The Deal: Stanley's, in Northeast Minneapolis, offers fish & chips, featuring beer battered cod, for a little over $10 and a walleye sandwich for about $8. The fish & chips come with fries and a huge vat of tartar sauce. The walleye sandwich is served with kettle chips.
The Food: while the cod itself was decently tasty and flaky, the batter wasn't crispy enough. It wasn't mushy, but it wasn't standing up to the fish either. I got two nice sized pieces of fish with my meal, but it wasn't worth eating more than half of a piece. The fries, on the other hand, were excellent and gives me faith that Stanley's really does know how to use their deep fryer. My dining companion had the walleye sandwich and reported back that the batter was crispy, so perhaps my cod was an outlier.
The Flavor: Stanley's is on the nice end of blue collar bars. You won't find many skinny-jean wearing hipsters here. Instead, the crowd's a bit older and a bit more likely to wear Carhartt. The bar has a lot of fun events like team trivia and bar bingo.
There's a huge beer list, heavy on local beers, local as in Minnesota though, not Wisconsin. On the downside, someone decided that the dinner rush was the perfect time to get a huge ladder and put a clock on the wall. Weirdos. :)
Second Opinions:
Examiner
Thrifty Hipster
Vita.mn
Yelp
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Kollman's Korner - Leroy, WI
Special thanks to Tim from our Facebook page for providing this rare review of an actual Eastern Wisconsin fish fry. I don't get around to those parts very much! Tim says:
Last night we went to Kollman's Korner in Leroy (eastern Dodge county, near the Horicon Marsh). I remember going there a few times as a kid. It probably looks the same inside as it did 35 years ago. It’s very nice, a step back in time and with all the same old people. The weather was very warm, but they had on sweaters and long pants and jackets. It was nursing home warm! Remember this for winter!
The food was really good though. Zoe had the haddock with potato pancakes. I had the walleye with german potato salad. They also brought bread and cole slaw. The cole slaw was really good, and the potato pancakes were very homemade, nice browned edges, tasty. The german potato salad was okay, ours is better. The beer batter on the fish was so good, as good as at The Pub but a lot lighter. Best walleye I've had. They looked like viking long boats made of batterered fish (editor's note - please forgive Tim the "Viking" reference).
On the board when you come in they have the menu listed and we also notice hickory nut pie. so we put in our dessert order when they brought the fish. It was the best pie I've EVER had; perfect crust, drizzled with caramel, a scoop of ice cream, real whipped cream. I want it every day. It was the heroin of desserts. Oh man...
I guess we have to go there again because on Saturday nights they have steak and prime rib specials and I think maybe the salad bar then? They didn't have it for fish. And... on Saturday nights they have $1.00 grasshoppers (editor's note: Woohoo!).
Last night we went to Kollman's Korner in Leroy (eastern Dodge county, near the Horicon Marsh). I remember going there a few times as a kid. It probably looks the same inside as it did 35 years ago. It’s very nice, a step back in time and with all the same old people. The weather was very warm, but they had on sweaters and long pants and jackets. It was nursing home warm! Remember this for winter!
The food was really good though. Zoe had the haddock with potato pancakes. I had the walleye with german potato salad. They also brought bread and cole slaw. The cole slaw was really good, and the potato pancakes were very homemade, nice browned edges, tasty. The german potato salad was okay, ours is better. The beer batter on the fish was so good, as good as at The Pub but a lot lighter. Best walleye I've had. They looked like viking long boats made of batterered fish (editor's note - please forgive Tim the "Viking" reference).
On the board when you come in they have the menu listed and we also notice hickory nut pie. so we put in our dessert order when they brought the fish. It was the best pie I've EVER had; perfect crust, drizzled with caramel, a scoop of ice cream, real whipped cream. I want it every day. It was the heroin of desserts. Oh man...
I guess we have to go there again because on Saturday nights they have steak and prime rib specials and I think maybe the salad bar then? They didn't have it for fish. And... on Saturday nights they have $1.00 grasshoppers (editor's note: Woohoo!).
