Woody's Bar and Grill, North Lake – Part Deux

Have you ever had one of those days that you didn't feel like waiting?  You were just too tired, or too hungry or perhaps a bit too crabby to deal with a crowd of people? If you answered yes to those questions, you will identify with how I was feeling Friday night.  So, you can imagine my disdain when I made the short drive to North Lake from Hartland and saw the North Lake Inn was completely packed, or at least that was the impression with the cars in the street and the full parking lot.

Now I realize that's all a part of a Friday Fish Fry and usually I'm all for sitting around, having a couple of drinks, laughing and engaging in fun conversation, but this past Friday night, I wanted to hang out with a friend, get my food and get on to the next part of the evening. So, while I'm sure you're disappointed in my lack of commitment to blogging on the NL Inn, I decided to drive the half block to the next best thing -- Woody's Bar & Grill, W314n7788 Kilbourne Rd., North Lake, WI 53064.

I'm familiar with Woody's, I'm comfortable with Woody's and I knew I wouldn't be disappointed, and I wasn't.  Fortunately for my friend Shannon and myself, as soon as we walked in, we saw an open table in the very small dining room adjacent to the bar in the front of the building.  We grabbed it, and within seconds the waitress was at our table taking our drink order.  I even think this might have been the same waitress we had the last time we visited Woody's in November, 2009.  

We glanced over the menu, although I knew what I was going to have before I even walked in, it was the bluegill plate ($12.00).  I ordered the homemade potato chips as my side and as always, just waited on the coleslaw and bread that came with my dinner.  Shannon picked the Cod Diablo (the exact entree I had in 2009).  

My bluegill was delicious, it was lightly breaded in a breadcrumb/cracker coating and most of my pieces were done perfectly.  Although the breading could have used a tad more seasoning (but again, I like heavy seasoning, and I also dig salt) the fish itself was done well -- there were a few straggling small pieces that were rubbery, but that's sometimes the problem with bluegill, you have to be aware of the size of the fillets, because when you're cooking them, the smaller ones will be overdone.  That was the case for me, but it wasn't hard for me to just put them aside as the portion size was more than enough.  My homemade potato chips were a tad soggy, but I've had them numerous times before with a better outcome. 


Shannon's cod diablo was fantastic  -- see blog 2009 http://fishfryblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/lake-country-fish-fry-week-1-woodys.html -- as her comments were very much the same as the ones I made over a year ago! 


I'm going to give Woody's a slightly lower rating (7.5 out of 10) than last year, just because my bluegill could have been better, but to be honest, overall Woody's has a great little thing going and it shocks me there aren't more people taking advantage of it.  Their service is BEYOND amazing, each and every one of the wait/bar staff people are incredibly easy to get along with and super friendly.  I've only been there a handful of times, but each experience has been pleasant and I love going there.  I really think that if you plan on going to the North Lake Inn one night, that you drive about a block and a half to the north on 83 and stop at Woody's instead.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Well, until the next time, I hope you enjoy the blog.  For obvious reasons we will be taking a few weeks off, but cannot wait to continue the journey to find the best Fish Fry in Lake Country.  Don't forget to check out www.lakecountrynightout.com for other fun things to do in Lake Country as well. 


Can you believe 2010 is almost over?  It's mind-boggling to me how fast time flies as I get older (and wiser, of course).  Another fish fry blog year is in the books and I couldn't have had a better time, it's so fun to put my opinion out there and for the enormous response I've got in 2010. Thank you for that.

Merry Christmas and the happiest of Holidays.  I wish you all a very healthy and prosperous 2011. 


Peace.

Coyote Canyon, Eagle

What is Eagle?

It's the question I asked when someone suggested the location for our next fish fry. Remember, I'm not from the area, so when I moved to Hartland, I was very limited in my knowledge of Lake Country, which is why I started this blog.  I have become more acclimated to the parts of Lake Country, but have never traveled south of Dousman, however, I'll definitely be making the trip again.

Eagle is a quaint little town, which was hit hard by a devastating tornado this past Summer, that's really all I knew, and while we didn't get much time to talk to many people about the town itself, our visit to Coyote Canyon, 105 Main Street, Eagle, WI, was indicative of what a village like this is, it's family.  And I love that about small towns!

The typical fish fry foursome (Ann, myself, Dave & Mike) decided to take the trek to Eagle, we had not decided on our location, but as we found a parking spot, we realized we were closer to Coyote Canyon, the place seemed to have some open seating, so we walked in.  We were greeted warmly by a server who explained to us if we wanted to eat in the small dining room we'd have to wait, but if we chose to eat in the bar we could order right away. We opted for the second choice.

A second server immediately came to our table in the bar, handed us the menus and then took our drink order.  The fish fry was not on the menu, but they had the special advertised on a chalkboard as you walked in.  $8.85 for two pieces of cod, $9.95 for three, very reasonable and very convenient, because when I asked if I could have one piece of baked and one of fried, the waitress smiled politely and said "yes" -- I was thrilled, I could do a full review without posting up on one of my friends' plates.

The fish fry at the Canyon includes your choice of potato, soup or salad along with the normal friday staples (coleslaw, bread, etc.).  Ann and Mike ordered the clam chowder, and it was supreme. I had the cheesy tortilla soup, and it was equally as impressive, both were homemade (we asked).  After this teaser, I was anxiously anticipating my dinner, and I was not disappointed.

The fried cod was lightly covered in a delicious beer batter (my favorite) full of flavor, the slight crunch on the outside gave way to a soft, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth inside.  The baked fish was a strong competitor to it's fried brother, but I'll have to give the nod to the fried on this particular entree.  However, the baked was seasoned and prepared well and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a lighter option on Friday night.

Here's the best part, everything at the Canyon is homemade, so I was treated to a fresh batch of potato pancakes, the best applesauce I have ever tasted and a creamy coleslaw that stands up to any of the best restaurants I've visited thus far.  And, I even indulged in the tartar sauce, it was one of those scrumptious combinations of mayo, pickle relish and dill, and though I didn't use it for my fish (fish was too good, didn't need tartar) it was great for french fry dipping!

Unfortunately, the rye bread was an afterthought at Canyon (not homemade), but the other components were so beyond amazing, it's tough to care about that, but if you're a bread connoisseur, you would not be impressed.

Between great service, friendly patrons and fantastic food, I'm going to give the Canyon a 9 out of 10 on the visit.  If you're in the neighborhood, or even if you're not -- I suggest the drive out to Eagle, you won't be disappointed, actually you'll be pleasantly surprised.  I know I was.

Have a wonderful week and during this busy time, make sure you take a moment to stop and be thankful for the greatness of life.  And as always, don't forget to let those important to you know how important they are!

The Stolley's Hogg Alley Experience

I am completely overwhelmed by this week's blog.  When I posted on Facebook asking friends' for suggestions, I had narrowed it down to a few places and by mid-week last week I decided to go to Stolley's Hogg Alley, 2008 N Venice Beach Rd., Oconomowoc, WI 53066-5047.  I never expected the response after my decision.

This is where the take-off of the Lake Country Wisconsin Fish Fry happened.  I went from around 80 friends to nearly 135 "likes" in a week and had people anticipating this very review.  There's a little pressure for this blog, but as like my other entries, I'm going to tell it like it is and the bottom line is Stolley's Hogg Alley is good!

Ann, Dave, Mike and myself arrived at Hogg Alley (I had been to breakfast here before and I 100% recommend you do too) at around 7:15pm and the place was insanely packed, this place isn't very big, so people fill up fast.  Once we made it through the front door and around the bar area, we were greeted by a server who gave us the "drill" - which is...write your name and number in your party on a dry-erase board just outside the dining room.  It's a unique way to keep track of potential diners, but it works!

We realized the wait was going to be at least an hour, so this gave us plenty of time to catch up on the week's events and unwind with a few drinks.  The bar staff was amazing, sometimes you see people get frazzled with such a demanding crowd, but these two were full of smiles and made one hell of a drink.  In fact, everyone at this place was amazingly friendly (servers & patrons) and I was a "stranger" -- I never did tell anyone who I was and why we were there.  But, when someone posted on facebook that they treat you like family at Hogg Alley, they were not kidding.

Now onto the food.  By the time we were seated it was closer to 8:45, so unfortunately they were out of potato pancakes, baked cod and German Potato Salad.  However, the nice waitress found us a small portion of the German Potato Salad -- and it was very good, but I was more impressed with her shuffling through the "to-go" orders to get us the small sample.

I ordered the deep fried Walleye ($12.00) while the rest of my table opted for the AYCE Deep Fried Cod ($11.00).  Along with the fish, the servers bring out coleslaw and rye bread prior to the meal.  The Slaw was amazing, creamy and full of flavor, we all enjoyed it, the bread was very average.

I'll start out with my first and only negative comment of the day. I was disappointed in my Walleye, while the breading was amazing and the fish itself cooked beautifully it tasted very, very "fishy" – and I couldn't eat much of it.  I had a few bites, passed it along to the others at the table who all whole-heartedly agreed with me.  However, once we all dug into the cod, it made us quickly forget about the walleye disaster.  The breading on the cod was seasoned perfectly, just the right amount of flavor to compliment the fish.  It was probably some of the best breading I've had in the area and we all truly enjoyed our dinners (once I made the switch from the Walleye). 

