Amy Stocklein
The pork porterhouse is an upgrade from the more familiar chop cut.
Supper clubs are a dying breed. And that’s disheartening. Maybe I’m waxing nostalgic — I was raised by parents who frequented Chicagoland supper clubs and still pick Smoky’s as one of their top spots when they visit here. But I take great comfort in the fact that dining rooms like The Hilltop, high on a ridge just outside of Cross Plains, are maintaining the tradition of the supper club.
Don’t worry, Highway 14 from Middleton to Cross Plains is open again, despite the recent flooding, and there’s also more than one way to The Hilltop — for instance, take Mineral Point Road to Pine Bluff and take a right onto County Highway P. The location has been a restaurant for a long time; in 2016, new owners Steve and Vanessa McKenzie spiffed up the dining room and made the menu a bit more like a steakhouse.
The supper club vibe is immediate upon entering. The room is dimly lit; tables are adorned with those classic textured snifter-shaped glass candle holders. The second clue that this place is authentic supper club? The list of 35 ice cream drinks, including both old standbys like the Grasshopper and the Pink Squirrel and updates like Makin’ Bacon and Red Velvet.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Start with the cheese curds. They’re done right here, crisp on the outside with a beautiful cheese pull on the inside. The generous portion comes with a trio of sauces: homemade buttermilk ranch, Sriracha ranch, and my favorite, jalapeño popper, a thicker, creamy dip with chunks of jalapeño throughout.
The steaks and chops menu shines. The New York strip was medium rare, seared and flavorful on the outside, pleasingly tender on the inside, with a lovely addition of parsley butter on the top. Flat iron, ribeye, center-cut filet and top sirloin are additional choices.
The pork industry is borrowing terms for cuts from the beef industry, for greater appeal. I’d never before seen a “pork porterhouse,” but this cut is definitely worth the trip, if you are feeling indulgent. Combining the tenderloin and the top loin meat around one bone, the cut comes in a 14-ounce chop and was done to perfection.
Another highlight is the broasted chicken, something I’d never heard of until I moved to Wisconsin — entirely reasonable given that the preparation is said to have been invented in Beloit. Broasted chicken deserves a bigger following. It’s marinated and breaded chicken that’s fried in a pressure cooker. It emerges well-seasoned and still moist, not quite as greasy as with a traditional deep fry.
One slight off note: Penne chicken carbonara came loaded with bacon and large shavings of parmesan, but the chicken was on the dry side.
Vegetarians and vegans will have few options. There is a cranberry walnut salad and a classic wedge salad that could be made vegan, as well as butternut squash ravioli that makes up in dairy what it lacks in meat.
The sides offer some sweet throwback moments. There’s a cranberry rice pilaf and a simple salad that has almost more croutons than lettuce, plus a ring of red onion and some cherry tomatoes. But the game-changer here is the scalloped au gratin potatoes, creamy inside with a crusty cheese topping.
Wednesdays and Fridays, there’s a fish fry, with a choice of fried lake perch or fried or baked cod. I tried the perch. The Hilltop gets it right, with a light breading that is not overly greasy, but the fish itself didn’t have much flavor. Saturday, as any supper club veteran knows, means prime rib.
On Sundays, the Hilltop serves an all-you-can-eat brunch. No grain or smoothie bowls here. This is the original, down-home, hearty version of brunch, served buffet style.
The Belgian waffle station is a treat, with boozy Grand Marnier syrup or sweet blueberry compote as accompaniments. The warm rum raisin bread pudding was some of the best I’ve ever had (and I’ve had my fair share). For the savory crowd, there are delightful little biscuits with a sausage-rich gravy, and the broasted chicken and scalloped au gratin potatoes are featured at brunch as well, plus a full salad and fresh fruit bar. I would pass only on the scrambled eggs; they were spongy and bland.
I‘m all in favor of Madison making a name for itself as a foodie hotspot, but let’s leave a place for supper clubs, too.
The Hilltop
4173 County Highway P, Cross Plains; 608-798-2893;
thehilltopcp.com; 4 pm-9 pm Wed.-Thurs., 4 pm-10 pm Fri.-Sat.,
9 am-1:30 pm Sun.; $5-$38
