Back 40 Supper Club
Address: 15488 Old 44 Road, Caledonia, Minn.
Hours: Wednesday, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 3:30 p.m.-9 p.m.
Known for: Walleye and ribeye.
Cost of walleye dinner: $11.95
ADVERTISEMENT
Local favorite: Hamburgers.
Most popular appetizer: Back 40 basket, which includes mozzarella sticks, cheese curds, onion rings, seasoned fries, mushrooms and jalapeno poppers. Cost is $7.50.
Unique: Red carpeted walls in the dining room. Diners take pictures by the carpeted walls.
Call them at (507) 725-2686
Find the Back 40 Supper Club on facebook.
CALEDONIA, Minn. — Amanda Myhre celebrates two years of ownership of the Back 40 Supper Club next month.
The Houston County native had worked in restaurants for 12 years before jumping in ownership.
"I always wanted to do it … the opportunity came up" and Myhre acted.
ADVERTISEMENT
She does everything at the club and is the only cook. She works two other jobs in addition to owning and running the Back 40. She works at Maggie’s Dugout in Eitzen and at Houston County Public Health.
She enjoys owning her own business, but says it is also time-consuming to get everything done.
"You can’t call in sick to your own business," Myhre said.
Myhre’s sister, Cait, works at the Back 40 every Sunday and her cousin, Molly, is her main waitress. Her mother is always there to help when needed. She has eight employees.
The Back 40 has regular customers and also attracts passersby who see the sign and stop in.
Locals order hamburgers at the Back 40, formerly known as Elmer’s Supper Club. Burgers are especially popular on Wednesday night, when all baskets are $4.50, Myhre said. Baskets include a choice of potato and soup or salad. Regular price is $6.
Basket choices include chicken strips, hamburger, cheeseburger, popcorn chicken, mini-tacos, mini-corn dogs, grilled cheese sandwich and drummies.
Most everything on the menu may be ordered in smaller servings for children.
ADVERTISEMENT
The busiest night of the week varies depending on the time of year, Myhre said. During Lent, Fridays are busiest with Catholics coming in for walleye. The rest of the year, the biggest crowd comes on Saturday night.
Myhre wants to add more dishes that "taste like mom’s cooking" to the menu and maybe Italian food. She serves buffalo purchased right in Caledonia.
Her menu includes liver and onions, frog legs and she features prime rib on occasion.
The soups at the Back 40 are homemade as is the garlic toast. Myhre makes her own hash browns, augratin potatoes, American fries and onion rings. Bread is purchased from the Caledonia Bakery.
The supper club has been a fixture in Caledonia for more than 40 years, with white tablecloths accented by red carpeting and red-padded chairs. The black-padded bar stools sit atop a black-and-white checkerboard floor.
The Back 40 seats 65. There’s also a second room where birthday parties, wedding receptions and dances, groom’s dinners, graduations and other special events are held.
The supper club hosts live bands twice a month from September through May and once monthly during the summer. The next live performance is LaBarge, a father and daughter duo, on July 17. LaBarge plays from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Some outdoor events are held on the back patio.
ADVERTISEMENT
— Janet Kubat Willette
If you have a favorite restaurant that you would like to have featured in Agri News, drop us a note. You can write us at Box 6118, Rochester, MN 55903. Or you can call us at (507) 285-7659 or e-mail wilmes@agrinews.com.
