eration. This doesn’t mean it ….

eration. This doesn’t mean it hasn’t been without its challenges and learning curve. He said that during their first Friday night fish fry on the 4th of July weekend, they served between 200 and 300 tickets and had to turn away about 200 more people.

Part of this he said was adjusting to new kitchens and learning ways to be more efficient. He also noted that this was his first experience in working at a restaurant without walk in coolers and the ability to have things prepped. He said they have to be careful in building the menu to make sure they have the ingredients on hand for the 400 people who show up.

The Mondeaux Lodge’s menu features gourmet burgers and fries. The burger is ground fresh in house each day. Marschke said he worked as a meat cutter for five years and his father did it for 30 years and they work to get the best meats possible and grind it for that day. His fish fry includes walleye and haddock.

His eventual goal is to offer reservation-only fine dining nights with multicourse meals, but that will come in time.

The Lodge still maintains its traditional feel with longtime residents remarking that it looks the same as before the renovation. Marschke said they have worked to put their own touch on the decorations with features such as the Edison light bulbs and stacks of Tlusty Beverage crates for display shelves helping keep the rustic up north theme.

Marschke is also being creative in making eating at the Mondeaux Lodge an experience. They are working on a picnic basket option where people get a basket including a red checked cloth and a game to play while they wait for their order to be prepared. When the order is done they are alerted and can come into the dining room to get it.

Marschke said they plan to be open yearround and change things up through the year. He said his experiences working will be put to use. He has worked in many different capacities doing everything from being the owner of a bar and grill and working at supper clubs to working on the Riverwalk in Chicago. He had been attending culinary school at Kendall College in Chicago when he got the idea to submit for a chance to be the concessionaire.

“Just by chance everything happened,” he said.

He said the next year will be a learning one for him and his team with the goal of having everything fine tuned by this time next year.

The Mondeaux Lodge is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. On the first Sunday of each month they will be open for breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday will have their regular menu. The Mondeaux Lodge is closed on Mondays.