As far as ambiance, like I told you earlier, it's literally like going to a family gathering at the local greasy spoon.  They pack you in the dining room pretty tight, but that's all part of the thrill when you go out to eat at one of these places and it's the joy of the experience.  I had a lot of fun.

I will give Stolley's a solid 8 out of 10 for their fish fry.  I can't overlook the fishy Walleye, but other than that the meal was delightful and the friendly, over-the-top service was a treat. I think we all know good service is really hard to come by these days.  I will definitely be back to Stolley's Hogg Alley and I suggest if you haven't tried it, to do so in the near future.

The blog is taking a little break as we head towards the Thanksgiving holiday -- and I will be on vacation in Texas.  We will be back reviewing the fish fries on December 10.

Have a great week everyone. And as the holidays fast approach us, think about helping out someone less fortunate this season, whether it is in donations or time.  Even if it's throwing loose change in the Red Cross pail, it's helping to make someone else's life a little brighter.

Hugs to all and never forget to give Thanks for everything you have!

Fox & Hounds in Hubertus never lived up to the billing

I've been dreading writing this blog since Friday. I have not been put in a predicament like this since I started the blog last year, but it happened, and I knew some day I'd have to suck it up and write my first crappy review.

This week my friends Mike and Shannon joined me at the Fox & Hounds, 1298 Friess Lake Road, Hubertus, WI.  I was told how great the fish fry was and even though it was outside the Waukesha County/Lake Country radius, I was excited to try it.  It was recommended by a few friends and some reviews online suggested we were in for a real treat.  I was seriously disappointed.

First of all, let me say something positive, the setting in the middle of nowhere with the rustic decor and living room atmosphere was pleasant, even though this place is huge, it still felt like you were in a comfortable atmosphere. My glass of Pinot Noir was excellent and we were ready to head to our table.  This is where the fun ended for me.

Mike and Shannon opted for the all-you-can eat deep fried cod and shrimp for $9.99, I decided to have the baked cod for $14.99.  This is my first real disconnect with pricing.  I realize that baked fish is normally priced higher, but usually a dollar or two, but FIVE dollars? I would like every restaurant to know that I KNOW it doesn't require $5 dollars worth of work to put loins of cod into a broiler with water/butter, rarely is baked fish prepared to order, and I'd challenge anyone to correct me if I'm wrong. (Along with your fish you are given a side of french fries (baked potato for $1 extra), creamy cole slaw and a slice of rye bread.  You were not treated to any potato pancakes at the Fox & Hounds and again, to charge $1 extra for a baked potato is absurd.)

There is only one way to describe my baked cod, BLAND.  While the fish was perfectly cooked, it was grossly under-seasoned with a hint of paprika. It seemed like there was nothing else, and I definitely gave my own healthy dusting of salt and pepper before I doused it in butter.  I had about half of my dinner and decided to stop trying.  I figured the meal Shannon and Mike ordered had to be better.  I was wrong. Their shrimp was nothing more than a Vande Kamps frozen fish stick shaped like a shrimp (with a tail) and thrown into the fryer and the cod pieces were small, over-cooked and the breading, again, was under-seasoned. 

I will keep this blog on the shorter side, as I hate to harp on imperfection, but when you boast a Friday Fish Fry special, I believe you're obligated to provide the best meal possible, because it's your "special." I also realize we might have just got the one bad meal that night, but unfortunately it's all I have to write about.

The rest of the menu at Fox & Hounds looked intriguing and I think I'll definitely stop out again to try a two-for-one weekday meal, or a two-for-one Prime Rib "special" on Saturdays. I also recommend you call ahead for reservations, as the wait was over an hour when we got there (which I know is typical).

I'm not going to come out and say "don't go to the Fox & Hounds" -- but if you're in the mood for a fantastic fish fry, I would opt for a different location.  Perhaps, The Phoenix in Hartland (I know I'm obsessed, but folks, it's that good).

The Fox & Hounds gets a solid 2 out of 10 this week, those two points are solely based on good service and halfway decent cole slaw.

Next week is a toss up, we have no idea where we're going, so stay tuned to the facebook page to find out where we decide to dine.

In the meantime, have a great week -- enjoy these last bits of sunshine and warmth this fall, it's absolutely gorgeous.  Have a great weekend, and as always, do not forget to let those important people in your life know how important they are.

I'd also like to wish my dear friend Karen a Happy Birthday on the 10th.  What an incredible person, I hope you have many more healthy and happy birthdays in the future.  Love you!

Silver Spring Golf Club La Par Restaurant

Happy Wednesday everyone, again, thanks for taking the time to read about the weekly fish fry in Lake Country Wisconsin.  The facebook page is growing, the list of readers is growing and I'm happy to give you the best analysis I can and I'm having way too much fun in the process. 

This Friday Ann and I ventured out to the La Par Restaurant at Silver Spring Golf Club, N56 W21318 Silver Spring Drive, Menomonee Falls. I had a a free coupon I received in the mail for a Fish Fry and I jumped all over it.  When we arrived around 6:30pm, the bar was very empty, but dining room was full, we were seated within 10 minutes and our server promptly set us up with the information regarding their fish fry special.  The options are (and all are priced at $10.95 and the deep fried cod is all-you-can-eat) deep fried cod, baked cod with a panko-like bread topping and deep fried tilapia.  There are other specials and a huge selection of menu items, but we dove right into the fish options.  Also, on a side note, you can add soup and salad bar for $2.95 OR soup/salad AND dessert bar for $4.95.  Ann had the tilapia, I ordered baked cod and we both opted for the soup/salad bar.

First things first.  The salad bar was average, you had your choice of romaine lettuce or spinach, normal toppings and some croutons.  Everything was fresh and tasted good, but aside from some potato salad and ceviche (yes, ceviche on a fish fry salad bar) everything was normal.  The soup was a homemade clam chowder which was to DIE for.  It was bursting with flavor, huge pieces of clam, carrots and celery and a hint of bacon (yes, bacon).  I did everything I could from literally licking every last drop of soup out of that cup.  Well done, chef, well done.

The server brought coleslaw (creamy) and hot sourdough rolls to the table, all of which were very very good.  It was more than enough pre-dinner snacking, and I think the next time I'll just have the rolls and slaw. Oh yeah, and the soup!

As we finished our salads and raved over the soup, it wasn't very long before our extremely pleasant server arrived with our entrees.  My baked cod was well-cooked, flaky and very full of flavor -- the breadcrumbs on the top were a nice addition.  Usually the meal is served with a lemon butter cream over the top, I opted to have that on the side (I'm glad I asked for it that way, and suggest you do the same when ordering).  The sauce didn't match well with the way the fish was prepared -- so if there is any complaint, it's that the cream sauce is not necessary to make this a successful dish.  I do, however, suggest you get drawn butter, as that IS a nice compliment!

I had the potato pancakes, which were homemade and absolutely wonderful. 

Ann's tilapia (while not fresh) was good as well.  The breading was a little heavy, but the components overall were good and she enjoyed her dinner.  I also had a quick taste of the deep fried cod, it was a little heavy on the breading as well, but it wasn't overly powerful and the fish inside was soft and mouth-watering.

Overall, I'll give this establishment an 8 out of 10.  It wasn't the very best fish fry, but I would most definitely go there again for a meal.  The service was top-notch, the wine was excellent and most importantly I left with a full belly.

I'm not sure if anyone could leave the La Par restaurant NOT full.  I had not a single space left for dessert, but who knows, maybe next time.

Happy Halloween everyone!  This week I will be taking a break from the fish fry, as I have a Friday night gig at the Badger Bowl in Madison.  If you don't have any ghostly plans, Pink Houses takes the stage at 9:45pm.

And, as always -- give a hug.  People need it!

Enjoy!

Diamond Jim's Stoneridge Inn

Good afternoon Fish Fry enthusiasts, and thanks for taking the time to read the blog. I decided to go a little outside the "comfort zone" this week and try a restaurant east of 124th Street, a recommended little place in Hales Corners called Diamond Jim's Stoneridge Inn, 11811 W Janesville Rd.

After a much needed seasonal facial, we walked in the door close to 7:30pm, again, the perfect time as far as I'm concerned.  I will give you Alyssa's take on the experience and I will follow-up and conclude. 

Alyssa: I’ve had Diamond Jim’s fish fry before and because I thought it was quite possibly the best I’d  ever had, I suggested the restaurant to Beth. The food was even better this time than it was a few weeks ago.  We arrived late (7:30 is late for the Hales Corners crowd) and we had to wait about 15 minutes for a table. This represents, to me, the perfect balance between tumbleweeds blowing through the dining room and “I’m not waiting that long for a fish fry let’s leave.” It’s popular but not off-putting. The almost-elderly hostesses and waitresses were busy and tired and not afraid to show it. While the service was civil, it wasn’t exactly friendly. However, the food more than made up for the personalities. My three huge pieces of fresh beer-battered cod arrived light and crispy, and the homemade potato pancakes with chunky applesauce were well-seasoned and hearty. Coupled with the cup of clam chowder I added as an appetizer, the flavorful tartar sauce and the creamy coleslaw, I couldn’t even finish all my food – and I’m usually a proud member of the Clean Plate Club. I give it a 9/10, one-point demotion for the staff treating us like impositions rather than guests.

