The sun., 1894-05-06
DINING ATTHE LARGE CLUBS.
THE KITCHEN MAKES OR MARS BTERT
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION


yers and Insurance Mrn-New York aua
BrsokIya Clubs Where woueu May Dine.
Tho news that the Aldlne Club Ia going to
reproduce its grill room In it's new quarters at
| Fifteenth street and Fourth avenue calls at
| tention to the Importance that cooking as
sumes in the success or failure OF the social
| clubs Of the town. The Aldne Club had unique
and beautiful quarters in Lafayette place.
whore an entire house had been fitted up for it
| at considerable expense. II had fine floor fog
reading and writing. but this was little patron-
lied. 1t had occasional story tellers' nights"
but they did not change the character OF the
club 40 as to bring the Nom bers to the house
on other niRhts II remained a lunchlng club
for publishers mainly and for Writers seos
ondarily. But the grill room was the great
feature at luncheon time. Its big chop house
range. its dainty tables and chairs, the rare
old prints and enGravln0s on the walls, ard
the crowd that gathered there every day made
that room the principal attraction.
Then again. the food that was ordered there
was OF sort to be prepared and served quickly.
Steaks, chops. Holsters. oysters. kidneys. and
such almost instantaneous dishes. washed
down with ale in glass. bottomed tankarda
perfectly answered the purpose OF those who
wanted to take as little time as possible from
business All the members are glad to learn
that this feature unlike any that any other
club possesses. will be transported without
change to the swell new club rooms on the
avenue. where 1t IL believed that the Aldlne
will develop into an all-round as we'll as Q
lunchinR club.
The restaurant OF n social club s the feature
that nearly always makes or mars It. II it
pays at all. it is because OF the pi offs on the
beverages that pertain to It and II Il docs not
pay. It is n handicap to the organization. The
single feature Of q losing restaurant killed
three clubs in succe ssion In one house on East
Twenty-oighth street. one OF the largest and
busiest club restaurants In town IL that OF the
New York Athletic Club on Sixth avenue The
2.3O0 members Of that club. who 20 there for
gymnastics and swimming and other attrao-
tions not common to all clubs sufficient In
number to keep the restaurant very busy. It
has o magnificent kitchen and is IN excellent
place to dine. though without distinctive spe-
cialtles. The three clubs whose members are
ever ready to quarrel as to which enjoys the
best cooking in town are the Union. the Union
League and tho Manhattan. All three have
very heavily patronized restaurants. and
kitchens as complete and modern a.
money can make them. but the
boasts OF the members are mainly
upon what their chefs can do in the way OF
private dinner parties. Each Of the clubs has
It's little band OF good livers. who devote
themselves to the study Of gastronomy. and
these men spur the chefs to do their
bost BY initiating them into the myste-
ries Of their constantly changing favorite
dishea They keep after them In another way.
also. By finding fault when they discover some
dish not properly cooked or attraotively served
on their own some ones else table. These
men pick up new dishes wherever they
60 In Europe. IN the SOUTH on the Pacific
| coast. and In the private houses that they
visit. They are In great demand at private
| dinners. In one well-known case q man OF
| leisure. who devotes himself to the science OF
dining. is in such demand to arrange and at
tend private dinner parties that he must bs
invited weeks ahead and may be said almost
never to dine at home or by himself.
The Manhattan Club serves moro private
| dinnors than any other large club In town
perhaps dinner and q half or two dinners to
every one that 10 served at the Union or the
| Union League. 1t has q large number OF pri-
OF elegant table decorations for use on such
| occasions But 1t has no such luxury as the
| League Club and no such exclusiveness as
marks such gatherings at the Union Club; In
clubs are alike. They undoubtedly serve the
most delicious meals that are obtainable out.
their dishes cannot be described. since they
simply have French cooking as basis. and
Of other lands S that S are demanded BY the mem.
bers: An interesting % thiag about these great
q
beIs are admitted to these club houses.
tas Are S II
chei and the fare he produces, both Of which are
arn aims sns not 20 be exeeeS By psmonieos In
u 81 n
| the taste and expense lavished on the
and on weh all nsss ss are
CUB has eSsr been tsss eat the
| palatial dining rooms In town. This distino.
| tion has not been affected by the opening OF
ha n ma a n q
trance to Central Park and the dizzy and aerial
sky parlors OF the Insurance Club down town.
Possibly there are other clubs. notably among
leave the list at this point 1t Is best to mention
eH ea6s esn Soast neither oi he Soofs their
fare. nor the attendance In their dining rooms:
pool tables a great many clubs manage TO keep
up dining rooms that are never hall nlied
maintain for the benefit oi six. L q quit:
clubs at all that display well; pstronized res:
club OF it's city and the Union League OF Chi:
eago, next in Importance. crowd up only at
to glance around their empty dining rooms
Hnd retreat TO some good Eestanrsnt ldEe am, Inc
San Francisco and II is the same in New Or
boston and 'Piokwick used both g be crowded
| for perhaps a fortnight before the strangers
went away aud the walters fell back into their
lonesom eness and languor. That New York IL
| able to support a. tull dozen clubs Including
the downtown lunchinR clubs-crowdef &c
two meal times in each day is a thing TO be
marvelled at when one knows the poor patron
age that falls To the clubs OF other towns
very great novelty in club restaurant life
| is rapidly growing up in Brooklyn. where prao-
tlcally all tho clubs have suspended the initie-
tended by members Many of these truly
large clubs arrange entertainments and read
ings and bowling matches to Interest the
women. and have already succeeded in making
their houses the frequent resort OF the ladies'
who ara welcomed TO ths rest aurants set apare
for their use on every night OF the week. In
eonseq Of this new departure the women
insist upon being taken TO the club When
things are ,iull al home as well as alter the
theatre and at times when they have visitors
whom they wish 10 treat In a novel way. Ot