Eating in the drinking clubs

Terrace Club

For the non-meat eater, Terrace Club is the place to be. It offers a wide range of vegetarian and vegan entrees, such as panko-crusted penne and cheese, roasted organic potatoes, and green beans with red wine. Although the pasta and vegetable main dishes were quite similar in taste to those of the dining halls, options for vegetarians and vegans are unique at Terrace, ranging from the exotic kamut and sprouted lentil tabbouleh to the mesclun salad. Terrace’s vegetarian dishes are better crafted and more diverse than the standard salad or cold pasta offered in the dining halls.

Ironically, the best entree of the night at Terrace was nonvegetarian: a classic braised beef brisket. The meat was extremely tender and rich, accompanied by a savory wine sauce and soft carrots. So for the carnivorous among you, don’t worry!

The best part of the meal, however, was not the brisket, but the strawberry mousse dessert. Creamy, strongly flavored and topped with whipped cream, the mousse was absolute perfection. Members noted the improvement of Terrace’s desserts, as well as the increase in quality of Terrace’s food, which they said is due to changes in cooking staff over the past few years.

But what especially enhanced the dining experience, which was fairly average with the exception of the brisket and the mousse, was the sense of community felt in the dining space. Starting from waiting in line for the food, where Terrace members serve diners, to sitting down for the meal, where members eat at long green tables next to a wall that reads “LOVE,” camaraderie reverberated in the club with strength and liveliness. Ordinary food with several magnificent dishes and friendly people make dining at Terrace a very special experience.

—Sophie Deng

Tower Club

Tower Club has had the fortunate reputation of having the best food of all the eating clubs. And when I had dinner there Friday night, I very much enjoyed the food they served — but the dessert was another story.

Probably my favorite food at dinner was the side dishes. After eating countless meals in residential college dining halls, rice can get pretty bland. However, Tower’s cheddar rice pilaf certainly was full of flavor and spices and was a nice change of pace from white rice served in the dining halls. The other side dish was steamed zucchini, which was also surprisingly good. Served plain, the zucchini had a lot of natural flavor and was a perfect complement to the more exotic meat dishes that were on the menu. There was also small cheese-and-olive quiches, which were somewhat strange at first, though they definitely grew on me.

There was two meat dishes: chicken with lentils and roasted peppers, and grilled pork loin with escarole and white beans. Of the two dishes, the pork dish was definitely better. The pork was moist and the white beans were a very nice touch. The chicken was nothing special, except for the lentils. Despite their strange texture, these lentils were absolutely delicious and definitely called for a second helping.

The most disappointing thing about the meal at Tower was the dessert, especially considering their reputation. For dessert, there were a bunch of cookies and a sponge cake with pumpkin frosting and filling. The cookies, mostly shortbread, were pretty average, except for the toffee lace cookies dipped in chocolate. These were very thin and crunchy and were pretty fantastic. However, the pumpkin-filled sponge cake was disgusting. The cake was too dense and the frosting was really thick, which made for a very bad combination.

Overall, though I enjoyed my meal at Tower, the disappointing dessert options left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

—Lisa Fierstein

Quadrangle Club

When I sat down to eat at Quadrangle Club, I could have sworn it was a special night. But as it turns out, Quad pub nights are Thursdays, and this was just an ordinary buffet.

If this type of buffet is what Quad members can expect for every dinner, then they are certainly treated well. Oysters and shrimp, baked chicken, portobello mushrooms, rice, tortellini, spinach, fresh bread out on a carving table and, of course, a salad bar.

I opted for some baked chicken, mushrooms, tortellini and spinach. The chicken was the highlight — juicy and seasoned well. The mushrooms were quite good too, with a typical meaty texture. What really made the dish was the topping of tomatoes and melted cheese.

Complaints could be made about the tortellini and spinach. The pasta was a bit mushy, and the sauce tasted more like it was from Pizza Hut than something that would come out of your Italian Aunt Sofia’s kitchen. I also felt that the spinach was too bland. But then again, I’m the type of person who thinks that all vegetables should be smothered in breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.

These complaints were forgotten at the dessert table. Cheesecake, chocolate cake and bread pudding — Quad certainly makes sure that its members have variety. I sampled a little bit of the bread pudding and cheesecake. The bread pudding was typical cafeteria fare, but the cheesecake was definitely restaurant quality.

I arrived at Quad slightly before 7 p.m., and by that time the dining room was already quiet. Only a few of the many round tables were filled, and it was clear that if you want to socialize, you have to get to dinner early. Still, I was joined by a welcoming group, and it didn’t really matter that there weren’t a ton of people present. With some good quality food and a nice variety, dinner at Quad was enjoyable.

—Meghan Todt

Ivy Club

From the elegant furnishings in the foyer to a candlelit dinner in a spacious dining hall, Ivy Club is nothing if not sophisticated. The first thing that struck me as I entered the dining area was that I wasn’t led to a buffet, but straight to the table. The club has servers who bring your food to you for dinner, though I should clarify that — despite the rumors — they don’t wear white gloves or speak in British accents.

The seating system was also very unique: Everyone who enters must sit in the next available seat, so as to prevent the club from being “clique-y” and to encourage everyone to get to know each other.