I will exact Alyssa's sentiments on the service, it was a borderline rude.  I got the distinct impression the restaurant was incredibly busy prior to our arrival, but being tired and running your ass off on a Friday night should be nothing strange to a waitress in Wisconsin, unless you’re 16 and clearly she was not. 

We started the meal off with a cup of homemade clam chowder, and it was fabulous.  It was chunky, flavorful and very filling.  Shortly after the waitress cleared away our soup cups, our entrees were in front of us.  (side note: even though the waitress herself wasn’t so happy, the  overall quickness of getting our food was top-notch).  I went with the broiled cod ($12.95) and Alyssa had the fried cod ($10.95).  I pulled off a "trade" with Alyssa, one piece of fried cod from her plate for an equally sized square of broiled off mine, a very fair and equal maneuver. 

I recommend both entrees. The beer-batter was crispy and not over-cooked, seasoned well and fried to perfection, and inside the fish was moist, flaky and delicious.  I thoroughly enjoyed that piece of cod.  My broiled fish was no different.  The light paprika seasoned filet was cooked well, but a little overdone, however, it was a little later and some places tend to “pre-broil” their fish in order to get it out timely.  This wasn’t that bad and the flavors were in tact, but it did need a partner in drawn butter to make that happen.  I usually like to critique on whether or not the fish NEEDS extra condiments or if it can stand on it’s own. 

Additionally, the coleslaw was amazing, probably the best I've had thus far.  It’s heavier cream base is normally something I don’t enjoy, but this time it was divine, incredibly balanced with just the right crunchiness from the cabbage/carrots and the creaminess of the mayo/cream combo.  As an afterthought, there was a small piece of store-bought, buttered rye bread and average potato pancakes.

While Alyssa is a bit more generous in her rating, I’ll give Diamond Jim’s a solid 7 out of 10. 

As always, I hope you all enjoyed this blog and you have an even better week.  I’m hoping to hit up Silver Spring Country Club this Friday, as they were nice enough to send a free Fish Fry coupon in the mail.  





Don't forget to check out the blog's facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Lake-Country-Wisconsin-Fish-Frys/153633424672319 

Also, please check out LakeCountryNightOut.com for more fun things to do in Waukesha County!

And most importantly, I know it might get a little sickening, but seriously, give someone a hug!  

A funny thing happened at the Phoenix...

Good afternoon everyone, thanks for taking some more time to read my little opinionated piece about my favorite Wisconsin tradition.  The fish fry.

This week I'm "re-blogging" -- which means, I wasn't creative enough to find a new place because I was absolutely CRAVING the haddock at the Phoenix, 129 Cottonwood Ave., Hartland, WI 53029-2014, (262) 367-9020.  We decided to go with the original "four" members of the fish fry group, Ann, Dave, Mike (Z) and myself.

I'm going to copy a paragraph from my December 2009 blog, because nothing has changed.   The Phoenix offers two different Friday buffets, one is a Fish/Chicken buffet (11.95) and a Seafood buffet ($15.95), the boys opted for that dinner choice, while Ann and I, decided to go with the baked Haddock ($15.95). I was delighted when I saw Haddock on the menu and jumped at the chance to have it, I really didn't care who had what at that point, as my mind was made up the minute I saw the choices. This haddock was outstanding. To give you an idea of how impressed I was, I called my father on the phone after eating this dish to let him know that it was better than the haddock recipe at Blanck's. Yes folks, it was THAT good.

Well, our experience in 2010 was very similar to that of 2009, with one exception...I finally met a blog follower.  And I feel absolutely horrible for not asking a name, but I was so full of excitement that someone actually reads this thing!  The couple I met brought along their two children and were nestled in the back corner of the dining room.  They must have overheard me talking about the blog with the waitress, and politely asked if I was the author of the blog, I replied yes, we shared some words (they ordered the baked cod) and I was giddy after a rotten day at work.  Again, I'm so sorry I don't have your names, but please know you really touched me that day, and completely turned around what was an incredibly crappy day.  Oh yeah and I also called my mom and dad about that little "run-in" -- my dad is now a loyal blog reader.  :-)

This dining experience, Mike once again had the seafood buffet, Dave the fish/chicken buffet and Ann & I went with the baked haddock.  I will tell you one slightly negative thing, if you choose to eat an item off the menu and not the buffet, you will wait at least a good 20 minutes for your entree.  There are positives to this, like you get the best cooked baked fish in all of Waukesha County, which is broiled to perfection and served right out of the oven.  But, don't be in a hurry.  I did get a chance to sample some items from the buffet, and they were good, but I always prefer off the menu - as fried food has a very quick shelf life in a buffet line.  With that said, the staff at Phoenix is constantly making sure the buffet is "fresh" of fried goodness.

I also want to give out props to our waitress, who was such a positive and fun woman.  She remembered us (from almost a year ago) and her service made a great meal, nearly perfect.  And when she overheard about the blog and the couple who was out to eat there because of this blog, she comped the table a round of drinks.  Which, I thought was unnecessarily nice.

I can't do any better than a 10 out of 10 stars for the Phoenix, but I wish I could -- I realize there is probably something comparable out there, but I have yet to run into it and I will definitely recommend the Phoenix first it to ANYONE who asks, and even if you don't.

Have a great week everyone and I look forward to meeting or hearing from you some Friday night down the road.

Don't forget to follow the blog posts on facebook :

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-Country-Wisconsin-Fish-Frys/153633424672319
Who knows, I may start with twitter, but that one still confuses me. 

I know it sounds sappy, but again, please...tell someone you care about you DO care about them, and what better way to do it than with a big fat hug!

Peace!

Fish Fry ... to go

Greetings everyone, and thanks for checking out the weekly dose of fish fry banter.

This week I decided to "lay low," which means, I didn't feel like going out, knowing I had a big Saturday ahead of me.  So this week, I thought I'd give you my "take" on "take-out" fish frys.  

There is a newer establishment in Hartland called  J.C. Bogars, located at 352 Cottonwood Ave., I had heard some mixed things about the restaurant, but figured now was as good as anytime to make my own assessment of the fare at this quaint dining establishment.

I called from my cell phone about 15 minutes outside of Hartland, and the courteous server who answered the phone assured me the food would be done in 10 minutes. While my food wasn't exactly waiting for me, I still was able to get in and out very quickly.  Twice while I was waiting, I was greeted warmly by the two different servers, making sure I was taken care of and within five minutes of my arrival, I had my food in my hand and was ready to head home.

Because I was dining alone, I thought it only fair (again, this is for you Cabby) to order the traditional fish fry of deep-fried cod, with homemade potato chips.  The meal also came with a slice of rye bread and cole slaw, all for $9.95.

I had my ups and downs with this meal.  I'll start with the "down" as I always like to end on a positive.  There were huge problems with the cole slaw and I was so disappointed in that.  For once, I was excited to dive into an oil-based slaw, but it was so bitter in taste, I literally had to spit it out and throw it away immediately.  It had me very cautious as I moved into the main entree, but to my surprise, I did not experience any more "spit-out" moments with my meal.

The fish was a little heavy in its breading, but it was a delicious blend of bread crumbs and spices featuring dill.  I've never had dill in my fish breading until I moved into this area, but I'm becoming quite fond of this ingredient.  The fish itself was a little overdone, but I'll chalk that up to being "to-go." The rye bread was average (store-bought) and not worth putting a lot of comment into.

Also, because I was dining alone, I decided to actually try the tartar sauce (yes, Jodi).  I have to admit, this was the absolute BOMB of sauces.  I bet you have no idea of the secret ingredient making this sauce edible -- yep, you guessed it -- DILL!  Who would have thought that a dill-based tartar sauce would entice me to try it.  I mostly used it as a dip for my homemade potato chips, but I did put on some bites of fish, and it enhanced the flavors quite nicely.

All in all I would recommend a visit to J.C. Bogars -- I'm going to give this particular dining experience a 6 out of 10, but I'm looking forward to actually sitting in their dining room and enjoying a full dining experience.  Anyone who really knows food, realizes that getting take-out just can't measure up to actually going out to eat, but I had 35 miles to ride the next morning and I couldn't be tempted by the nice-looking bar!

Have a great weekend everyone, I'm not sure where the next fry is going to take me, but that's the beauty of this year, you just never know.

In the meantime, I suggest you give a really big hug and let someone important to you KNOW how important they are! '

My big shout out goes to my fabulous mom, who will turn the big 6-0 on Monday, October 4.  I can't wait to give her a big hug on Sunday right before she takes me to the Packers game.  Nice present, huh?

