Dinner at the Montana Club Restaurant in Missoula, Montana

Missoula, MT, is one of western Montana's best kept secrets. Tucked away southwest of Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Missoula is a university city bursting with a variety of offerings in outdoor pursuits, the arts, and cuisine. As a recent transplant to Missoula from the east coast, I was delighted at the breadth in restaurants I found in the city. With eateries boasting fare from Thai to steak-and-potatoes to sushi, Missoula does not lack an expansive food culture. A restaurant unique to Missoula is The Montana Club. I recently shared dinner there with my family and came away with some surprising impressions.

The Montana Club's two lodge-style restaurants are owned and operated by Missoula natives Bob Powell and Nick Alonzo. Experienced professionals in the food industry for over two decades, the pair's restaurants are best known for their classic western offerings of quality steaks and seafood. For patrons who are not fans of such hearty options, the menu offers pizza made from scratch as well as a diverse selection of appetizers, wraps, pasta, sandwiches, and salads. The Montana Club provides options for carnivores and vegetarians alike, although vegans may have a more difficult time finding a dish completely free of animal products.

The menu was so full of wonderful sounding dinner options that I found myself torn between three separate meals: a Portobello mushroom sandwich, a veggie sandwich, and a Thai chicken salad. I finally managed to come to a decision and ordered the Ultimate Veggie Sandwich with a side salad with ginger vinaigrette. Excited about my choice, I waited for its arrival with great anticipation.

My side salad with ginger dressing made a lovely starter. A simple affair of crunchy romaine lettuce topped with fresh tomatoes, shredded carrots, and a few slices of pepperoni, it whet my appetite without filling me up. The ginger vinaigrette was light and sweet, although not as gingery as I expected.

Soon the waiter returned with my family's orders. As he passed the dishes piled high with steaming food around the table, I eagerly looked for my Ultimate Veggie Sandwich. What he set before me I would describe as anything but "ultimate." Due to the sandwich's presentation, I felt disappointed with my selection before even taking a bite. The sandwich was set off-center on the plate, as if to make room for a side or garnish - except that the plate held nothing else, making me feel as if I was missing something. Specifically touted on the menu as one of the restaurant's healthy options, I felt as if the sandwich's presentation was reinforcing the cultural misconception that "healthy" must be synonymous with "subordinate." Still, I was prepared to forgive that faux pas based on the sandwich's taste. I took a bite.

The sandwich tasted fairly good, but not particularly outstanding in any way. Vegetables including red bell peppers, sprouts, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, and dill pickle were stacked between two slices of multi-grain bread, the produce topped with melted mozzarella cheese and a pesto mayonnaise. It all came together to make a mostly satisfying meal. However, due to the menu's description of the melted cheese, I had expected a warm sandwich and what I received was room temperature. The bread was not toasted and felt rather dry. I would have loved this sandwich if I had made it myself at home, but it is not a meal that I would consider worth the $8.95 price tag.

The rest of my family enjoyed their dinners at The Montana Club. The dishes that graced our table ranged from sizzling fajitas to a Mediterranean chicken bowl to baked potatoes, and no one else made any complaints. However, I did not find my meal up to the quality I expected from the local restaurant. I do hope that my disappointing dinner is a lemon in an otherwise consistent and reputable food business.

Missoula boasts a broad range of high quality and diverse dining options. One of the restaurants unique to Missoula is The Montana Club, situated at two locations in the city. Although I have always thought the business offered a range of high caliber dishes, I came away from my own dinner at The Montana Club feeling disappointed.

Visit The Montana Club at 4561 North Reserve Street (406-541-8141) or 2620 Brooks Street (406-543-3200).