have to love a place that still has the same sign on top of the building since 1954.  The Al-Gen Dinner Club has been around longer than I have been alive; in fact I remember going there with my parents and having a Shirley Temple, oops, I mean a Roy Rogers (the same thing, just substitute an olive for a cherry).  Tom shakes up a good Martini and I can still have a cigar, at least until Governor Doyle crushes this simple pleasure under his hobnail boots.  The Little Marinara orders a Vodka and Cranberry (I have her convinced that enough of these will ward off kidney stones).  We enjoy some good conversation and friendly banter with the other patrons and take in all the really cool bar décor; I especially like the miniature ‘kybo’ next to the deer head.  Chick Sale would have had a great time with this one.  By the way, Tom the bartender drives a C3 style Vette that he shows at Iola.  I feel a bond, Martini, Vette and Cigars. 

 My cigar is finished and we make our way to the table, Marilyn orders the Poor Mans’ Lobster and I have the Fish Fry – it is all you can eat for $10.95.  Our waitress starts the parade of food:  Macaroni Salad, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, French Fries, Marble Rye Bread, Hot Apple Sauce, Homemade Tartar Sauce Potato Pancakes and of course the lightly breaded deep fried Cod.  I can’t believe it, this is all for me, however, I share with the Little Marinara.  The one thing I really like is that the food is hot – you laugh – I can’t tell you how many times I have been served lukewarm fish.  Everything was very good with the exception of the Macaroni Salad, which was very salty, and the Potato Pancakes, which looked good but had an undone potato flavor.  Some day I am going to do an article on the best Potato Pancake in Wisconsin, which were served at Hesser’s Supper Club in Oshkosh, WI.

If you want a seat at the bar on a Friday evening come early, by 6:00 pm the place will be full.  Good food, good service and good price point.  Just as Friday is Fish Fry night in WI, Sunday is Chicken night and the Al-Gen has great Broasted chicken. 

The Big Ragu gives this a 4 outa 5 on the Bubbler Scale.