By Barbara Allen, Contributing Writer
photo/submitted
Marlborough – The rolling hills of its championship-level golf course might be blanketed with snow, but starting in February, Marlborough Country Club will emerge from a brief January hiatus to offer a warm welcome to guests in search of a delicious meal and quality entertainment to lift their spirits from the mid-winter doldrums.
Not a member? No worries. Marlborough Country Club’s Food and Beverage Director Ben Wachter is eager to dispel the misconception of “members only.”
“People hear ‘country club’ and think it’s exclusively for members,” he said, adding that the facility, which features a restaurant, in addition to several banquet rooms, is open to the public.
The restaurant, The Eastside Grille, offers fine dining options, featuring selections such as pan-seared scallops in sage butter, or cider-honey brined pork chops finished with a maple-bourbon bacon glaze, as well as more casual, traditional American fare: hearty soups, made-to-order burgers, sandwiches and wraps and flatbread pizza. Prime rib is always available on Fridays. Menus highlight what is currently in season, and the restaurant attempts to source ingredients from local farms whenever possible. Overlooking the 18th hole, the view from the Eastside Grille’s bank of large windows is stunning, even in winter; in warmer weather, the restaurant’s spacious patio overflows with those preferring to dine al fresco.
The Eastside Grille re-opens its doors in February on Fridays and Saturdays only, with dinner being served from 4:30 to 9 p.m. After dinner, guests are invited to linger at their table or perch at one of the high-tops, and enjoy the live music which is offered both nights, and typically features local musicians whose repertoires appeal to all ages.
With the arrival of St. Patrick’s Day in March, the restaurant will expand its days of operation from Tuesday through Sunday, and will continue to host entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings.
“The ambiance and service are great, and the food is delicious,” noted Wachter.
For those in need of a venue for a special event, such as a birthday party, bridal shower, wedding, bar or bat mitzvah, golf tournament, retirement party, or other social occasion, the three banquet rooms at Marlborough Country Club offer different options in the way of size and style from which to choose.
The Patio Room can host from 30-50 people, and is perfect for smaller events; The Palmer Room, also part of the Eastside Grille, can host from 40-70 people. Both rooms offer access to a patio or a balcony and beautiful views. For larger occasions, the elegant Marlborough Room, with its spacious dance floor, can host up to 180 people. Full bar service is available for those who request it, and there are a variety of different menus from which to choose. Within those menus there is some flexibility; Wachter points out that the staff at Marlborough Country Club work closely with their clients to meet their requests.
“The menus are more of a template for client reference,” he explained.
Wachter suggested reserving a banquet room two or three months in advance of an event, cautioning that weekend slots, particularly, tend to book early. He added, however, that sometimes certain last-minute situations may occur, and in those cases, Marlborough Country Club does its best to accommodate the prospective client.
“People walk away from here happy,” Wachter asserted. “We have a lot of good professionals who want to do it right.”
For more information about Marlborough Country Club, including golf and membership details, visit www.marlboroughcc.com. For upcoming public events and entertainment, go to www.marlboroughcc.com/public-events or visit their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MarlboroughCountryClub.
