Chisholm, MN – Valentini’s Supper Club

“Supper Club”. (Wikipedia) “In the U.S., a supper club is a dining establishment generally found in the Upper Midwestern states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Michigan, and Iowa. These establishments typically are located on the edge of town in rural areas.[1] They were traditionally thought of as a “destination” where patrons would go to spend the whole evening, from cocktail hour to enjoying night club style entertainment after dinner.[2] They feature a casual and relaxed atmosphere.”

Well, I don’t know about the ‘entertainment’, but I’ve been in my share of supper clubs in the Upper Midwest. In Iowa, we used to joke there were five things on every menu: ham, ribeye, chicken, catfish, and pork chops. Period.

Wasn’t so bad, as I remember. Especially in the smaller towns of Iowa.  My first introduction to catfish as something other than bait, as a matter of fact.  Ate a lot of it living in Louisiana, not so much in Oregon, where it’s $8 a pound!

Kawikamedia hit “da range”  (Minnesotan for “The Iron Range”, the nest of small towns around the old iron ore mines in Northern Minnesota), and his visit included lunch at Valentini’s Supper Club in the town of Chisholm.

Chisholm was founded around 1900 and had a peak population of over 6,000.  It was nearly completely erased from the map by a fast moving forest fire in 1908.

Chisholm became a city in 1934, and today’s population stands around 5k.

Valentini’s is the go-to place on the Iron Range for traditional Italian.  Kawika went with the penne with house made Italian sausage and peppers.

Loved it all, including the fresh bread from Sunrise Bakery in Hibbing, MN, also the birthplace of Sammy’s Pizza, and hometown of the late food mogul, Jeno Paulucci.

Valentini’s has an affiliated location in Duluth.

Valentini's Sausage and Peppers, Chisholm Minnesota

 

Exterior, Valentini's, Chisholm, MN

Exterior, Valentini’s

Interior Valentini's Chisholm MN

Interior Valentini’s Chisholm MN

The Birthplace of Sammy's Pizza, Hibbing, MN

The Birthplace of Sammy’s Pizza, Hibbing, MN

Valentini's Supper Club on Urbanspoon

Sammy's Pizza & Restaurant on Urbanspoon

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