Reliable Restaurants: Dreamland Supper Club

SOUTH SUPERIOR - In a special three-part special report, FOX 21's Dan Hanger introduces you to just a few "Reliable Restaurants" in the Twin Ports that continue to stay open after decades of business.  

Think about it; the restaurant industry is one tough egg to crack.  The competition is fierce and the reality of failure is very real.  In Monday's first report, it's a trip to Dreamland Supper Club in Wisconsin that's been serving up quality dishes since the 1920s.

A quiet stretch of County Road E in South Range leads to a place where dreams really do come true.

"Absolutely, where our commercial used to say with the little McKenzie at the end, come to Dreamland -- where all your dreams come true," said Dan Patterson, co-owner of Dreamland.

Dreamland is a good old fashioned supper club that's been serving up hearty, delicious, reasonably-priced fine dining since the 1920s.

"It's a dining experience," Patterson said.

Dan Patterson and his wife Terri have been putting their heart and soul into Dreamland since purchasing it almost 15 years ago.

"We open early on Sunday at noon, but it's still the dinner menu. I mean, we are a supper club. It is dinner entries - period!"

"The nostalgia, I think, is what I think is the neatest part. You know, the history behind it," said Terri.

While the couple loves everything about owning this hidden gem, it's no easy ride working in the restaurant industry.

"The cost of food is awful, cost of utilities are awful, so we're paying more, were paying more for our food," Dan said.

But consistency and quality seem to prevail for these two.
Terri and her small staff handle all the cooking while Dan takes care of the books and greets and socializes with loyal guests they call family.

"It's a lot of work, I mean, it's worth it. You know, it's something that I really enjoy doing," Terri said.

"Out at my place, my VIP is my two-year-old neighbor. When she comes in, the whole place – 'Phebe's here, ya know'."

And while that sense of community is part of the dining experience, the Pattersons really know what keeps people coming back for more.

"Obviously what's keeping us in business is the fresh food and the hard work that goes into it," Terri said.

"The relish tray and the fact that you get soup or tomato juice, and salad or coleslaw, you get them both and the whole tomato juice thing is unique to a supper club," Dan said.

And it gets even better with some one-of-a-kind Dreamland creations like "French Fried Turkey" that'll make your taste buds dream off.
"Turkey breast that's pre-cooked and then cut into portions and then we make homemade sweet batter, dip it in the batter and then deep fry it and serve it with butter. Some people call it the poor man's lobster," Dan said.

So the next time you think about dining local, think about a true Northland experience that'll have you dreaming for more with every bite.

"It's not uncommon for people to come here and eat the relish tray, soup, salad and take the whole dinner home because their full. They've already got enough to eat," Dan said.

Check out Dreamland's Web site by clicking here.