Forget the Fish Fry

Hello all, and welcome back. 

This week's report is going to be very short and sweet.  Why?  Because my dates for the fish fry had a little too much fun while I went on my bike ride after work.  We were going to meet at the Water Street Brewery to try their fish, but instead we ordered pizza and sat by a fire in their neighbor's yard.  I picked up a 12 pack and decided to join the fun!  Unfortunately there was no possible way I was going to catch up, but it was still a lot of fun. 

So, my suggestion is if you ever order Peppino's pizza, get the grilled chicken, cheese and alfredo pizza.  It was nothing short of delicious and while I've been trying to stay healthy, I figured after 20-some miles, I earned it. 

The crust was perfect, I'm not sure if the butter was in the sauce or mixed in the baking of the crust, but nonetheless, it was awesome.  I think everything is better with bacon and butter, this time was no different.  Speaking of bacon, I bet that would be a great addition to this pizza!  :-)

So, I'm heading to MJ Stevens today to meet friends for dinner, they have  Wednesday fish fry, so you never know, maybe I'll set you up with a useful blog this week afterall. 

I do know I'll be heading to the Falls on Friday to dine at The Schwab, so stay tuned!

In the meantime enjoy the rest of your week and HUGS to all!

I'm baaaaackkkkk

So, have you missed me?

Well, you're in luck, I'm back, so is the blog and hopefully you'll enjoy following my adventures as I try and seek out the greatest fish fry available.  This fall/winter I'm hoping to have a bigger and better variety of restaurants for you to choose from in greater Southeast Wisconsin.  It's only fair to all of us that I spread my wings and see what this great state has to offer in the realm of Fish Fry.

During the summer I took a break, blogged about some other restaurants, but in my heart I was missing out on the traditional Friday Wisconsin Fare.  I don't think I could possibly abandon a blog that seems to have touched a few people outside my immediate circle of friends. I've received a few e-mails from strangers asking my opinion on where to go and my blog reviewing the Cornerstone Pub and Grill happens to be ON their website.  How cool is that?  I think it is, and really, that's all that matters!

Let's review shall we?

This past weekend I had the opportunity to hang out with my great friend, and former bandmate Scott, (who happens to live in Tennessee).  After countless times of trying to get together, we finally were able to make plans and stick to them.  I met up with him, his friends Rachelle, Mike and their son Michael. We headed to (of all places) the local bowling center, Prairie Lanes, 430 Clarmar Drive, Sun Prairie, WI, (608) 837-2586, www.prairielanes.com. 

Imagine my skepticism when I heard we were headed the bowl, while I've had some of the best fish frys at bowling centers (Ledgeview Lanes, Fond du Lac, WI) I've also had some really crappy food in those establishments.

I left Prairie Lanes anything but disappointed, bottom line, the fish fry was pretty good and the company was extraordinaire. The bowl features an all-you-can eat fish fry for $9.95, with that you get all the deep fried cod your heart desires, along with an unlimited amount of trips to a soup and salad bar.  Mike ordered this, while Scott, Rachelle and I decided to go a little lighter.  We had the baked cod ($10.95) which also included the S/S bar.  Yes, Cabby, I ate baked cod and I will continue to try and mix in healthier dinners into this fish fry blog, after all I am training for a sprint tri, but I will always give a taste to the fried crap, I owe it to you! :-)

The soup and salad bar is average, while it's a nice option in a meal, it was certainly limited in its presentation and amenities, you had your typical iceberg lettuce, traditional salad dressings and limited options for toppings.  They featured three soup flavors, I opted for a 1/2 cup of the california vegetable medly, it was good, hot and left me thinking they could have done a little better, I had a bit of the creamy cole slaw, which also was, well, average.

However, the tune changed when the main entrees arrived.  My baked cod was very light, flaky and well-prepared, the seasonings were lacking a bit, but that's nothing a little drawn butter can't take care of, and I did just that!  I believe Scott and Rachelle echoed my sentiments as between the three of us, I think we may nearly finished our plates.  My meal was accompanied by a fair sized portion of butter-infested red potatoes and a sour dough roll.

I was offered a tasting portion of Mike's fried cod, and much to my delight it was battered perfectly (beer batter) a nice light crust on the outside and scrumptiously cooked fish on the inside, it was a nice entree and for $9.95 and all you can eat, it's a huge bargain.  Mike did try the potato pancakes (as they were described on the menu) but they reminded me of the Burger King hash browns you get for breakfast, they're better off consumed while either really drunk, or really hungover, not at dinner.

Last, I will have to admit, as much as I liked our server, she was a little slow, however, it was closer to the end of the night when we sat down, so who only knows where her tables were scattered throughout that place.  I didn't go hungry, OR thirsty, so I'm not going to complain much on this front.

All in all I would rate Prairie Lanes a 7 out of 10, parts of this meal were excellent while a few others fell short of my expectations as a diner.  I'd totally recommend this place to anyone in the Sun Prairie/Madison area and I'd go back there again, especially if it was the same table of five!  It was so great meeting Rachelle & Mike, and words cannot express how wonderful it was to catch up with my dear friend Scott.

Oh yeah, Rachelle is from Rachelle and the Red Hot Rattlers, I was able to check out the gang on Saturday at their show in Sun Praire the next evening.  If you like country music (or even if you don't) and you like to be entertained by fabulous musicians and amazing vocals, I highly suggest you check them out, either on facebook or their website www.redhotrattlers.com.  I was impressed, and it was even better to see two people I used to jam with on stage.  I miss you guys (Dave & Scott) and I'm so glad you found a new "home."

I hope you all enjoyed this entry into the 2010-11 "fish fry season" -- I can't wait to rattle off another one of these...


In the meantime, don't forget to hug the ones you love!


Peace.

Summer 2010 -- What a SHORT strange trip it's been

First of all I'd like to apologize for being neglectful of this blog, but if you're anything like me, during the summertime, all bets are off.  Structure does not exist, it is simply dictated by the ways of the sun and the mood of mother nature. 

Fortunately, this year, both the sun and Mother Nature have been relatively cooperative to all the fun summer has to offer (so, minus the flooding, but all together, it's been pretty good), so I have been busy going on weekly bike rides, walking, working out, yoga and of course Pink Houses and the random visits each weekend to a summer festival, fair or picnic. 

Being in a band is hard work people, no matter how little or often you travel.  I have been fortunate enough to be in a band with other "professionals" who have careers outside the band, so we gig once a weekend (sometimes more) and have a weekend off each month.  It caters well to my lifestyle, but lately I feel it's been putting a little more of a crimp into it, so once this summer is over, I'll take some time to decide what I really want to do with my free summers in the future. 

Onto the food:  Ok, I'm going to lump a few restaurants into this little blog and it's going to be like a game of pinball, ALL OVER THE PLACE.  Unfortunately there are no fish frys to mention.  I've been staying away, and after a 15 pound drop in weight, am rethinking my blog topics for the future

First of all, stop everything you're doing and get to the Horny Goat Hideaway (2011 S. 1st St., Milwaukee).  I had a stone fire pizza, which was entirely too much to eat at one sitting (unless you split it up) and it was absolutely delicious.  The appetizer of chips/guac and nachos was average, but you're not there for the appetizers! The beer selection is amazing (my sister would love it) and I even snuck in a mojito during this short trip.  

Second, I will always have a spot in my heart for Cubanitas in downtown Milwaukee.  This has been the meeting spot for me on a few occasions and I simply do not get sick of it, nothing is better than getting your girlfriends together, ordering a mojito (which are TO DIE FOR here) and dipping your plantains in some homemade guacamole.  The world's problems can be solved this way, I'm sure of it.  I'm sure my friends Deanna, Julie, Heidi and Theresa would agree! 

Ok, if you're still reading this, I urge you to stay away from the Rum Bar in Pewaukee.  This is the old Pier 347, located right on Pewaukee lake.  I was excited to bring my friends from Fond du Lac to this place and unfortunately it did not live up to the expectation.  The menu was slightly over priced (moreso than usual for Lake Country), the service was awful, my crabcake was swimming in grease and the mojito sucked.  Bottom line, when you leave scenery like that to go to Hartland, you know it's bad.  We managed to make the evening a success, but it wasn't because we started at the Rum Bar, even with an 18 hole buzz, this food was bad.  Sorry...

Who doesn't like Palmers Steakhouse?  It's the cornerstone of Hartland and I love it.  It reminds me of Blanck's and maybe that's why I enjoy going there.  Again, I have to get used to Lake Country prices, because a steak there and an equally as good steak at Blanck's compare very differently when you're paying the bill.  The service is excellent and food is always good. I just wish the prices weren't as steep, but fortunately for me, I take people there that are usually buying!  Thanks Dad!

