Back when T Paul’s Supper Club opened last year, I envisioned an exclusive, members-only fine dining hall in downtown Astoria. Mind you, this is based entirely on the name, but mixed with memories of the classy lighting and décor of The Schooner Bistro, it set an image in my mind nonetheless. One step inside, and that memory vaporized.

The Supper Club is quite different from any previous inhabitants, or anything I could even imagine. I can’t really find the words for the atmosphere. It’s intentionally “quirky,” perhaps “funky,” a bit “cutesy.” There’s a modern look mixed with a decidedly whimsical flair, and the dining room is brightly lit. I’m not partial to this look and feel, but there’s a reason I don’t delve too deeply into appearances in the end, it has no bearing on the food. And fortunately, the food was really good.

Although at first glance the prices seem high, most entrees come with a starter salad or seafood soup, so were you to subtract four or five dollars there, you’d be left with perfectly acceptable prices. The Supper Club offers three soup choices: New England clam chowder, a Manhattan seafood stew and Fusion, a mixture of the two. I enjoyed the clam chowder immensely. For a thick style, all of the flavors were right on. The Manhattan red was heavy on the tomatoes, but not much seafood. You never know sometimes you get a bum ladleful. The mixture worked better than I thought it would, though I’d not have tried it without having sampled the two separately. A crusty, warm baguette with soft butter is available upon request.

The large menu features many salads, burgers, sandwiches, quesadillas, pastas and meat entrees. I sampled a bit of everything, and have little to carp about.

The standard house salad is pretty big for a starter, and a busy little number. Mixed greens (though mostly romaine) are topped with croutons, red onion, shredded jack and cheddar cheeses, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and the dressing of your choice, all made in-house. I tried the mango vinaigrette good but sweet for my taste, and the creamy garlic caesar a pretty classic rendition.

The Pan Asian salad ($11 and $14, entree salads are available in light or full portions) certainly had a lot going on as well. Greens, tomatoes, red onions, cabbage, snap peas, apple and pear slices, toasted sesame seeds, carrots and Thai dressing rest underneath your choice of chicken or bay shrimp. I chose chicken, and the sliced breast arrived steaming. My only complaint was the sweetness of the dressing. A little rice vinegar or lime juice would balance things out nicely. I ordered the light portion and found it to be more than ample.

A bruschetta appetizer ($8.50) was delicious. Many crostinis with a pesto cream cheese spread and oven-roasted baby tomatoes lay upon a bed of green leaf lettuce. I would order this again.

I was really impressed with the Reuben sandwich ($11.50). It represented everything a great Reuben should be: crunchy, well-grilled marble rye, thinly sliced corned beef, just the right amount of sauerkraut and just-melted Swiss cheese. The accompanying steak fries were also excellent. One of the new styles of fry, slightly battered to retain crispiness, these held up well and were amply seasoned.

Burgers also fare well. A bacon, bleu cheese and barbecue sauce burger ($11.75) was immense. A half-pound patty in an equally large bun, it was cooked to temperature, the lettuce, tomato and onion fresh and crunchy, the sauce, bacon and cheese well-matched.

Quesadillas are above average. You don’t often see quesadillas on dinner menus, as they’re almost exclusively relegated to bar menus, Mexican restaurants and kid menus. A smoked chicken quesadilla ($8) was tasty, bolstered with black olives, onions, tomatoes and a chipotle sour cream. Chips and salsa accompany, making this a full meal I’d return for at lunch time as well as a hearty appetizer.

A recent special of fried alligator bites ($7.50) was good. A notoriously chewy meat, the seasoned flour coating enhanced the natural texture. A side dip of chipotle pesto ranch had one flavor too many. I’d have chosen either pesto or chipotle and called it good.

T Paul’s Old Mac & Cheese ($17) isn’t the most enticing name, but was a triumphant dish in the end. Chicken, pesto, al dente noodles and three-cheese cream sauce, this is comfort food at its best.

Chicken Madeira ($17) was another solid entree. A perfectly-cooked (and I can’t stress this enough) chicken breast topped with a mushroom and madeira wine reduction comes covered in mozzarella cheese, with sauteed vegetables and the starch of your choice. I had the garlic mashed potatoes, which I can recommend. The one gripe I must make is the addition of cheese on the chicken. The thick, ropey strands of mozzarella made sharing it around the table difficult, while it didn’t add anything solid to the mix. Lose the cheese it “Olive Gardens” this dish.

The dry-aged filet mignon ($21 and $26) was flavorful and cooked perfectly rare as ordered. I had it with the rice pilaf, and to my surprise, I’ve finally found a restaurant that cooks an accurate representation of French pilaf, small diced onions and carrots included. I’ve searched high and low, and I’m proud to say that T Paul’s Supper Club isn’t using any boxes or flavor packets. I wish only that the steak was sauced somehow. A light glace, a butter sauce, anything, really, would have enhanced the experience, though some may argue the tender, seasoned beef needed no embellishment.

Overall, I award T Paul’s Supper Club high marks, and recommend its many diverse offerings.

The Mouth

mouth@coastweekend.com