The 31 Club

yesterday evening we had eight (two new) come to dinner at the 31 club.

maybe I had a San Marco hangover but I wasn't entirely thrilled with the vittles although the mood was considerably lighter than the previous month from the get-go. the group started with baby artichokes hearts stuffed with parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and some other fillings (maybe a lemon/parsley mix?) which were very good, their meatloaf foie gras with huckleberry sauce (really, really good if you can get past the foie gras part) and calamari. the calamari was good but like stuffed peppers or oysters you know what you're getting with them and rarely do you get something out of the familiar range (good or bad) and there was no exception here.
on to the entrées. a few things stood out on the menu that looked tasty but c'mon not even a hint of balsamic?!?! left with that fact, I teetered between their linguini with clam and lobster sauce and their tatliatelle bolognese, choosing the former as ms. georger opted for the bolognese. other choices were their eggplant lasagna, filet mignon and pork chop special. I suppose I should have read the specials better because I thought I was ordering the linguini with a white sauce when in fact it was a red sauce (does that make me sound snobby?). regardless, it was good. I enjoyed the bolognese a little more but didn't think it was as good as the one at Mulberry's. The filet was very good and had an exciting-sounding side: au gratin zucchini potatoes. it sounded better than it tasted but it was still good. I can't recall exactly how the pork chop was prepared - it seemed to me to have a type of creole/cajun flavor and was very good. apparently it's side of rice was excellent.

making up for San Marco, I hoarded a tiramisu which was very good.

again, any place would have a hard task following San Marco. regardless, I think B+ would be appropriate but I think The 31 Club is a step down from Mulberry's which I gave a B+ so I'm giving The 31 Club a B.