To Seesters on Pewaukee Lake, thank you for having such great Mexican food...but I'd really like it if you were like most Mexican places and gave me free chips and salsa.  It's highway robbery you don't offer that...seriously. It's the reason I find myself going to Jose's Blue Sombrero instead.  By the way, the best homemade guacamole is served at Jose's -- HAND'S DOWN, however, the margarita is painfully average along with the menu, you really are just going there for chips/guac!  However, if you ever make it out to Hartland, Senor Tomas is great, the menu is unique (salsa isn't the greatest), and it's a great change of pace for different Mexican entrees, plus the margaritas are fantastic.

Pacific Bistro in Delafield is all right, it's not great, it's not terrible.  After a horrible Sex and the City 2 movie, my friend Amy and I retreated to the newer establishment and well, that might not have been as disappointing as the movie, but it was close.  However, I do recommend Asiana in Pewaukee (Capitol Drive), that place is such a treat and features different asian cuisines.  I had some Pad Thai noodles, but was also able to get some sushi as well, the spicy tuna was excellent.

So, there you have it in a nutshell, my last four months or so of dining.  It's been very latin, but I think that's a great way to go when the weather is warm.  Nothing soothes the pallete better than a nice cold fruity rum or tequila drink and simple flavors.  I personally love Latin cuisine and have discovered different pockets of it this summer.  Who knows what I'll discover in the next few months, but until then, enjoy the rest of your summer, they seem to get shorter and shorter, but I appreciate the season more and more.

Check out pinkhouses.net to see if you can't make a show or two in the next month and stay tuned as we iron out where this blog is headed in the fall.

Don't forget to hug someone you love!

Waterfront, Pewaukee, WI

So, lent is finally over.  I can eat meat on Friday's...Whew!!!!

For this final fish fry of the season, I have to admit, I was excited to visit the Five O'Clock Club in Pewaukee.  I have never participated in their Friday cuisine, but have heard great things about it -- and I've eaten there before and their menu is fantastic.  The owner also generously sponsors our bowling team, so it was only fitting the last fry would be there.  However, there was one small problem.  The wait was over 2 hours and this was at 8pm.  The hostess was frazzled, fried, confused, sweaty and above all a little rude when she told us about this unfortunate predicament.  I realize it was Good Friday, but at 8pm, I was hoping we'd be shown a table before 9.  Not the case, so...because our bellies could not handle the 2 hour wait (and I'm sure our livers would have been a little bruised too), we decided to saunter down the road to the Waterfront, which is located just off Hwy SS on beautiful Pewaukee lake.

Ann and I had been to Waterfront before for fish, it was well before the blog started, but it was one of our first outings since I had moved to Lake Country. 

The most refreshing thing about walking into the Waterfront last Friday was the beautiful sight of open tables -- after leaving the Five O we had wondered if every place was going to be a madhouse, and to our delight that was not the case. 

The friendly waitress immediately greeted Alyssa and I as we sat down and asked what we would like to drink, as we waited for Ann and Dave to arrive.  As we sipped on our beers and looked over the menu, it was clear that the choices were few and mostly deep fried.  The bright spot is they did offer baked cod, but the other sides were either deep friend or nothing. 

Once the Grevenkamps arrived, we swiftly put our orders in.  Hungry cannot even begin to describe the feeling -- it was close to 8:45pm and after a workout and a stint at a busy restaurant, the food could not have been put in front of me soon enough.  Thankfully, we did not wait long.

I opted to go with the baked cod, I realize I should have ended this lenten season with a traditional fried cod choice, but since joining weight watchers, I thought I would try and cut a few corners with my points and the baked option helped me do that.  I did top this order off with some haystack onion rings, which were delicious and worth every point I had available!   The baked cod however, was a different story. 

The cod itself was overcooked and under seasoned.  I will never understand why people offer to bake fish, if they are not prepared to do anything but throw a little paprika over the top and pop it in the microwave.  I'm not sure if this was the method of operation at the Waterfront, but that's what it tasted like.  Their "normal" baked cod is apparently doused in butter and then plated, but they said they could make me a tasty version without having it be sitting in the dairy product all night.  A part of me wishes I would have opted for the butter-laiden fish.  The dinners were served with some average store-bought rye bread and a cream-based average cole slaw, as a result this fish fry will get an average rating of 5 out of 10 stars.

I'm afraid this last fish blog does not have the climactic ending I had hoped for...but at least I can steer you in a few directions if you are thinking of summer fish fry dining.  We will definitely be back after labor day to review more and more fish frys -- and even a few times this summer we will blog about the timeless Wisconsin tradition, but we need a tiny little break.

In the meantime, please don't stop checking out this site.  We are still going to blog, but we have been inspired to switch gears. You see, the Waterfront has prompted me to find suitable healthy options at restaurants.  As much as my baked cod was better for me, it tasted like cardboard with salt -- and I want to find restaurants which offer healthy goodies, but still taste good at the same time.  We should never have to sacrifice taste or quality when trying to be conscious of what we put in our mouths/bellies.  So stay tuned as we gear up for our summer restaurant search.

I will keep the blog under the same name, but we will be adding a sweet little twist that I hope you all enjoy.

Have a beautiful week and as always, never forget to give those you love a hug and to let them know how important they are in your lives.  Without good health, friends and family there is truly nothing.

Rookies Sports Bar and Pub, Okauchee, WI

Happy Wednesday everyone!

I'm sorry the blog is a little late, but Ann and I had a very eventful weekend and didn't get to the details of our fish fry experience.  We had thrown a surprise 40th birthday party for her brother Tom on Saturday and spent Sunday recovering.  It a lot of hard work and effort to keep the surprise, but it was all worth it to see the look on his face when he walked into the door.  Happy Birthday Loppy, and many, many more to you!  I think I might have celebrated a bit too much, but oh well...there's always room for that right?

This Friday, Ann and I ventured to a fish fry luncheon, as we both had the "day off" of work and wanted to check out Rookies as it was the venue for the surprise party.  We looked at their menu and decided we could kill "two birds" by checking out how we were going to set everything up and relax to an afternoon fish dinner.  All while watching the Badgers play Wofford in the crazy 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. 

Rookies is every bit a "bar" -- so if you're looking for a fine dining experience in the evening, I suggest you travel elsewhere.  However, if you're in the mood to sit at the bar, I highly suggest you go to Okauchee and check this menu out. 

I dined on the "traditional" menu item of deep fried Haddock, with potato pancakes, garnished with a side of cole slaw and rye bread ($6.95, YES, $6.95 and it was all-you-can-eat).  Not only did we get an upgrade of fish in the haddock, but for all of you people that love "extras" -- you could eat until your belly was unreasonably full!  I have never heard of such a price for a fish fry, but then again, you're not getting any ambiance, but I didn't care.

The haddock was exquisite (yes, I used that word to describe bar food) -- it could not have been cooked any better and the light beer batter was the perfect compliment to the fish.  The flavoring in the batter was delightful and just the right amount of crunch before diving into the flaky, moist haddock.  I ordered the potato pancakes, which were superb.  I could not have been more surprised at how good this food was, because you wouldn't expect it by walking in the door. That's the great thing about Wisconsin, even your local tavern can have the best comfort food around. 

Our meal was complimented by a wonderful cup of homemade clam chowder that was thick, rich and full of potatoes and hearty pieces of clam.  I loved the soup and could have made a meal out of it. 

The service was "ok" -- but the bar was basically empty, however, nothing is more annoying than watching the help talk on the cell phone or text.  I realize she wasn't too busy, but there are always things that can be done.  I will have to say, though, that as much as she wasn't around, she seemed to show up when the beer glass was empty, so I guess there's something to be said for that.

All in all, the fish fry at Rookie's was great and I would suggest you taking a trip out there for a little food before you hit their dance floor (and they even have a stripper pole...). 

I will give Rookie's an 8 out of 10.  If it was based on just the fish itself, I would be inclined to give out the perfect score.  It was an amazing meal.

So, if you're in the lake country area, I highly suggest visiting Rookies, especially if you are in the area for lunch.

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your week...I'm heading to spend time with my sister and her children, which is always entertaining.  I'm looking forward to the little bit of time away and have quality "sister" time. 

I will try to squeeze in a fish fry too, as I know how much you all enjoy the blog.

Don't forget to put a huge smile on your face and hug someone you love!  :-)

Kurt's Steakhouse, Delfield, WI

You know, there is something to be said about having a routine.  Personally I like structure and planning, so when those types of things are not happening in my life, I get a little anxious.  The last couple of weeks I was taken out of my routine and wasn't able to "plan" as I usually do, which left me a little uneasy, but thankfully I made it through the bumps in the road and am back for yet another fish fry blog!

I never thought that I'd be happy to be in a "routine" but it's where I'm happiest.  At work, at the gym, at yoga and of course at the latest and greatest restaurant in Lake Country trying to find the very best fish fry!

I will keep you posted about next week's outing, because depending on selection Sunday and when my beloved Wisconsin Badgers take the court for March Madness will dictate what my Friday night dining plans will be.  Who knows, I may just take out Culver's and watch the game somewhere.

I will make sure it becomes a very important part of my routine!

This week Ann was again out of town, so my friend Kendra Ferguson and I decided to go to Kurt's Steakhouse 22 West Main Street, Delafield, Wis.  I have heard a lot of great things about this restaurant, mostly about their famous steaks, but this was a Friday, it's Lent I'm Catholic and we need a blog!

