Recently sold to male and female proprietors, S Club is set to become "The Place". A perfect name…read morefor the culture that Antonio, Ouma (sp. sorry!), and the rest of the great staff (sorry for forgetting names!). Everyone was great!
Our experience took place on 10/07/2019 or put in EU dating 07/10/2019. We chose to sit at the bar for the experience. However, had the weather been better, we would have sat in the shabby, chic, Miami-style club area outdoors. Several nick-nacks, include an old stove, set the mood. "The Place" is full of antique records, radios, drawings, art, etc. Definitely a great place to set any kind of mood.
The drink menu includes classic drinks like the Manhattan, gin & tonic, etc, but sampling the signature menu is likely the way to go. Antonio takes his craft very seriously, while also not forsaking the fun. We chose the spicy manhattan. The trip down pepperoncini row takes the drink to a new level. The ambiance and experience sitting at the bar can only be trumped by the commitment of the staff to further enhance the experience. Essentially, they made us (Americans with little in the Italian language) feel at ease and welcomed. Quickly, we were presented with baccala crostini with a spicy pepper oil dropped in the middle. Perfecto!
The menu is referred to as soul food. The Italian meaning behind this is essential, "food from the heart". The Place is not your stop for traditional Italian fare. If you are seeking an experience that blends traditional Italian cuisine with a new age flair, then The Place is your destination. The menu for the evening included a BBQ'd polpa (octopus) tentacle on a bed of arugula, dressed lightly, and glazed with a creative BBQ made in-house. Perfect is the only way to describe this dish. The temperature of the tentacle, perfecto! flavor, perfecto! We also chose one of the 3 burgers available. Think fine dining meets burger. The portion is modest, but adequate served with pomme frite. Burger temp completely slipped my mind, but the burger arrived slightly less than medium-rare (my ideal temp). A juicy flavor punch that was not gamey nor industrial. One can tell that these patties are ground in house, blended, and seasoned ready to serve. Don't get stuck on the first page, explore the entire menu before diving in. It may be worth ordering several plates to share. I would expect that you will not be disappointed.
Couple the creative drinks with eclectic, explorative food, and you have a winner in Fregene. We left with dinner for two and two drinks per person with a total of 58€. Given the experience, quality, and commitment to creating a food centro in Fregene, we thought this was extremely fair.
Guys, thank you for a great experience in Fregene, our last night of the trip! We found you on a whim, bought in hook, line, and sinker, and you did not let us down! Do not skip The Place, if even for only cocktail hour or digestivo. We will definitely make it a point to come back.
