Ettlin’s Ranchero Supper Club 4452 – 40th Street West Webster, MN 55068 Phone 952-652-2700
(about a twenty minute drive from downtown Northfield, five minutes west of 35W)
Today, after getting our flu shots at Northfield Clinic, and some Martinelli’s unfiltered apple cider at Just Foods, we headed out to Webster, drove up to Ranchero and found out they would be opening in 20 minutes, just enough time for us to check out some property and head in for dinner.
They open at five, so we were there early, and only a few other people around. We like it that way usually. D ordered filet mignon and baked potato and I got the scallops that I remembered were so good from a couple of years ago, the last time we went out there. I also got the au gratin potatoes and we both had salad. My dad used to say you can tell how good a place is gonna be right away from the salads they serve. I think Dad was right. Our Ranchero salad was crisp, fresh, cold and full of good things like red red tomato, a thick chunk of cucumber, crisp greens and very flavorful roquefort dressing.
My hubby always orders the steaks that come with mushrooms, which he does not like and which I love. He likes the flavor though. I like the whole package, flavor and shroom, so I get the good part. Ranchero’s mushrooms were cooked to perfection…brown, but still in the original size and shape, no mush to the mushroom. This is how to cook it if you want all the flavor and good texture. To me, that is almost like the most expensive Maine lobster for my personal wow factor.
My hubby said his steak was bigger than most and almost as good. Well this time he ordered it medium and at other times, he leaves it to the chef, who usually cook it on the rare side, allowing more tenderness and flavor. But, it was good, generous, and about five dollars cheaper.
I had the broiled scallops. They were a bit overdone. I could have sent them back, but I ate them and they did not taste burnt at all. They were actually tender and juicy, and the white sauce they come with is perfect in between the mushroom sauce, I alternated, or even without any sauce. Very good. Well worth the $14.95. The au gratin potatoes were so delicious, I ate a few bites and put them in a box for breakfast tomorrow. I’ll take them out of the frig and let them warm up naturally to room temp, and then devour them. Enough calories to last til dinner. 
Ranchero is one of the few places we have been lately that still offers a relish tray. Last time I saw that wan an almost identical club just outside of Tulsa, OK. There was fresh crispy celery and carrot sticks, krinkle cut, hot and red peppers, pickle spears, corn relish, huge fancy meaty green and black olives, bread sticks, warm bread, and butter pats.
For desert, we shared a strawberry cheese cake, totally homemade, a huge piece, and so good…just the right combination of crumble and smooth…$4! Oh, boy. The other thing I remember from last time is the bread pudding. If you ever want to bribe me, send pudding first. Just kidding, I don’t bribe all that well.
We had nice strong iced tea with lemon to drink, a nice ol’ timey atmosphere with red and white or green and white or blue and white checked plastic table cloths with heart design in the colored parts, and a great server named Heidi, who did everything just right. Thank you, Heidi.
They have a bar that opens at 3:30, a lunch buffet on the second Sunday from 10 to 2, and they are closed in July. Other than that, they are opened Tues thru Saturday 5:00 pm til closing and Sunday 5:00 to 8:30pm. Reservations for brunch and weekend evenings are recommended: 952-652-2700.
They do have a full range menu, and are handicap accessible from the post office entry way.