I am going to copy Kendra's sentiments about this week's outing and I will chime in.

KF: I can’t believe it has been more than a month since I’d been able to join in on Beth and Ann’s weekly fish fry outings. That’s completely unacceptable! Needless to say, I was excited to be able to join Beth (Ann was missed!) at Kurt’s Steakhouse in Delafield for dinner. I’ve been to Kurt’s Steakhouse many times, but always for steak, never for fish. The restaurant has a very traditional steakhouse look and feel, with lots of regular patrons who obviously spend enough evenings there to be on a first name basis with the bartenders and wait staff. I arrived a few minutes before Beth, so made my way over to the bar, which was filled with people waiting for a table. The bartenders were very friendly and efficient, which is a great combination in a packed bar. When Beth arrived she put our name in for a table (which I forgot to do because I was very thirst and the bar was calling my name), and was notified that the wait time would be approximately 30 minutes, which is pretty standard at this establishment. Beth and I nibbled on amazing potato chips at the bar while we waited. Okay, I think we actually ate most of the bowl of potato chips because they were so good and we were hungry!

After about 25-30 minutes our table was ready, and we were seated for dinner. My only minor complaint about Kurt’s would be the size of the table we were given – XS (extra small)! I think Beth and I were both surprised by the lack of table space, but it really turned out to be a non-issue. Our waitress took our drink order immediately, and then walked us through the many specials available on Friday evening. We quickly received bread and coleslaw, which I found to be well above average, and then ordered our dinner. I have to admit that I really wanted to order the petite filet, which is always amazing, but knew I had to fulfill my duty and ordered the baked cod ($14.95). It turns out I’m really glad I did! The fish, which was served in very short order, was baked to perfection, crispy on the outside and light and flaky on the inside, and the seasoning tasted amazing! I used almost zero tartar sauce, which for me is an indication that I’m really enjoying my dinner. In addition to the fish, I selected the parmesan au gratin potatoes as a side, and they were creamy and delicious. Overall, Friday night at Kurt’s Steakhouse had everything I was looking for in a fabulous fish fry experience – amazing conversation, great service, and outstanding food, so I give Kurt’s a 9.5 out of 10! 

Like Kendra stated, the waitress was prompt in giving us our service, took our drink order and allowed us time to peruse the menu and ponder the specials she rattled off.   I decided to go for the Italian breaded deep fried cod ($.9.95) which is their traditional "Fish Fry" for each and ever Friday night.   The bread which came to the table shortly after our orders was warm, sourdough rolls and as much as my trainer might cringe when she reads this I have to say, the butter melted on the bread and then proceeded to melt in my mouth.  It was amazing. I don't think there is a more comforting feeling than warm bread/melting butter and the same feeling on your palette.

Next she brought us a creamy coleslaw which was a little too much in my opinion.  Too much cream, mayo, and a bit heavy, however, shortly after the slaw disappointment I was greeted by an entree I will not forget for a while.  What a highlight of the evening!  

My fried cod was perfect.  There is no other way to describe how good this dish was. Two weeks ago I know I ranted and raved about our dinners at "On the Rocks" -- but this fish was one step above in overall presentation, flavor and, of course, perfection.  The breading on the fish was a light italian bread crumb with simple spices and had a nice subtle crunch to it.  Once you were past the breading (which wasn't overwhelming) you got to a white, flaky,  flawless piece of cod.  This was true comfort food on a Friday night.   The feeling I got while eating the bread was exactly the same as eating this fish fry.  Once I got past the crunch of the breading, the fish literally melted in my mouth like a warm piece of butter.  No extra seasoning necessary, and of course, no tartar!  

The potato pancake was very average, but I really didn't care after digging my fork into the fish.  But for that reason, I will have to stay true to my ratings and give Kurt's Steakhouse a 9 out of 10.  That last point could be reached with a little extra effort on cole slaw and the potato pancake.   Our service was fantastic and I will definitely be back at Kurt's for a dinner soon.  

I guess I got a little reward for getting back into my routine and I couldn't be happier.

In the meantime I'd like to wish all my friends (even the non-Irish) a Happy St. Patrick's Day.  Even though I have NO Irish background in my family, I like to say I'm preparing for Oktoberfest.

Have a wonderful week, Go Badgers and as always, give someone you love a hug this week...and let them know how much they mean to you, life is too short not to!

On the Rocks, Merton, WI

Ok, so I had this wonderful blog written and as I was copying and pasting some general information into this hot little page, everything got deleted.  I have not been able to get it back, so I'm starting from scratch, which is just a little irritating today.  I will do my best to improve upon the perfection I wrote earlier!  LOL.

First, mad props to Team USA and the athletes that made this Winter Olympics so much fun to watch and follow.  The gold-medal hockey match between the USA and Canada did not disappoint, although I would have preferred a different outcome.  It amazes me how the Olympics seem to become more and more of a spectacle, but I love it.  Vancouver did a great job, although the closing ceremonies were a little weird. 

Enough of that, let's talk fish!

I did want to say very quickly that after being sick last week and with Ann being in Costa Rica, the blog was a little bit different, I want to give Dionne and Andy Groth a huge thank you for filling in last week, as it is really important to keep this going.  Also, to all of you who comment, thank you, it's awesome to know that my little opinion is getting some attention.  I hope you continue to enjoy the blog and visit the restaurants we love!

This past Friday we ventured to Merton (just outside Hartland) to On the Rocks Pub and Grill.  I've been to this place once before, but just for drinks, so I was excited to check out their dining room and have heard great things about their food. I am going to stop rambling for a moment to give you Ann's addition to this blog and I will follow up!

 I was glad to be back to Fish Fry Friday…I must admit I was feeling a little empty not having enjoyed the company of my friends and fish fries for TWO WEEKS.  After deciding to spend our Friday workout night at Yoga we went to Merton for our fish fry.  I realized as we pulled into town that in the 28 years I have lived in Hartland I can’t remember ever eating dinner in Merton!?!?!?  Well, I hope that all places in Merton serve up as good of a meal as the one we had on Friday!  We each started with a bowl of clam chowder which was delicious...I am sucker for chowder ☺  The fish fry we ordered was the Potato Crusted Chive and Cheddar Cod.  I opted for the potato pancakes because I love potato pancakes, especially good ones!  When our food came not only did it look delicious but it tasted fantastic too!!!!  It really was so good that it did not take long for it to be off our plates and in our bellies.  The potato crusted chive and cheddar part of the fish was simply brilliant.  It added a flavor to the fish that was unexpected…We really enjoyed our fish fry and I think I speak for all we I say we will visit this fish fry again!!!  9.5/10

 I have to agree with Ann's sentiments about the Fry at On the Rocks. The front door gave way to a pretty crowded bar and we were a little apprehensive to stay barring the amount of people, however, as we ventured back the dining room was free and clear (one of the advantages of going out to eat late).  We were immediately greeted by a smiling face offering to take our drink order. Upon receiving our cocktails, we immediately ordered.  

I know I have taken a little bit of flack for not ordering the "traditional" fish fry, but this Potato Crusted Cheddar and Chive Cod ($12.95) looked way too good to pass up. Any time there is a unique flavor combination in breading, I want to try it and I'm sorry if that is troublesome to a few readers, but boy, am I glad tried this entree.  Side note: On the Rocks also offered Fried/Baked Cod ($9.95) and Fried/Baked Perch ($11/95).  

 

We started the meal with some average clam chowder, my guess it was a food service brand, and while it was served hot, was lacking a bit in flavor.  Shortly after finishing our cups of soup, the entrees arrived.  And like Ann had said prior, this dish was amazing.  I decided to get the baked potato with my meal, and like most frys, this dish was complimented by a piece of rye bread and coleslaw.  The sides, again were average, but this is the last time I'll use that word to describe our dinner.

The crust on this fish was a superbly blended mixture of potato, cheddar and chive. Although the breading was a little heavy, it wasn't too much, probably because the flavor was  unique.  After breaking through the crust with my fork I was greeted with a perfectly cooked piece of cod, which is difficult to master when your breading is a little thick.  The combination was amazing and I certainly would recommend On the Rocks for your Friday dining excursion.

I will give the meal an 8 out of 10 (just because of the lackluster sides and soup).  

Next week Ann and I will be out of town, and the blog will continue after our March 12 fry!  I'm heading to a family weekend, so you might get a peep out of me after I go to dinner with my parents at Blanck's.  I cannot wait for some yummy haddock again!

Until the next blog, I hope you all have a great week.  Eat well and hug someone you love!

Endter's Sports Grill (to-go version) -- Please read Black Trumpet Entry!

So, this week the blog is going to be unique. I am going to post TWO separate entries.  You all get a special treat because I got sick.

Unfortunately, I fell ill with a nasty cold/body ache thingy and was out of commission for the day/evening on Friday, leaving me unable to fulfill my blogging duties.  I was really disappointed, especially because it was the first Friday of lent and besides "Good Friday" -- it's typically the busiest Fish Fry night for restaurants and supper clubs. Fortunately, though, for all of you, there was a solution.