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Green Lantern - McFarland, WI
The Deal: McFarland's Green Lantern Restaurant, perched on the shores of lovely Lake Waubesa, evokes old time Wisconsin while being just minutes away from downtown Madison. On Fridays, they have a variety of fish specials, including cod starting at $9.95, perch for $11.95 and walleye (battered or steamed) for $14.95. Dinners include soup or salad (thank God), rolls and a full choice of potato options: french fries, ranch fries, hash browns, baked potato or rice or broccoli. I really do appreciate restaurants who understand the fish fry experience and strive to make it more than just a variation of fish & chips.
The Food: Unfortunately, most of the food at the Green Lantern was disappointing. The salads were fresh and fine, but nothing special. The rolls were served cold with cold butter. That's a big pet peeve of mine - if you're not going to heat the rolls at least have soft butter, you know?
Worst of all, was the fish. My table opted for walleye and cod, but in both cases, the fish could have been just a little bit more done. The texture was okay, but neither the walleye nor the cod had any flavor. Combined with the completely tasteless batter, it meant that the eating the fish was just slightly better than eating cardboard.
The only highlight of the meal were the hash browns, which were simply amazing. They achieved the minor miracle of being both crispy & creamy. Their excellence makes me think that while I'd skip the Green Lantern for a fish fry, I'd be smart to come back for breakfast sometime.
The Flavor: The Green Lantern has a split level dining room. The upper level has full windows looking out on Lake Waubesa. The lower level, without the view, feels more like a typical Wisconsin dive bar. That in and of itself isn't a bad thing, but you do kind of feel like you're in steerage or something when compared to the room with a view.
Second Opinions
Daily Dadio
Eating in Madison A to Z
Madison Fish Fry
Yelp
Monday, August 23, 2010
Rainbow Grille - Nekoosa, WI
The Deal: The Rainbow Grille at the Ho-Chunk Casino in Nekoosa offers a cod, shrimp or perch fish fry for between $7.95 - $10.95. Your fish comes with tartar sauce, a mustard sauce, dinner rolls and a choice of potato. While I was disappointed that it didn't come with salad, I was pleasantly surprised with the potato choices: fries, sweet potato fries, baked potato, rice pilaf and a delicious-sounding mixture of hash browns and cheese.
The Food: I opted for the perch and sweet potato fries. I got three nice sized pieces served with a lemon wedge (bonus points!). The breading was nice, thin & crispy and the fish was perfectly cooked. Unfortunately, the fish didn't really have a lot of flavor minus the lemon. I enjoyed the texture, but just a little bit of seasoning might have added a lot to the meal. The fries, on the other hand, were delightful. I adore the creaminess of good sweet potato fries and these delivered. The dinner rolls were okay. My dining companion got some cranberry butter with her meal. I borrowed some for my dinner roll and it made the roll a nice sweet, but light, contrast to the rest of the meal. I don't think it's typically served with the dinner rolls, so be sure to ask for it.
The beer list was pretty weak - Miller and some Leinies on tap with Blue Moon and Spotted Cow (although they ran out of it) in bottles. I think with better than decent food, the Rainbow Grille could certainly stand to upgrade the beers. C'mon, it's Wisconsin. I don't even think they had Point Beer?!?
The Flavor: The Rainbow Grille is an oasis of calm within the madness of the casino. I guess it's a good place to take a break from losing money or to celebrate big wins. I actually think it's one of the better places to eat in central Wisconsin. It's certainly one of the most interesting, what with the cross-section of Wisconsin just outside the entrance.
Second Opinions:
Uptake
Monday, August 9, 2010
The Longhouse at North Star Mohican Casino - Bowler, WI
More thanks to Jamie for yet another review. Someone has to pick up my slack!
Wow, this is the best fish fry I’ve had in some time. To my delight the server told us that The Longhouse’s fish fry included four pieces of fish: one walleye, two cod and one tilapia. I love that you don’t have to choose one variety – you get them all! While my family and I hungrily awaited the arrival of our entrĂ©es we received baskets of frybread (yum!) and a lovely cornbread that was made with pieces wild rice as well. It was hard to save room for fish!
My Aunt ordered the dandelion green salad with acorn squash, pomegranate and acorn seeds. Yep, dandelion. It was delish but then again when I’m not eating fish fries, I’m a pretty healthy eater so I realize this won’t be to everyone’s taste. I love the cultural touches in the menu, definitely a huge step up from North Star’s previous fast-food style offerings. The restaurant itself is gorgeous. Excellent graphic design too, as seen on the signage and menus which were made of some sort of natural fiber exterior.
