Alchemy Supper Club: A Fun Way to Dine in the Winter

The golfers are gone, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be a little fun at the Aldeen clubhouse this winter. Now on the menu: A Wisconsin-style setting with a decidedly Rockford flair.

The standard menu at Alchemy takes a backseat this winter to a souped-up supper club menu with dishes like shrimp de jonghe, butter chicken, 815 Cake and pasta alla sarda. (Photos provided)

Aldeen Golf Course has closed for the winter, but a new and exciting “pop-up” supper club at its 19th hole is eager to delight diners during the cold, dreary winter months.

Alchemy Supper Club, a spin-off of Alchemy at Aldeen, launched Dec. 7 and continues until Aldeen reopens in the spring. At that time, the restaurant will return to its Alchemy menu.

“With winter coming, we saw an opportunity to mix things up a little, so we decided to create a dining experience with the nostalgia of a Wisconsin supper club,” says Owner and Chef Al Castrogiovanni. “When you’re sitting there in the winter and you see all the white snow at Aldeen, it’s just a beautiful sight.”

Just because it’s a supper club doesn’t mean guests have to be part of a club to enjoy the experience. Castrogiovanni says the supper club is open to everyone.

“It’ll be a quaint, enjoyable experience that brings back some of your old memories of being at a classic supper club,” he says.

Castrogiovanni says he wants to put his own spin on the features of a typical supper club. There’ll be white tablecloths, soft seating and a cozy fireplace next to beautiful views of the golf course, which is transformed into an enchanting winter wonderland during the cold months.

Just outside on the bistro-lit dining patio is a glowing, outdoor fire table that creates a warm ambiance for the carefully placed heated igloos, which can be reserved. These igloos offer a private dining experience in a cozy environment.

Castrogiovanni says the restaurant has updated dishes, along with classics from Alchemy, Legacy and Giovanni’s Restaurant.

“We also want to pay homage to the Castrogiovanni family who brought Hilander, Giovanni’s, Big Al’s Bar, Alchemy and Legacy with some of our menu items,” Castrogiovanni says. “We’ll have our steak frites, fresh-cut chops, Alchemy’s Butter Chicken, Legacy’s famous 815 Cake and, of course, buffalo shrimp.”

Other menu items include classics like Grasshopper and Alexander ice cream desserts, a relish tray, fresh-baked Parker House Rolls, pasta alla sarda, Sue’s Chicken Angel Hair, and an at-your-table salad bar experience.

There are some new dishes to tempt the palate, like the sea bass, served with a ginger coconut sauce. Guests can also try the burrata Bolognese and the signature shrimp de jonghe boat.

“As the shrimp de jonghe is cooking and it’s in that buttery lemon and garlic mixture, the butter drips over the pasta,” says Castrogiovanni. “It’s like having buttered noodles, only for adults. It’s one of many dishes that could be shared as an appetizer or enjoyed as an entrée.”

Classic cocktails are also on the menu, including the barrel-aged Old Fashioned.

Castrogiovanni is eager to welcome everyone for a delicious meal, exceptional service and a cozy, yet fun environment that feels like home.

“We try to create an environment that’s enjoyable for the staff and the guests, but most importantly, we want everyone to feel like family,” he says.

Live music is also played on various nights. Find menu items and place to-go orders at giodine.com.
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 3-10 p.m.