My friend Dionne Groth (yes, the story is true, I did send her flying out of a golf cart and she is definitely STILL in one piece despite her dramatization of what happened) and her husband Andy offered to blog about their dining experience on Friday.   As an added bonus, I had someone drop off a fish fry at my condo on Friday night, ensuring I'd indeed get my fish fry point of view into words.  I will keep mine pretty short and sweet as I think it's really unfair to judge "to-go" fish fries.  There was some high points and low points of this dinner, but overall I can't complain, because as I've stated in this blog numerous times before, I truly have the best friends anyone can ask for and that trumps any meal at anytime!

Endter's Sports Grill, 300 Cottonwood Avenue, Hartland, WI:  I had the basic fried cod with potato pancake, side of coleslaw and bread.  The breading was a typical beer batter on the cod, and while the fish itself was very flavorful, it took some work digging through all the breading.  I am a big fan of beer batter, but there is a fine line between perfection and disaster.  This cod was very close to being disastrous.  I figure once I picked most of the breading off, the portion size was almost half of what it looked like from the start.  However, like I stated before, it's a little bit more difficult to assess the situation when the meal is put in a styrofoam container with aluminum foil and transported, so I will definitely be back at Endter's to review from tableside.  

The potato pancake was average, but they forgot to put applesauce with my meal, so I used ketchup.  It was not a stand-alone cake by any means.  The coleslaw was irrelevant, and there is no excuse for something to taste that bad -- despite the fact it was in transport, coleslaw should travel better than it did.  There was not enough cream in this recipe and the slaw itself was a major bust. 

I'm not going to rate Endter's now -- because first of all, I was ill and second it was not the best of circumstances.  I just could not let a week go by without sharing my thoughts... I mean, it is MY blog!  

In the meantime, have a great week and thanks so much for reading my random thoughts each week.  I hope you're having as much fun reading as I am writing this damn thing. 

Black Trumpet, Waukesha, WI

We read Beth’s blog on a regular basis and have used her recommendations in the past, so my husband, Andy, and I were extremely excited to guest blog for Beth.  We were considering going out for fish anyway, so now our Friday night plans had evolved.  Beth had planned on going to one of our usual places, the 5 O’clock club in Pewaukee, but they are always super busy and being that it was the first Friday of Lent, we figured the 5 O’clock club and all of our regular haunts would be even more crowed so we decided to try the Black Trumpet inside the Clarke Hotel in downtown Waukesha. Waukesha has really put a lot of effort into improving the downtown area and we think it is important to frequent these establishments. If people don’t come downtown and spend money, these places will close and we will be right back to the crappy Waukesha that many of us grew to avoid.  (But enough about my “Support Downtown Waukesha” speech) As a note to those who don’t spend much time in downtown Waukesha, don’t spend a lot of time looking for the perfect parking spot, just find one of the public lots and enjoy the walk. The Clarke Hotel does have valet if you really find this to be a concern.

We had been to the Clarke Hotel for cocktails before and loved the atmosphere but never dined there. We arrived about 6:30PM, and were asked if we had had reservations, we didn’t. They told us it would be a 45 min to one hour wait. We should have thought they wouldn’t have had the typical “no reservation on Friday rule”, oh well. We had a couple glasses of wine and enjoyed the warm, cozy, non-smoking atmosphere. We found out during the lengthy wait that the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel had done a good review of their fish fry in Friday’s paper, and they were busier than usual and unprepared for the influx of customers. We entertained ourselves by people watching out the window and just enjoying each other’s company. The service at the bar could have been much better, this wasn’t related to how busy it was, it was that the bartender just wasn’t very attentive, although her lack of attention paid off for us since it seems she forgot to ring up about half of our drinks.  Though that will be offset by the dry cleaning bill for the wine she spilled on Andy’s pants.  We were finally seated at 8PM.

The fish fry special is $13.99 for the all you can eat fried or baked cod. This price is a little higher than the average Waukesha County fish fry, but we expected this from the Black Trumpet (Early Bird price is $11.99 from 4:30 -5:30PM). We each ordered the half and half Fish Fry, half fried and half baked.  We were kind of surprised that they hadn’t offered any other fish options or specials, but we had planned on the regular fish fry anyway. After we placed our order, we heard our server telling the table next to us the specials, turns out there were other fish specials just no one shared them with us. Andy and I felt the pressure to give a thorough review and scoped out the place. The dining room is very nice; however we noted that they left tables un-bussed for 10-15 minutes, sometimes longer.  This hurt the atmosphere and obviously affected the time other customers had to wait for seating. 

The rye rolls that came with the meal were average. Our meal came fairly quickly, within 10 minutes. The waitress indicated that they were out of lemon (strange). We were really starting to worry that the Black Trumpet was not going to pan out, and we would have to write a bad review about a restaurant that we had been looking forward to trying.  Here is where the evening finally turned around. The food was wonderful and made up for the long wait. The fried cod was thick and firm, cooked perfectly, not greasy or mushy. The breading, which included ground potato chips, was crisp and flavorful and REALLY good.  The baked cod was seasoned perfectly and also VERY good. I did use some of the drawn butter that accompanied the fish, but not too much.  The meal included french fries that were skinny, crisp and also quite tasty.   We weren’t offered any other optional sides, i.e. potato pancakes, etc., so I am guessing that this is all they had.  The coleslaw was creamy and also quite good.  I am really picky when it comes to tartar sauce, I can’t stand the kind that is all mayo with a little pickle type relish.  This was some of the best tartar I have had, it was made using roasted Poblanos (those are peppers) and was excellent.

 
The waitress didn’t offer a “re-order” of fish until we were both completely finished with our first orders. She then came back, apologized for the delay, and indicated that they had run out of fish and had to thaw out more. When we received our re-order, about 15 minutes later, she failed to bring us the amount we had requested, but they had found more lemons. The re-order was still excellent even if it was “thawed” and was just as good as the first order. 

 

We had looked at their menu during one of our previous cocktail stops and noted that the Black Trumpet had changed there regular menu from a rather high end (we remembered Sturgeon and Caviar being offered on the old menu), to one with an Italian spin that included pastas and pizzas. It seems that many restaurants in Wisconsin have had to adjust their menus to more standard, affordable fare in order to remain in business, kind of a shame. Would we go back? Yes, only because the fish was fabulous and we would highly recommend it, though we were disappointed with the wait, the service and the lack of attention to detail.  If you are going to tout yourself as a “high end” restaurant, you need to go all the way. That includes the service. We did note the owner/manager milling around the restaurant, but he seemed to only stop and visit the regulars.  “Overall I would rate it an 8, even though the food was spectacular, could have easily been a 10, but the service really wrecked it.”

From the Black Trumpet, we decided to walk down to Chill, a small martini and wine bar, and found it worth a visit, great for a date or small group. It has a small bar (2 or 3 seats) and 3 tables, quaint, great drinks, I may have had one too many and the tab got quite expensive rather quick.  Overall a great evening, with my husband with a heavy price tag.  Thanks for letting us sub for you...

Hartbook Lanes, Hartland, WI

So, today's blog is just me, my opinion and my thoughts.  Ann is in Costa Rica on a yoga retreat, so I was left to fend for myself this weekend, my friend Z joined me and we decided to keep the trip simple and head to the local bowling center to check out their fish fry.

I've heard lots of good things about Hartbrook's fry, however, this particular meal did not live up to the billing.  So to my friends Jo and Jen of Ledgeview Lanes...your fish fry is still the best of any bowling center and most restaurants!! 

First of all, I have never been to Hartbrook and when I walked in I literally felt as though I just stepped out of the time machine.  The decor reminded me of my grandparent's restaurant back in the day.  With velour detail on the wallpaper, dark beams lining the ceiling and even a little carpet on the walls, I stopped for a moment to think about my decision to sit in this dining room.  But even the most "out of date" restaurants serve the best comfort food...so, I smiled at the lack of modern elements and made my way to the table.

We were seated immediately and within no time a smiling waitress was there to take our order, Z did not need a menu and I was a little perplexed, so I asked for one...then I realized why he did not need one.  You had two options for this meal, either the all-you-can-eat fried cod ($9.95) or a baked cod option ($11.95).  For the sake of simplicity, I just went along with Z and got the fried cod, knowing I probably would not eat $10 worth of food.

After receiving our drinks, the waitress brought us a basket of rye bread, creamy cole slaw and a mayo-based potato salad.  The cole slaw had an amazing flavor, I was impressed by how much I enjoyed it, however the potato salad was a complete bust.  We even ran into some friends at Hartbrook, who felt as we did about weird composition of this side.  It just didn't taste right, the potatoes had an odd consistency and the mixture was way "off".

Within minutes of getting the slaw/salad the waitress was already in tow with our dinners.  I was amazed at how quickly we went from sitting at an empty table to one full of food/bread/drinks.  If you are in a rush, I suggest an outing to Hartbrook.  I had literally two sips of my drink prior to our meals arriving and for some that might be a nice option, but when I go out to eat, I prefer a bit of time to enjoy the cocktail, conversation and bread...