Now, back to the main course: the walleye was by far my favorite, with a flavor of its own while the cod and tilapia were more of a neutral base to the flavor of the batter. All the fish had great texture, not at all chewy. The batter was perfectly crisp with flecks of cornmeal throughout it, another traditional touch! The fries were crisp and delicious as well. And again with the rye bread, two pieces this time! I have heard that rye was traditionally included I can’t recall ever receiving it in my recent history. Not that I needed it, what with the fry bread and all, but I still ate it! All this for $9.99!
Wow, this is the best fish fry I’ve had in some time. To my delight the server told us that The Longhouse’s fish fry included four pieces of fish: one walleye, two cod and one tilapia. I love that you don’t have to choose one variety – you get them all! While my family and I hungrily awaited the arrival of our entrĂ©es we received baskets of frybread (yum!) and a lovely cornbread that was made with pieces wild rice as well. It was hard to save room for fish!
My Aunt ordered the dandelion green salad with acorn squash, pomegranate and acorn seeds. Yep, dandelion. It was delish but then again when I’m not eating fish fries, I’m a pretty healthy eater so I realize this won’t be to everyone’s taste. I love the cultural touches in the menu, definitely a huge step up from North Star’s previous fast-food style offerings. The restaurant itself is gorgeous. Excellent graphic design too, as seen on the signage and menus which were made of some sort of natural fiber exterior.
Now, back to the main course: the walleye was by far my favorite, with a flavor of its own while the cod and tilapia were more of a neutral base to the flavor of the batter. All the fish had great texture, not at all chewy. The batter was perfectly crisp with flecks of cornmeal throughout it, another traditional touch! The fries were crisp and delicious as well. And again with the rye bread, two pieces this time! I have heard that rye was traditionally included I can’t recall ever receiving it in my recent history. Not that I needed it, what with the fry bread and all, but I still ate it! All this for $9.99!
Mo's Irish Pub - Milwaukee, WI
My friend Jamie was in Milwaukee last week and checked out the fish at Mo's Irish Pub:
Mo's Irish Pub is just down the street from The Riverside which makes it an ideal location for a bite to eat before a show, as was the case when I dined there this past week.
I ordered the Harp Beer-Battered Cod. The three pieces of fish were just okay: a bit chewy with less-than-crisp batter as if our plates sat around before being delivered to our table. The fries were billed as "seasoned" but I couldn't identify any seasoning aside from the standard salt. I enjoyed the slice of marble rye that arrived with the meal as most fish fries I've received lately do not include that.
For $11.99 I must admit I was disappointed. Also service was on the slow side. A dining companion received the wrong salad dressing and has finished his meal by the time the correct dressing arrived. The salad ended up being his dessert. And as you all know, you don't win friends with salad.
Second Opinions
Citysearch
Insider Pages
Trip Advisor
Yelp
Monday, July 19, 2010
R.P. Adlers - Madison, WI
The Deal: One of the frustrating things about the Friday Night Fish Fry is the wait time. After facing 1-2 hour waits at our first choices, we headed out to Madison's west side to check out R.P. Adlers. R.P. Adlers offers a fish special on Friday nights with two or three pieces of fish, fries and coleslaw for about $10. Because were we dying of hunger by the time we got there, no one could verify what kind of fish it was. My guess is perch, but again, I can't be sure.
The Food: Maybe it was the hunger talking, but the fish was surprisingly delicious. It had a nicely crisp batter with a Lawry's Seasoned Salt flavor and firm, flaky fish inside. Note: I'm crazy about Lawry's Seasoned Salt. The fries were similarly seasoned. They were tasty, but nothing special. The one coleslaw eater at the table enjoyed her little cup of the nasty stuff.
The Flavor: R.P. Adlers is just your basic "normal" restaurant. Since it's on the West Side, the local cougars start to roll into the bar around 9:30. Perhaps the best thing about it (other than the fish) was the fact that you could order pitchers of good beer. If there's something that goes better with a summer fish fry than Spotted Cow, I haven't found it.