The Ivy members were chatty and friendly, even joking about their own food as I was served a simple salad followed by chili in a bread bowl with tortilla chips, a special of the club every Wednesday night in the winter. It was well made, though the members’ opinions of it seemed bipolar: Some raved about it, while others said they usually tried to avoid the club on Wednesday nights.

Perhaps the oddest thing was the jug of cold milk kept on every table, a tradition left over from the time — until this fall, apparently — when Ivy didn’t have a soda machine. The soft drinks aren’t the only recent change, though: Over the past year, Ivy has been making efforts to improve the dining experience and give its members a good variety of food throughout the week. They have an assortment of cuisines on different days, including pizza/pasta night, burger lunches and Central American food.

Though the food is not exactly fantastic — members acknowledge that it’s probably not as good as some of the other options on the Street — Ivy certainly makes up for this in service, ambiance and style.

—Sejal Pachisia

Cottage Club

It’s not a scarlet letter that designates you as an outsider at Cottage Club, but a white cloth napkin, which is exactly what I was handed by a member of the wait-staff after filling out my meal-exchange card.

“That’s a guest napkin,” my host explained, and pointed to the wall of maroon napkins which are for members only.

Ouch.

Indeed, Cottage can seem like a very intimidating place to a visitor. Unlike the chaos that surrounds the dining rooms of pretty much every other eating club, and certainly all the dining halls, Cottage has a sense of sophistication. The dining room is beautiful, with high wood ceilings and large windows that look out onto the courtyard. On the tables are white tablecloths with decorative centerpieces and pre-set silverware. At dinner, candlesticks twinkle around the room.

However, members assured me, this sense of formality is an illusion; Cottage is actually a tight-knit community where friends huddle around tables discussing the same things all Princeton students talk about, and no one will judge you if you don’t have proper table manners. Well, maybe just a little.

Certainly the food, though good, was nothing intimidating. Lunch consisted of chicken and beef sandwiches, roasted vegetables and French fries. Though the chicken in the sandwich appeared dry, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was not, and the tomato sauce and cheese complemented it very nicely. The roasted vegetables were also very well cooked and retained their full flavor. My only complaint was that it all seemed a little bit too heavy for lunch — this kind of food is great if you work out five hours a day, but what about someone whose exercise regimen is a bit, well, less intense?

Luckily, the salad bar provides another option for the weight-conscious nonathlete. And it is a very good salad bar that features, among other things, delicious grilled chicken, tuna salad, mozzarella balls and fresh vegetables.

The best part of eating mainly a salad for lunch was that I had much less guilt when it came time for dessert. The chocolate cupcakes, which I suspected were from House of Cupcakes, gave a creamy and satisfying end to my meal.

When I was finished, I walked out of the club full and content from what had been an overall very pleasant experience, though, I must admit, I wasn’t sorry to leave my white cloth napkin behind.

—Isabel Schwab

Cap & Gown Club

What exactly is turkey a la supreme? Or eggplant rollatine? Well, I wasn’t quite sure either until I went to Cap & Gown Club for dinner. On the menu: the aforementioned turkey and eggplant dishes, steamed red cabbage, buttered egg noodles and mashed red-skinned potatoes.

Always eat your vegetables first, right? Maybe I shouldn’t have followed my mother’s tried-and-true advice at Cap & Gown. The steamed cabbage tasted strangely acidic, like it had gotten a little bit too friendly with some vinegar. To soothe my now chemical-tasting mouth, I tried the potatoes, which luckily were delicious. They were perfectly seasoned, and the pieces of red skin gave the dish a nice texture. The buttered egg noodles were also a success — what’s not to like? — and the side salad of the night, with arugula, mozzarella and tomatoes, was light and fresh.

On to the main fare. The sauce of the turkey was nicely flavored, but I couldn’t help being distracted by the meat’s toughness. The vegetarian option, eggplant rollatine, also fell short in performance. Any food with ricotta filling is bound to be mushy, but this dish was a bit too mushy, falling apart upon contact with my fork. It would have been perfect had I just gotten my wisdom teeth taken out.

But though there were some misses in my dinner, there were enough hits in the desserts to make up for it. Permanent installments in the dessert offerings include a fruit bar, an ice cream sundae bar and an array of cookie jars. And this fruit bar means business. There is no better way to end a meal than with fresh strawberries, chopped watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew and pineapple. The hot desserts — berry pie and a sweet ricotta-filled puff pastry — were also wonderful. Though Cap & Gown diners may want to proceed with caution when testing the more creative entrees at the club, they can rest assured knowing that they have a lot to look forward to come dessert time.

—Allie Weiss

Cloister Inn

Though Cloister Inn prides itself on its cheesy eggs and weekend brunch, especially during spring Lawnparties, I was delighted to discover that the club also boasts a pleasant dinner. Even though it is one of the smaller eating clubs, the setting of the tables stretches the dining room to fit many more people than expected. As soon as I walked down the stairs to the dining room, I felt immediately happier and it was hard to tell if that was from the warm atmosphere or the friendly staff.

