Club Tuscany
2832 E. 6200 South, Holladay ; 801-277-9919
(see
map)
Smaller prices and portions. Cozy atmosphere. Excellent wine selection.
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Cuisine: Italian, American
Price: $$
Hours: M-Th, 5:30-9 p.m.; F-S, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Liquor: Full Service
Reservations: Not accepted/necessary
Accepts:    
October 19, 2005
Club Tuscany dresses down
By Nancy Hobbs
Not just for special events: Part of Tuscany restaurant, the bar offers patrons great food in a more casual atmosphere; Club Tuscany a great spot for cozy dining
Nancy Hobbs Special to The Tribune
Tuscany restaurant is one of the places most Salt Lake diners have on their list for special-occasion dining. Anniversary, prom, birthday -- you name it -- the romantic Italian chalet offers the elegant ambiance, attentive service and upscale cuisine that make the outing an "event." To that end, it's probably quite a ways down on the list of places to get an impromptu bite. But Tuscany is looking to change that with a recent new addition to its repertoire: a menu that allows more casual dining in Club Tuscany, the cozy bar set opposite the restaurant's main dining area.
The club doesn't accept reservations (unlike the restaurant), and I was initially leery: The place looked jammed, judging from the small and perpetually packed parking lot off 6200 South -- no doubt the reason for complimentary valet parking, with fleet-footed attendants who seem to have access to endless parking spots somewhere nearby.
On our initial visit, inside was almost as foreboding. We could see it was standing-room-only in the bar, but were invited to find a seat either inside or out on the patio. Most of the crowd must have been waiting to be seated in the restaurant, because the bar cleared out fairly quickly and we had no trouble finding a table with a great view of the moon and stars, as well as of the live jazz band -- the Terindo Jazz Quartet -- playing its last gig at Club Tuscany for the season.
It was busy enough, however, to keep the single server working the patio scrambling, not to mention seeming a little rudderless and unfamiliar with the bar menu.
We began with an order of battered and fried calamari that was crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside ($10.95). They were served with "Caesar" aioli and lemon slices that were similarly battered and fried -- a sublime tart contrast to the sweet squid.
The signature crusty wood-fired hearth bread also makes it onto the bar menu. Hearth bread "pizzas" include a classic margarita or Italian sausage ($6.95 and $7.95 respectively), but we opted for the salmon "special" ($14.95), with a layer of dill cr?me fra"che, topped with an abundance of thin-sliced, cold-smoked salmon, capers, red onion and two small mounds of different caviars. (I've since learned that this is a staple on the restaurant menu and can be ordered in the bar at any time.)
Since we also ordered salads -- a well-made traditional Caesar ($4.25) and a seasonal pear salad ($8.95) that was made, disappointingly, with very little fruit, but otherwise a delectable mix of baby romaine and field greens, pine nuts and Gorgonzola tossed in a champagne vinaigrette -- we found we had more than enough to eat, and took most of the salmon hearth bread home.
It was an inspired move because the next morning, with a cup of coffee, the cold salmon pizza was a delectable breakfast, like lox and bagels, Italian style.
At a subsequent, less-crowded visit, we settled into a corner table, next to the beautiful river-rock fireplace and, after musing over a selection of nearly a dozen martinis ($4.50-$7), ordered a couple of our own design -- a vodka martini and a gin martini.
Other than the calamari, there aren't many appetizer options on the bar menu, but our efficient bartender/waiter proposed the clams -- from the restaurant menu -- with the tomato-based sauce generally used for the mussels. The clams ($14.95) were cooked to perfection, but chef Adam Vickers' garlicky, fresh tomato sauce was even better, especially as it soaked into the "garlic crouton," akin to a hunk of garlic bread in the middle of the serving dish. Once it was gone, we used the crusty, hearth bread to dab up the last remnants. I'd suggest this dish become a bar menu staple.
As for main courses, instead of a heady number of full-course meals, the half-dozen items unique to the bar menu are simply smaller portions of main items. Pasta dishes include capellini ($8.50) with fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic; or rigatoni ($9.50) with sausage and peppers. On the grill side, there is a basic burger ($6.95) with homemade chips, or chicken piccata ($9.95).
But one of the best deals is the sirloin steak ($13) -- a thick 8-ounce portion cooked medium-rare, as requested -- served with a mound of crispy "haystack" fries. The grilled salmon fillet ($9.95) was ideal in size and preparation, served atop a bed of olive oil mashed potatoes and drizzled with lemon-dill butter.
Dessert was equally uncomplicated, with a glass of 20-year-old port from Tuscany's impressive stock of cordials, and a gargantuan slice of 7'4" chocolate cake ($7.95) with vanilla bean ice cream, named for owner and former Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton. Layers of the dense chocolate cake are buoyed between chocolate ganache frosting spread so thick it's like eating a plate of fudge with your cake.
Because Club Tuscany is a private club, entrance requires a temporary three-week membership for $4, or an annual membership for $12. Its status also allows for smoking, including cigars, of which there is a selection for sale. The bar area is well-ventilated, however. Though I could see people nearby smoking, I wouldn't have detected it otherwise.
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