Second Opinions:
Geeky Steve
Madison Fish Fry
Yelp
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Gruenke's - Bayfield, WI
The Deal: Gruenke's in beautiful Bayfield, WI is best known for its summer fish boil, which gets you whitefish, potatoes & onions, breads and dessert for $15.50. The restaurant also offers a traditional fish fry of whitefish & fries for $15.50. Yep, that's right, they charge the exact same price for the fish fry but don't include any of the sides. Nice. Actually, what would be nice is if they printed the fish fry price anywhere (the sign outside of the restaurant lists the fish fry lunch price which was $7.95 and included the exact same items). So basically, the fish fry is a rip off compared to the fish boil, but since the fish boil is only served at 6 pm, you may be stuck with the fish fry.
The Food: I wouldn't quibble so much about the price if anything Gruenke's served was at all inspiring. But it's not. You get bland, tasteless and somewhat soggy fish that falls off of the skin accompanied by some Sysco fries. Basically, it's cruddy bar food at supper club prices.
The Flavor: While Gruenke's fish boil is held outside in a charming, christmas-light filled garden, the inside of the restaurant is filled with kitschy movie & music memorabilia. It's a bit cramped and beware that you'll hear all of the other diners' conversations. So hey, be interesting!
Second Opinions:
I Go U Go
Yelp
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
The Beach Club - La Pointe, WI
The Deal: The Beach Club in La Pointe on Lake Superior's beautiful Madeline Island offers a variety of fishy delights including a whitefish fish fry, fish tacos & sandwiches, whitefish livers and, apparently, even a sushi bar during summer weekends. Prices are in the $8-$12 range and sandwiches are served with fries.
The Food: As our group was there for lunch, we opted for fish tacos and a fish sandwich.
The tacos were quite light and delightful, but the real star was the fish sandwich.
It was the perfect combination of crispy batter & flaky fish. The lemons it was served with were almost completely unnecessary as the fish had so much flavor on its own. The accompanying fries were just of the humble shoestring variety, but were nonetheless tasty.
The Flavor: The Beach Club is located right on the water and you can choose to eat in the large indoor dining room & bar, on the front porch facing the main drag in quaint La Pointe or on the smaller outdoor patio right on the lake. You place your order with a friendly counter person and then find a seat. Or, if you're like us, find the bar.
Speaking of the bar, it looked to have the usual tap beers (Leinie's, etc.) and some specials, like the "Island Breeze" we enjoyed, which was basically vanilla rum with a small dash of fruit juices.
Second Opinions:
Urbanspoon
The Food: As our group was there for lunch, we opted for fish tacos and a fish sandwich.
The tacos were quite light and delightful, but the real star was the fish sandwich.
It was the perfect combination of crispy batter & flaky fish. The lemons it was served with were almost completely unnecessary as the fish had so much flavor on its own. The accompanying fries were just of the humble shoestring variety, but were nonetheless tasty.
The Flavor: The Beach Club is located right on the water and you can choose to eat in the large indoor dining room & bar, on the front porch facing the main drag in quaint La Pointe or on the smaller outdoor patio right on the lake. You place your order with a friendly counter person and then find a seat. Or, if you're like us, find the bar.
Speaking of the bar, it looked to have the usual tap beers (Leinie's, etc.) and some specials, like the "Island Breeze" we enjoyed, which was basically vanilla rum with a small dash of fruit juices.
Second Opinions:
Urbanspoon
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Harvest Restaurant & Bakery - Wittenberg, WI
Thanks to my friend Jamie for this review of the Harvest Restaurant & Bakery.
Harvest is located just off Hwy 29 and shares a building with a gas station. The décor is all Northwoods and large windows allow lots of natural light into the dining room. I dined here with my parents and grandmother on a Saturday afternoon.
Grandma and I opted for the fish fry. Our choices were Cod, Blue Gill or Walleye. I chose the Walleye, served with a potato and choice of two sides. I like how the potato is a category of its own before you even pick the sides. I chose fries, of course. I usually eat pretty healthy but when I’m out for a fish fry I put the emphasis on fry! I did, however, choose a salad as one of my sides. The iceberg lettuce was wilted but I still ate it all. The breading on my walleye was light and crisp and the fish was the perfect texture. For my other side I chose rice which turned out to be a serviceable wild rice pilaf. I couldn't finish that so my Dad helped me out by eating the rest.