The food was a typical Americanized-Italian meal, with spinach, ham and cheese, cheesesteak calzones, and meat sauce spaghetti. Although the calzones looked very much like Hot Pockets, they tasted soft and cheesy. The spaghetti was slightly cold when I got to it, but the sauce and the sausage topping helped compensate.

There is also a salad bar at every dinner, which has a variety of vegetables, proteins and other toppings to satisfy everyone. The dessert was my favorite part of the meal — I managed to snag the last slice of the chocolate cheesecake, and it literally melted in my mouth. A frozen yogurt machine is also available, with chocolate, Oreos and other sweet toppings.

The meal was certainly better quality than any dining hall meal, and the people and the atmosphere at Cloister made the whole experience even more enjoyable.

—Kathy Qu

Charter Club

Pub Night at Charter Club is definitely worth the extra time it takes to trek to the last house on the Street — and of course, the burnt calories justify second helpings on dessert! But I shouldn’t get ahead of myself.

To start, I got very excited at the appetizer section when I saw dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), which added a Mediterranean twist to the meal. There is also a generic salad bar.

For the main course, I had the shrimp scampi, which was shrimp sauteed with garlic and butter and served with angel hair pasta and steamed green beans. The shrimp was tender and tasty and there was no shortage of it — there was more shrimp than pasta!

The chandeliers, table arrangements, tablecloths and personal waiters all give Charter’s dining room the atmosphere of a sophisticated restaurant. Though there are quite a lot of pictures of stern-looking, curmudgeonly men hanging on the walls, the interior decor of Charter, as well as its exterior, is gorgeous.

Overall, I would give the meal full points for taste, but creativity was lacking. The ingredients were fresh, well-flavored and nicely arranged, but they were like home recipes: nothing too memorable. Nevertheless, I guess the most important thing is that everything tastes good, and it did.

—Grace Ma

Colonial Club

Walking into the kitchen of Colonial Club was a near heart-stopper for me. Inside was nothing less than a gourmet feast steaming from the countertop trays: mounds of demi-glazed steak and mushrooms, potato cakes with poached egg, tomato and Alfredo sauce, green beans, and chicken Francaise. I was a kid in the toy store all over again and I wasn’t the only one who ran out of room on my plate trying to take a little bit of each entree.

The steak was undoubtedly my favorite part of the meal. It was generously sliced and well-cooked, and the glaze was delectable. Another favorite was the potato cake stacks. The bonus of this dish was the intriguing combination of tomato and egg, in addition to its presentation. The sides, including the green beans and rice, complemented the meats well. For dessert I had pecan pie, which was the perfect ending to a perfect meal. It seemed that every dish garnered resounding praise from the club’s diners.

However, the atmosphere in the room was at complete odds with my expectations. Normally, the trouble with paradise is that it’s overpopulated, but this time I found myself in the opposite situation. Even at 6:30 p.m., the dining room was almost empty, with diners filling perhaps two full tables. And yet, though it lacked the hustle and bustle of residential college dining halls — Wilcox, cough, cough — I enjoyed the laid-back attitude of the members. People were friendly and quick to say hello, and conversation came easily — mainly focusing, of course, on the high quality of the food. Overall, I have no doubt that Colonial serves up some of the best food on the Street. But if you’re looking for a lively dinner crowd, you may want to look elsewhere.

—Lisa Han

Tiger Inn

It seems ironic for an eating club’s dining room to be out of commission. But inside Tiger Inn, no one seemed fazed.

Because of the construction that began this summer, the club’s members now eat in each of the club’s side rooms. Temporary round eight-person tables have replaced the club’s traditional long tables, and the salad bar now stands in the front hall.

There’s a relaxed atmosphere about the place that I imagine exists even when all rooms of the club are in full working order. “Chill” is a good adjective to describe the dinnertime conversation I had with my host and her friends. Yes, we may have been talking about Henry VIII and the fates of his wives, but all in terms of Jonathan Rhys Meyers and “The Tudors.”

As for the food? The entrees were mysterious, so it was nice to know that there is always pasta at the end of the buffet. But venturing into the turkey tetrazzini and stuffed flounder turned out to be quite satisfying.

Any tetrazzini dish has the potential to sit heavy in one’s stomach — and remind one of summer camp food. But TI’s turkey did neither. Many diners approached the dish with suspicious glances. But quite a few, including myself, went back for seconds. The dark, breadcrumb topping was a nice touch.

The stuffed flounder fared well, too. What was in the stuffing? That’s still anyone’s guess. I think this is one of those cases in which it’s better not to ask. The stuffing was soft and thick, but bizarrely tasty, and the flounder wasn’t fishy at all.

Steamed broccoli and cauliflower were part of the lineup, and the daily pasta consisted of angel hair and ziti with either tomato or meat sauce. There was nothing remarkable about any of these, but as I said, it’s nice to have standards to count on.

Dessert was some form of creamed apples, i.e., apple pie without the pie. Usually having a piecrust is preferable. But these apples were sweet and delicious on their own. Like the tetrazzini and stuffed flounder, this dessert could have been disastrous. But all defied expectations; perhaps just a slightly less mysterious presentation was needed.

—Meghan Todt