Bixby is not first on my list of towns to consider for a night of fine dining, but with the addition of the SpiritBank Event Center, there is now a good reason to head south.

Clubhouse is an upscale neighborhood bar and grill in Shoppes at Regal Plaza at 106th and Memorial, easily found on the corner of the SpiritBank Event Center building. Walking in, my friend and I were immediately impressed with the décor, so different from the ordinary style of many restaurants.

According to Candice Miller, spokesperson for the restaurant, the style was inspired by a contemporary clubhouse; the chic décor is also warm and inviting. Tables, booths and a sleek, granite bar area occupy the bottom floor, while a mezzanine level dining area is also available--fully equipped with its own bar, flat screen television and a separate room ideal for private events.

The Clubhouse is locally owned by ThirtyPlus, LLC, which has a long history of business and marketing experience from all across the country. They have brought that exposure to Tulsa, and created a setting that one would see in New York, Chicago or L.A.

On this particular Saturday night, my friend and I made reservations just to be sure we would have a table. This proved to be a good idea, for there were few open.

We found the service to be superb throughout the course of our dinner. We had a number of people wait on us, but our main server was always there to be sure our experience met our expectations. The menu, said Miller, was designed with fun, upscale comfort food in mind.

Many of the dishes are common to other menus, yet with interesting flair. For example, on the Appetizers menu, the "Seviche" Shooters ($7.49) stood out among other more familiar items as Grilled Portabella ($7.99), Cheese Quesadilla ($5.99) and Fried Vegetable Basket ($5.99). We tried the Shooters, described as four shots of bite-size filets of market fresh tilapia, cooked in a citrus marinade with green peppers, onions and fresh chopped parsley. Four little Shooters were presented in shot glasses, with the tilapia hanging on to the glass' edge. They were quite good, and the freshness of the fish was noticeable; it was an interesting twist on traditional ceviche.

Clubhouse serves a number of tasty soups, salads and sandwiches, though we thought that something heartier would make a better dinner. However, the Baja Chicken Enchilada Soup, the Prime Dijon Salad and the Smokin' Pollo Salad drew a second glance, as did the Steak Sandwich, Smoke House Pulled Pork Sandwich, The VIP Grill (tender smoked pork with red onion marmalade, havarti cheese and grilled on sourdough bread) and the Portabella Burger.

The Dinners and House Smoked sections were more aligned with our appetite. Grilled Mushroom Chicken, Tilapia Almondine, Salmon Fume, Grilled Rib-Eye, New York Strip and the Smoked Half Chicken all sounded delicious, but which one to choose?

The House Smoked options are something that Bixby can be proud of. The town is known for their annual Bixby BBQ'n Music Festival, which includes an officially sanctioned BBQ contest by the Kansas City Barbeque Society. And, it is also an official state of Oklahoma barbeque competition.

At Clubhouse, Miller said menu highlights are the house smoked entrées which were inspired by award-winning recipes from a local competition BBQ team, 3 Guys Smokin'. She said they have 20 years' experience, and that their sauces, herb rubs and wood-smoked recipes have won local, national and international awards.

These menu items include Apple Wood Smoked Pork Tenderloin, Pecan Smoked Ribs and Pecan Smoked Pulled Pork. I selected the Pulled Pork ($9.99) while my friend chose the New York Strip ($16.99), cooked medium rare. The Pulled Pork was delightful--tender and exploding with flavor.

The side dishes were standard, but varied--Coleslaw, Baked Beans, Corn Soufflé, Rice Pilaf, Mashed Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables and French Fries--all priced at $2.75.

I selected the Corn Soufflé, which, by the way, Miller said is a top seller, inspired by 3 Guys Smokin'. Served in a little cup-bowl, it had a natural but slight sweetness to it with whole corn and pieces of red bell pepper; the texture was pleasing. I highly recommend it.

The New York Strip was grilled to perfection; my dining companion reported that it was soft and flavorful. He opted for French Fries to accompany his meat, which were crispy and an ideal complement.

For the night owls, the Clubhouse kitchen keeps on cooking with a smaller menu of Late Night Bites, which includes Bacon and Cheddar Fries, Mini American Kobe Burgers, Clubhouse Wing basket, Cheese Quesadilla, Fried Vegetable Basket, Buffalo Cheese Sticks and more. The restaurant hosts live tunes on Fridays with acoustic/unplugged local acts and high energy dance music with a DJ on Saturdays.

Clubhouse Bar and Grille

10441 S. Regal Blvd. #111

369-8330

Hours:

Sun. 11am-close

Mon.-Sat. 11am-2am

Rating:

Atmosphere ****

Food ****

Service ****