My grandmother enjoyed her order of Cod. She received five pieces with a golden, crispy batter. It was more than she could eat so she took a doggy bag. Her sides were Chicken Dumpling Soup and Coleslaw. Her soup featured a dumpling that took up most of the cup it was served in and she claimed it was why she couldn’t finish her fish. The coleslaw was of the traditional mayo-drenched variety.
We had no room for dessert but we had some time so we bought some lottery tickets at the gas station next door. We didn't win a thing - not even a dollar. Should have spent my money on a candy necklace instead, or as I like to call it "dessert at my leisure." Ring pops also suffice!
Labels:
central Wisconsin,
North Woods,
Northern Wisconsin,
Northwoods
Monday, May 10, 2010
Henkels Town Pump - Rhinelander, WI
Thanks to my sister Cherie, for contributing this review of one of her favorite local joints.
The Deal: Rhinelander's Henkels Town Pump offers a fish fry, pan fried or broiled fish for less than $10. Although there is not a salad bar, each order comes with a choice of french fries or potato salad, cole slaw and fry bread. Our bill came to $51.00 for five with two extra pieces of fish thrown in.
The Food: The two pieces of pan fried cod were excellent. The batter is light with a hint of nutmeg. It was fried to a deep brown. The fish was light and flaky. In this fish fry the fish really is the "star". The potato salad was flavorful and not dry, but creamy. The cole slaw was also very tasty. The only flaw was that one of my dinner companions requested a 1/2 order of fries and the other 1/2 to be potato salad. This was a request they would not grant.
The Flavor: The Town Pump is a local tavern that over the years has added a couple dining rooms. No need to dress up here. The dining rooms are decorated like deer hunting camps (without the odor). The walls are pine, and I could swear my Grandpa wore the black and white wool hunting jacket on the wall. The tables are an assortment of picnic tables. The food is served on paper plates. They have the usual Miller products on tap with some specialty beers in bottles. I give the Town Pump five stars, cause I can't stop thinking about that fish!
Second Opinions:
Fish Frys & Bar Flys
The Deal: Rhinelander's Henkels Town Pump offers a fish fry, pan fried or broiled fish for less than $10. Although there is not a salad bar, each order comes with a choice of french fries or potato salad, cole slaw and fry bread. Our bill came to $51.00 for five with two extra pieces of fish thrown in.
The Food: The two pieces of pan fried cod were excellent. The batter is light with a hint of nutmeg. It was fried to a deep brown. The fish was light and flaky. In this fish fry the fish really is the "star". The potato salad was flavorful and not dry, but creamy. The cole slaw was also very tasty. The only flaw was that one of my dinner companions requested a 1/2 order of fries and the other 1/2 to be potato salad. This was a request they would not grant.
The Flavor: The Town Pump is a local tavern that over the years has added a couple dining rooms. No need to dress up here. The dining rooms are decorated like deer hunting camps (without the odor). The walls are pine, and I could swear my Grandpa wore the black and white wool hunting jacket on the wall. The tables are an assortment of picnic tables. The food is served on paper plates. They have the usual Miller products on tap with some specialty beers in bottles. I give the Town Pump five stars, cause I can't stop thinking about that fish!
Second Opinions:
Fish Frys & Bar Flys
Labels:
North Woods,
Northern Wisconsin,
Northwoods,
Rhinelander
8th Street Grill - Minneapolis, MN
The Deal: Downtown Minneapolis' 8th Street Grill offers three styles of Minnesota walleye: a walleye sandwich for $11.99, pan fried walleye for $12.99 or walleye fish and chips for $11.99. The entrees come with a variety of sides including fries, rice pilaf and veggies.
The Food: As is my custom, I opted for the fish and chips. My three pieces of fish, which were breaded with a batter made from delicious Summit beer, had a nice hint of that beer and a good texture but were completely ruined by numerous bones. I don't ask that much from a fish fry, but I do enjoy not choking. So, I couldn't eat most of my fish, but I did enjoy the thick, hearty steak fries. The apple coleslaw was a huge hit at my table, but with my aversion to mayo, I'll have to take my dining companions word.
