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HUNTINGTON -- Located in the historic Frederick building, Club 21 may be one of the best kept culinary secrets in downtown Huntington.

Originally an Italian restaurant, the club now features a menu offering a variety of Italian, Asian and Greek dishes as well as some American-influenced dishes. It is also one of the few restaurants in town with a full wine list and the option of a three course meal. The Frederick has been home to a number of restaurants over the years, and the room still features some decorations left over from its roots as the Elephant Walk. Look closely and you might notice the bar is still shaped like an Elephant's trunk.

"I think we serve the best meal in town," said Mark Cross, owner of the restaurant. "We buy the finest steaks that we can get here. We have the freshest seafood in town. We always try to provide freshly prepared fine food. We have evolved over time, and we try to mix it up with fresh ingredients and fine ingredients."

The restaurant also has some lighter fare.

"We have a wide selection of soups and salads on our menu," said Jason Oesterreicher, executive chef at 21. "We've sold a lot of our Fattoush salad. It's a Middle Eastern salad served with grape tomatoes, celery, onion and a spring mix with lavash bread. We make all of our salad dressings ourselves. Another popular salad is our Puy lentil salad with chorizo salad. As we get closer to winter, we are going to sell a lot more of them as it's a nice hearty salad with light and crisp ingredients."

The Fattoush salad goes for $6 while the Puy lentil salad sells for $8.

One signature entree is Thai Chili Sea Bass served with a Napa cabbage slaw and topped with a spicy garlic chili glaze for $28. For $14, customers can enjoy the Spicy Marco Burger, made from real buffalo. Steaks are also a popular dinner option. The Filet Gratine or the Strip Au Poivre go for $32.

"Our most famous dessert is the souffle," Oesterreicher said. "We're probably the only restaurant downtown that serves dessert souffles. We offer a raspberry souffle and a chocolate souffle."

The restaurant also boasts a wine list with most bottles being served for prices between $20 and $30. Many wines are available by the glass. There also is a lively bar featuring a selection of 21 martinis created by the house bartender Drew Hetzer. The drinks have colorful names like "The Dirty Hetzer" (served with a gorgonzola cheese stuffed olive) and Marvin the Martian (a lime green cocktail).

"Any of our wines can be paired with menu items," Cross said. "All of our waiters are knowledgeable about suggesting something good to drink with your entree. I personally like a nice Zinfandel with a steak."

The restaurant is located at 940 4th Ave. It is open from 5 p.m. to 9 or 10 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and sometimes until midnight on Friday and Saturdays. Cash and all major credit/debit cards are accepted. Walk-in and reservations are currently accepted. Customers should call ahead for big groups.

The restaurant also caters weddings and other special events on and off premise.

For reservations, call 304-529-0222. For a full menu and more information, visit www.21frederick.com.

Paul Sebert/For The Herald-Dispatch

Executive chef Jason Oesterreicher sears some vegetables at Club 21 at the Frederick, located at 940 4th Ave., in Huntington.

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Paul Sebert/For The Herald-Dispatch

Filet mignon served with garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli at Club 21 at the Frederick, located at 940 4th Ave., in Huntington.

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