Pleasant Living: A WISCONSIN SUPPER CLUB TO REMEMBER

ISHNALA

In New York we're used to waiting; waiting in line to see the newest fashion exhibit at the Met, waiting at Morgenstern's for the newest ice cream flavor, waiting for tickets to Friday's newest release from Hollywood or just waiting at Duane Reade to pay for a tube of Crest and a two-liter bottle of Diet Pepsi. But I'm not used to having to wait for anything back in Wisconsin. What could possibly be worth it?

This was not the first time we had driven up to the Dells area with the intent of having dinner at one of America's premier supper clubs, Ishnala.

We'd made a previous trip in April only to find out Ishnala is a seasonal restaurant. Don't try to go when there's still snow on the ground and in Wisconsin that means anytime before May because the doors will be locked and the barstools will be set upside down on top of the bar .

This time we checked out the situation on line just to make sure that this second attempt wouldn't end up with us having to go to our second choice: McDonalds. Their website showed the hours: Open from four until the kitchen runs out of steaks. It gave a preview of the menu and then the kicker: no reservations.

With all this knowledge we set off around noon planning to make a few antique stops and then head over for an early dinner. We never attempt a road trip without making significant plans for stopping and scouting out the area's trash and treasures. We thought we'd shoot for somewhere around 4:30 for dinner. I know, I know, with a four-thirty dinner goal it would appear that we'd somehow graduated to entry into the grey-haired, assisted walker crowd. Not so fast.

It was a Tuesday. We thought we'd get in relatively easily since in our current state of ageism denial we still assumed we all had the ability to out run that grey-haired walker crowd.

Ishnala is a Winnebago Indian word meaning, "By Itself Alone". The way to the restaurant is through a winding road lined with hundreds of acres of northern pines and bright green forests dappled in brilliant sunlight. The road ends in a parking lot just short of Mirror Lake, a parking lot that at 4:30 was already packed with cars. We'd clearly miscalculated and we clearly weren't alone.

The walk from the car was a bumpy one ill-suited to our wheeling walker dinner competition even with tennis ball caps added to the two back legs of those stabilizing walkers we felt we still had the edge on getting to the front of the hostess line.

It was going to be a race through the beautiful patios dotted with bright red seating. We should have taken the hint to grab one of those seating settings before they were completely filled with other hopeful diners.

The approach to the restaurant reveals the log cabin exterior built upon and enlarged from the original cabin built by the Coleman family back in 1909.

The north woods appeal of Ishnala is true and certainly not disappointing. Indigenous flagstone from a nearby quarry, log construction and artifacts of the hunt adorning the walls all add to its authentic charm.

What had the possibility of disappointment was the hostess' greeting that began with "How many?" and then ended with "Currently you're looking at a two hour wait time". What do you do? Do you turnaround and hang your head in submission to your plan B, McDonalds, alternative?

The hostess saved us with her reminder that we could have a seat at the bar while we waited for a table. Duh! The bar, or bars are a quintessential part of any supper club and Ishnala's horseshoe bar is a drunkard's dream.

It's a real trip back to the fifties where mortar and pestles line the bar as bartenders muddle oranges and cherries for the restaurant's famous sweet Old-Fashions.

The bar literally juts out over Mirror Lake. Surrounded by windows the view is spectacular but if this isn't enough you can take your drinks out to one of the many terraces or walk down to the beach.

You are given one of those beepers that will begin a light show and vibration thrill in your pocket to let you know when your table is ready. This helps so you needn't worry about getting too far afield or too inebriated to miss your table. Clearly we didn't mind the wait. It was almost disappointing when our alarm went off and we had to return to the hostess station to be escorted to our table.