The Flavor: Given its downtown location, the 8th Street Grill is a popular place for lunch and happy hour. It's spacious enough to be a nice sit down option when you're sick of brown bagging it at your desk. As a particularly nice happy hour treat, the Grill has several varieties of delicious Point Beer on tap. Ah Point, what a wonderful taste of home!
Second Opinions:
Associated Content
Beer Advocate
Lazy Lightning
Thrifty Hipster
Trip Advisor
Urbanspoon
Yelp
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Wigwam Tavern - Eau Claire, WI
The Deal: The Wigwam Tavern in downtown Eau Claire offers a fried cod dinner on Friday nights for $7.25. Dinner includes three pieces of cod, french fries, coleslaw and tartar sauce. There's also a shrimp basket with the same sides for $6.95.
The Food: The Wigwam has won some awards for best fish fry in the Eau Claire area, so my expectations were high. Unfortunately, those expectations were dashed almost as soon as our friendly waitress told us that she'd have to thaw our fish out first since it was "late" (8 pm) and she hadn't been sure they'd have more fish fry customers. I appreciated the info, but felt obliged to try the fish anyway.
After about 10 minutes, our fish was sufficiently "unthawed" (heh) and we got heaping baskets of mostly brown food. The fish was actually tastier than I expected. The batter was perfect and had a nice beery flavor. The fish itself wasn't quite as good and had a meaty, rather than flaky, texture. It definitely needed some lemon, which was sadly lacking from our baskets.
The fries were exactly like middle school cafeteria fries, which isn't to say that they weren't good and that I couldn't stop eating them. They were good, they just weren't anything special.
The flavor: When we walked into the Wigwam, people were either engrossed in the Brewers game or playing beer pong. There were plenty of NASCAR posters on the wall and the beer list started with Miller & Bud. Luckily, said list ended with Fat Tire & Spotted Cow.
The Wigwam is definitely a western Wisconsin bar, from the torn green vinyl booth seats to the video poker machines to the cheap beer. Although the food was simply okay, it was a nice change of pace from fish and chips and upscale supper clubs. Welcome home.
Second opinions:
Drinking Through Town
Volume One
Friday, March 5, 2010
German Hot Dog Co. - Minneapolis, MN
The deal: The German Hot Dog Co. (which I affectionately refer to as "Jose Germasians" due to its bizarre combination of Asian, Mexican and German cuisine) in Minneapolis' Skyway offers a walleye filet sandwich for $7.99. There are no sides included, but you can get some tartar sauce in a ketchup packet.
The food: Jose Germasians describes the sandwich as a "lightly breaded walleye filet on a steamed hoagie with scallop butter and toasted almonds". I describe the sandwich as a fishy mess that literally made me feel like I was going to throw up almost immediately after eating two bites. The fish was flaky and appeared decently cooked, but the flavor from the scallop butter was nauseating.
The flavor: Okay kids, this time I took one for the team. Although I could literally watch the Jose Germasians staff grill my fish, I knew this wasn't going to be very good. You can't expect good fish from a place named either Jose Germasians or the German Hot Dog Co. Not going to happen.
I think the scallop butter was used in an attempt to overpower the smell of years worth of brats, chicken satay and burritos on the grill. Mission accomplished.
Anyway, Jose Germasians is literally a hole in the wall in the Skyway. The staff are nice and since they cook to order it'll take a bit longer than a typical fast food joint. You can spend that time reading the newspaper and people watching and playing hipster bingo. It's not a bad place as long as you stay far, far, far away from the fish.
Second opinions
None...yet (and seriously, I hope there's never a second opinion - no one else should have to try this fish).
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Local - Minneapolis, MN
The deal: Sometimes you can't make it to a fish fry. While that's a tragedy, it doesn't mean you can't get your fish on. A good fish & chips is an acceptable substitute. The Local in downtown Minneapolis offers a fish & chips or walleye sandwich for $11.99.
