There is no trace left of the former Napa Auto Parts store that stood at 34820 Vine St. in Eastlake. In its place is the Captain’s Club, a sports-themed restaurant and bar.
It is open to every paying customer, despite the common misconception that the restaurant is a private club exclusively for ball players. Nor is it a Captains’ affiliate, another misunderstanding.
The establishment does, however, pay tribute to the game of baseball played in Classic Park visible through its east-facing windows. And, despite not being affiliated with the Captains in any way, managing partner Scott Fisher, one of the restaurant’s six owners, said the ballpark has been supportive, giving the restaurant signed baseball jerseys and other game memorabilia. Fans have helped as well.
“We’re busy before the games and we get a good crowd afterwards too,” he said.
Constructed of wood and stone, the sports bar and restaurant is tastefully decorated in muted colors with oversized booths against the walls and tables scattered around a large central bar. Captains’ game schedules are practically part of the menu, ensconced as they are along with wine, beer and martini lists in a permanent display on each table.
Fisher described the decor as upscale casual.
“You’re not going to find white tablecloths here,” he said.
What you will find are six plasma TVs visible from any vantage point, presumably to broadcast every sporting event possible. But people visit not only to watch games.
“We have a diverse menu,” Fisher said. “Prime rib and the St. Louis BBQ ribs are favorites.”
Diners can choose anything from a burger to a rib eye. A staggering selection of 15 appetizers starts off the menu priced from $6 for mozzarella sticks to $12 for a combo platter. We chose the first on the list – banana peppers stuffed with Italian sausage swimming in marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. These spicy starters, while quite good, are not for anyone who doesn’t like an appetizer that bites back.
The usual list of breaded mushrooms, quesadillas and potato skins mixes with more upscale appetizers including bruschetta, steamed mussels and clams, and baked brie with a baguette and sliced apples.
Salads range from the house salad for $3.25 to an Oriental chicken salad for $9.50. The description of baby field greens, button mushrooms, roma tomatoes, mandarin oranges, Cantonese noodles, roasted pecans and water chestnuts topped with a grilled teriyaki chicken breast and served with a toasted sesame dressing almost persuaded me. Chef, chicken Caesar and spinach bacon salads complete the salad selections.
Soups – $1.75 to $3.50 – include homemade chili, French onion and soup du jour, most of which like the chili are homemade daily. One of my dining partners described his cup of vegetable soup as hearty and just as advertised – lots of vegetables and beef.
My companions were happy with their lunch selections. Two chose wraps, one a buffalo chicken wrap and the other a turkey wrap. Both wraps were enveloped in a tomato flour tortilla, stuffed with a fresh combination of ingredients and served with a side of pasta salad. The buffalo chicken contained lettuce, tomatoes, onion and bleu cheese dressing while the turkey had avocado, bean sprouts and fontina and provolone cheeses with ranch dressing.
My other companion chose an appetizer instead of an entree, wanting a lighter meal. Despite her selection, she still couldn’t finish the entire chicken quesadilla. The grilled chicken, cheddar and provolone cheeses, green onions and black olives stuffed in a tortilla and served with salsa and sour cream proved to be too much for her to finish.
Entrees, $10-$20, include strip steak, grilled pork chops, a couple of pasta dishes and Florida grouper. Fisher says the grouper is one of his top sellers for dinner.
“It’s broiled in a lemon sauce and served over a bed of garlic mashed potatoes,” he said, licking his lips and making me wish I’d ordered it instead.
I stuck with a more lunch-type entrée under the sandwich heading, all served with French fries. My Philly cheese steak sandwich came on a hoagie bun stuffed with lots of thinly sliced roast beef, sautéed onions and peppers and smothered with melted mozzarella cheese.
Other sandwiches include a club, pulled pork, open-faced prime rib, tuna or chicken salad and fish. And of course what would a restaurant so close to a ballpark be without a hot dog? Burgers are $7 and include a turkey burger and a patty melt.
Our lunches were brought out in record time. Fisher said that’s something he prides himself on.
“People only get an hour for lunch,” he said. “We have no problem getting you in and out. You never have to wait here.”
The Captain’s Club isn’t just a place to go before or after a game. An all-weather enclosed patio can seat up to 20 people for business meetings. The TVs draw in crowds on weekends for football and basketball games.
Three Full Swing golf simulators have created so much interest that a golf league has sprung up. Golfers can choose to hit the links on courses such as Bay Hill, Pebble Beach and St. Andrews in the “Captain’s Club Country Club.”
The Captain’s Club is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and from noon to 11 p.m. Sunday. The bar is open until 2 a.m.
Laura Freeman reviews restaurants regularly for the Lake County Business Journal. |
