
The folks on stage at the Funny Bone Comedy Club & Cafe are very funny. But there's nothing funny about the food. No cutesy names for the sandwiches. No attempts to tickle ribs. (In fact, there are no ribs on the menu at all.)
John Frederick, one of the two co-owners, is a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, and he takes his menu seriously.
For example, for the Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich ($7.95), the kitchen uses real steak -- not cheap, shaved beef, but filet mignon, sliced thick and loaded onto a hoagie roll with onions, mushrooms and melted cheese. Even a purist who might otherwise cavil at calling it "Philly" will enjoy the taste treat.
Frederick insists it's not authentic, but the Classic Cuban sandwich ($6.95) sure is tasty -- roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles pressed on Cuban bread.
The price of all the sandwiches (except the Portobello Mushroom, which comes with fresh fruit salad) includes meaty, skin-on, golden-brown steak fries and your soft drink.
The menu offers plenty of traditional bar food -- nachos ($6.95), mozzarella sticks ($4.95), wings (jerk or hot, $6.50) and Pablo's Cheese Fries ($4.50), the steak fries topped with melted American cheese (50 cents for bacon if you must have that extra shot of sodium and cholesterol).
The Chicken Quesadillas ($6.95) transcend the usual bar fare: grilled chicken with hot-pepper cheese, peppers, onions, tomatoes and cilantro folded into a crisp-fried tortilla.
There are also really, truly serious entrees, and they're worth shouting about. The Penne al Vodka ($10.95), al dente quill-shaped pasta in a cream-tomato-vodka sauce, is marvelous; you can add chicken for $2.50 or shrimp for $3.
The delicious Charrasco Steak ($13.95) is thin-cut flank steak, marinated in a tangy Chimichurri sauce (which the menu defines as "Latin pesto sauce") and served with rice pilaf topped by black beans, fresh salad greens and sliced tomatoes.
Definite candidate for a future visit: Incredible Mahi-Mahi ($14.95), smothered in shrimp and crawfish with herb-infused peppers, onions and tomatoes, topped with lobster sauce and served with rice pilaf.
The cafe area forms the front part of the club, with a long, long gleaming-metal bar and a few tables, some low, some high. TV screens along one wall play anything from sports channels to stand-up acts.
Wednesday through Saturday nights, the place is mostly crowded with people waiting to see the comedy acts (you can order off the menu inside the club as well). But it's generally pretty peaceful at lunch, when it's possible to get pretty good service even from the single server/bartender.




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