The food: I opted for the fish & chips and got two nice-sized pieces of fish (sadly, not shaped like Ireland) and a heaping plate of fries. The fries were either tiny & crispy or big and full of an almost creamy potato texture. Both ways were simply delicious. The fish, however, was a disappointment. The batter was tasteless, even after squeezing a lemon on top. One piece of fish was nicely flakey, but the other piece was a bit mealy. I have no idea what kind of fish it was. I assume cod, but the menu didn't specify, so that's a little sketchy, right?
The flavor: The Local is a huge & busy Irish pub right on the Nicolet Mall. It's full of fun little nooks & crannies (include a "kissing room"). It'd be a fun place to get some fish and then settle in for a night of drinking. The beer menu includes a nice selection of English & Irish beers as well as classic hot toddies.
Second opinions:
Gayot
Thrifty Hipster
Yelp
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Red Stag Supperclub - Minneapolis, MN
The deal: The Red Stag Supperclub in Northeast Minneapolis, in keeping with the fine supperclub tradition, offers a Friday night fish fry. For between $11 and $13 you can get a single fried fish basket of cod, some Alaskan fish or walleye (note that the fish shown on the menu online are not what's currently on the menu). Baskets include sweet onion tartar sauce, chips and a bit of coleslaw. A basket of bread is served with the meals. The fish fry menu also includes more exotic options like calamari, smelt fries, fried oysters and seared scallops.
The food: Although I appreciated the bread basket, I was a little sad that the rolls weren't hot and that the "butter" was some bean spread concoction that had almost no flavor. For fish, I went for the walleye and within 5 minutes (yep, it was really that fast) I had a basket of four small pieces of fish and about four large, thin chips. The fish was nearly perfectly flaky and flavorful while the batter was light and crispy without being too crunchy or dry. The chips were wonderful and for I didn't feel cheated by a lack of fries or hash browns. They had a bit of garlicky flavor, but not so much as to overwhelm the fish. As an extra little treat, each basket was served with a tiny spray bottle of malt vinegar. I didn't take advantage of it, but I appreciated the touch.
After the fish, our party split a special ginger creme brulee dessert. I loved the chocolate bottom, but when I have ginger in a dessert, I really want to taste the ginger. It should be the hero and here it wasn't.
The flavor: The Red Stag is really more of a faux supperclub. No real supperclub would be as pretty or have charming touches like the coasters shown here. You use one side of the coaster to show the waitstaff you want regular water or flip it over for sparkling water.
While our food was served incredibly quickly, once the place got crowded things slowed down and it took awhile to order dessert and get our bill. That's not a big deal, but it's something to be aware of if the Red Stag is just your first stop of the evening.
The drink menu was extensive and included lots of wine, an excellent and thoughtfully chosen selection of beer and lots of hot toddies. There's nothing better on a cold night than a hot toddy. I ordered a hot buttered rum and it was easily the best I've ever had. I'd highly recommend the Red Stag for a contemporary take on classic superclubs, whether you go on Friday or not.
Second opinions:
Chowhound
City Pages
Gayot
Hungry For Wine
Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Minnesota Monthly
Twin Cities Eats
Urbanspoon
Yelp
Labels:
Minneapolis,
Minnesota,
supper club,
supper clubs,
supperclubs
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Anchor Fish and Chips - Minneapolis, MN
The Deal: The Anchor Fish & Chips offers, you guessed it, fish & chips for $8.50. Although it's not a real fish fry, sometimes when you're out of state, a good fish & chips is close enough, right?
The Food: As you can see, the cod at The Anchor is huge. Huge! While the fish itself was perfectly flaky, the breading was just a little too mushy for my taste. The ends of the fish were done a little bit more and they were delicious and I was a little bitter that the rest of my fish didn't taste like that.
The chips, on the other hand, were absolutely perfect. They're cut from Minnesota potatoes and you can certainly taste the love, or at least the skin. Crisp on the outside, they were thick and almost meaty on the inside. More please.
Of course I didn't touch the tartar sauce, but my dining companion loved it and used it as a dipping sauce for both the fish & the fries.
The Flavor: The Anchor is still a hot, new local joint, so it can be a bit crowded. Luckily, it has a friendly, rather than trendy, vibe and if you have to wait for a table, at least you'll be able to take in the view of a truly lovely restaurant space. And, if you just want to get your fish fry on far from the madding crowds, The Anchor does offer a takeout option.
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Twin Cities Metro
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Minneapolis Star Tribune
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The Food: As you can see, the cod at The Anchor is huge. Huge! While the fish itself was perfectly flaky, the breading was just a little too mushy for my taste. The ends of the fish were done a little bit more and they were delicious and I was a little bitter that the rest of my fish didn't taste like that.
The chips, on the other hand, were absolutely perfect. They're cut from Minnesota potatoes and you can certainly taste the love, or at least the skin. Crisp on the outside, they were thick and almost meaty on the inside. More please.
Of course I didn't touch the tartar sauce, but my dining companion loved it and used it as a dipping sauce for both the fish & the fries.
The Flavor: The Anchor is still a hot, new local joint, so it can be a bit crowded. Luckily, it has a friendly, rather than trendy, vibe and if you have to wait for a table, at least you'll be able to take in the view of a truly lovely restaurant space. And, if you just want to get your fish fry on far from the madding crowds, The Anchor does offer a takeout option.
Second Opinions
Twin Cities Metro
City Pages
Heavy Table
TC Foodies
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Minnesota Monthly
Twin Cities Metromix
Yelp
Urbanspoon
Vita.mn
Twin Cities Eats
The Onion AV Club
Babes - Madison, WI
The deal: Babes has a variety of fish fry options, including beer battered cod, lake perch and walleye. Prices are around $12 and include bread, the choice of soup or salad and a "potato" choice (baked potato, regular fries, curly fries, fruit, cottage cheese or veggies). It was so nice to be at a restaurant that realizes that a good fish fry needs to include soup or salad.
The food: Babes' delicious lemon chicken soup wasn't on the menu, so everyone in my group opted for cod & salad. Despite the season, the salad was big and fresh and served with a deliciously, crusty piece of hot bread. Mmmm. Hot bread.
The fish was less successful. The batter wasn't crispy enough and the fish itself was solid rather than flaky. The french fries were way too salty. Nothing had any real flavor, unless you count "deep fryer" as a flavor.
Babes redeemed itself, however, with dessert. A chocolate brownie sundae looked exactly as decadent as it sounds and the chocolate & peanut butter cake was light & creamy and the perfect way to end the meal on a high note.
The Flavor: We went to Babes on a frigid New Year's Day night, so it was pretty empty. That meant that we had fantastic service. I'm sure our waitress is always friendly, but she just had extra time to spend on our party and we appreciated it. Our timing also meant that we didn't really explore Babes' beer list at all as most of us were still hungover and recovering. Someone did sample a Bloody Mary though. Bloody Marys aren't my thing, but even I have to admit that this looked and smelled delicious. Apparently it was, so be sure to add Babes to your "best Bloody" list.
Second Opinions
Eating in Madison A to Z
Ultimate Madison Bar Tour
Yelp
Madison Fish Fry
The food: Babes' delicious lemon chicken soup wasn't on the menu, so everyone in my group opted for cod & salad. Despite the season, the salad was big and fresh and served with a deliciously, crusty piece of hot bread. Mmmm. Hot bread.
The fish was less successful. The batter wasn't crispy enough and the fish itself was solid rather than flaky. The french fries were way too salty. Nothing had any real flavor, unless you count "deep fryer" as a flavor.
Babes redeemed itself, however, with dessert. A chocolate brownie sundae looked exactly as decadent as it sounds and the chocolate & peanut butter cake was light & creamy and the perfect way to end the meal on a high note.
The Flavor: We went to Babes on a frigid New Year's Day night, so it was pretty empty. That meant that we had fantastic service. I'm sure our waitress is always friendly, but she just had extra time to spend on our party and we appreciated it. Our timing also meant that we didn't really explore Babes' beer list at all as most of us were still hungover and recovering. Someone did sample a Bloody Mary though. Bloody Marys aren't my thing, but even I have to admit that this looked and smelled delicious. Apparently it was, so be sure to add Babes to your "best Bloody" list.
Second Opinions
Eating in Madison A to Z
Ultimate Madison Bar Tour
Yelp
Madison Fish Fry
Labels:
bar food,
Bloody Mary,
Madison,
salad,
Southern Wisconsin
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