The cod was a little overdone for my taste.  The pieces were small and it was apparent to me, that as the night wore on the grease used to fry the fish needed to be changed and it hadn't been.  There was little to no flavor in the batter and when a fish is overdone, it's tough to make up for it.  Fortunately I had some bread left and was able to put together a "makeshift" sandwich to cover the entree's shortcomings.  Along with our fish we got a basket of french fries...which, unlike the fish were undercooked and a little soggy.  I did not take photos of our food, it wasn't great lighting (obviously) and the tiny pieces of fish did not really photograph well...

I will have to give props to our great waitress, who was very attentive and pleasant to talk to, and like I've stated before, when you have good service, it makes a bad meal bearable.  She made it bearable.

When we were just about finished our server brought our bill and as I reached into my purse to pay with my debit card, the waitress stopped me and said Hartbrook does not take Credit Cards (establishments enforcing this payment method generally do so to keep their prices lower) but they DO take checks.  I chuckled at this statement and I was immediately taken back to the beginning of the evening when I walked in the door to the awful 70s decor, things truly were "backwards" at this place. 

Make no mistake about it, their prices are definitely in line ($4.50 rail old-fashioned, $3.25 domestic bottle) with 2010 and I'm still trying to figure out why they don't take credit cards.  LOL

Overall, the meal at Hartbrook was not impressive and I doubt I will go back unless I'm bowling.  I give the fry a 4 out of 10 stars, you can thank the cole-slaw and the service for any stars at all.

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's weekend and you were able to spend time with the ones you love.  Actually, you really don't need to use Valentine's Day as an excuse to be with people you love, it should be a practice you live out each and every day.  You don't need a holiday to remind you, do you?

Enjoy your week!

Union House, Genessee Depot, WI

Welcome back to the Lake Country Fish Fry Reviews!  After a fun-filled birthday week, which was exciting and packed with friends, it was time to get back to the task and pick out another restaurant in Lake Country for a fish fry.  This week, Ann, Dave & Elliot decided we would "class it up" a little bit and head to the Union House in Genessee Depot, I was excited to visit this restaurant as the reviews by local patrons was everything from "the greatest steaks on the planet" to "best food in Lake Country" -- what they forgot to mention is, they do NOT have a Friday Fish Fry.

When we got to the Union House and were seated at our table, I found myself nervously searching through the menu for a "traditional" Wisconsin Fish Fry, there was nothing.

I'm going to start with Ann, and then go straight into my thoughts:  Friday Night “fish fry” took a special turn to the elegant Friday night fish!!!!  Beth, Dave, Elliott, and I went to The Union House in Genesee Depot because, well, because it is FANTASTIC FOOD.  But, in the spirit of the blog I did order FISH and not steak……..I also started out with a cup of Clam Chowder soup which did not fail to be anything other then EXCEPTIONAL!!!!! I had the Redfish a type of wild Cod, I think??? It was fantastic and served in a rice with a phenomenal sauce...dessert was a flourless chocolate cake with real whip cream ☺ Dinner was exceptional, and keep in mind it is on the higher end price-wise!

Conversation was flowing at the table, but I heard none of it, as I was trying to frantically figure out how I was going to do a blog about this place.  I saw the waitress and she started listing off a few specials, I began to ease into my seat, thinking that a fish fry HAD to be one of the specials on this night.  Again, I was wrong.  My heart sunk, my demeanor changed completely and I resigned to the best option I could figure at that moment, I decided on the lightly floured tilapia, in a lemon butter mushroom sauce, served over angel hair pasta, as a table we ordered crab cakes, oysters and a soup course in addition to our entrees.  Although I was pleased with my decision, I felt so defeated for not holding up my end of this blog bargain, but I couldn't walk out the door when I had three other people with me, who had been talking about this destination for weeks.

The food was good (the company was great as usual), from the appetizers onto the few bites I took of Ann's dessert, the meal was well prepared, tastefully presented and most important, it tasted good.  I wasn't overwhelmed by flavor, but I can't complain about the meal either.  My tilapia was perfectly cooked, the sauce was an ideal compliment to the fish and the portion size was just perfect.  However, this is a fish fry blog and unfortunately there was no fish fry to speak of.

My overall attitude about the food was good, but to be honest, I don't understand the "overpriced" meal idea.  We were in no special location, it wasn't downtown Milwaukee, it was literally the middle of nowhere and I did not understand what "it" factor the Union House had to justify that type of pricing.  The atmosphere was average, it was a typical supper club, dimly lit -- outdoorsy decor with wildlife prints and a log-cabin like interior.  They had an incredible wine list, and paired entrees with wines in their menu, but I still didn't find the hook with the Union House.  There was nothing overly unique about the ambiance, food or service to make me feel comfortable paying $78.25 for a meal and two drinks.  Yes, I paid nearly $80 to blog about a non-fish fry.

I even tasted a bit of Elliot's New York Strip Steak, and it was good, however, I know that steak and the flavors it featured, can be purchased at any local supper club for 1/3 of the price.  The one thing that caught me is they actually promoted a sauce with the steak (I'm not sure, but I think it was a horseradish, pepper type sauce).  It wasn't a specialty entree with a sauce, it was simply a grilled steak, with a cup of dipping sauce.

Who dips their "perfectly cooked steak" into a sauce?  I immediately thought of my grandfather and how he would be incredibly disappointed if I dipped steak into ANYTHING (including A-1).  We were taught from an early age, if the steak is good it needs nothing but a fork and knife (sometimes not even the knife). At Blanck's we never offered people A-1 or any other sauce, if they asked for it, we obliged, but didn't openly promote it's availability.

When I pay that kind of money to eat dinner, I am going to dress up and head to the city. It's just my opinion.

The Union House was excellent, but it wasn't worth the price.  Plain and simple.  I'm not going to rate it because, there was no fish fry, and I hope all of you following the blog can forgive my naivete.  I figured every restaurant had a fish fry on Friday, now I've learned to call ahead.

The next two weeks I will be dining on my own as Ann heads to Costa Rica  -- I'll probably have some guests, I guess you'll all just have to wait and see.

Until then, have a wonderful week!  Work hard, play hard and eat well!

Wells Street Tavern, Delafield, WI

I'm starting to really look forward to Friday nights each and every week.  What started as a little "fun project" has taken a life of it's own, not only do we have over 70 followers on Facebook, there's been a little bit more interaction on the blog of itself.  It's so nice to know that something I truly enjoy has brought my friends together as well.

This week week Kendra and Alyssa joined Ann and myself for the weekly pilgrimage to the local eattery -- the Wells Street Tavern.  The girls are guest-blogging again and you're sure to enjoy all the opinions, we all had different entrees, but I think overall we had the same experience food-wise.  Nothing outstanding, but nothing awful.  I'll start with Ann, as she probably had the best weekend of all of us -- being a Purdue Alum, she has to be feeling pretty good about Mr. Brees and his Saints.

Ann Grevenkamp: GO SAINTS!!!!!!

Friday night fish fry was attended by 6 ( plus my brother who showed up later but did not eat fish!)  I ordered the beer battered cod, keeping my fingers crossed that this week was going to be better then last.....Beth and I did a rigorous two-hour Yoga Jam before fish and I was looking for some comfort food to sooth my aching bones!!!  I decided to spice it up a little by ordering the sour cream and chive fries with my cod.  I was very happy when my food arrived, and I had a chance to sample off of everyones plate, that I ordered the sour cream and chive fries. They were BY FAR the best side to order with the fish.  My fish was very light, especially for being beer battered, I really enjoyed the slaw and the fries...I think I could have eaten just fries!!!!  I give my meal a 8.5/10.  Very delightful. I cleaned my plate!!!!! 


Kendra Ferguson: Once again, Friday night fish fry was an amazing evening with outstanding people. The destination for this week’s outing was Reveres Wells Street Tavern in Delafield, which is in my part of town. I’ll admit that I’m partial to this tavern, as it is one of my favorite watering-holes in downtown Delafield. That being said, the establishment has changed ownership recently, and has lost some of the authentic Irish tavern feel in the transition. Although the service continues to be very quick and personable and the crowd fun and boisterous, the place has definitely lost a bit of its charm.

As a somewhat a regular patron of Reveres, I had not previously had the pleasure of partaking in its fish fry dinner. I decided to go for a healthier option than last week, and ordered the baked cod rather than fried. The fish was flakey and light, but a bit lacking in flavor which made me use more tartar sauce than I typically would like. Luckily the tartar sauce was very good. Rather than family style, each dinner came with rather skimpy individual servings of applesauce and coleslaw. Having a negative experience with potato pancakes the previous week, I decided to order the sour cream and chive fries instead, which turned out to be a very good choice. They were crispy and flavorful and definitely the highlight of my dinner! Overall, the amazing fries made up for the lack of flavor of my fish, so I give Reveres a 7.5 out of 10.

Alyssa Klopatek:  My Wells Street experience was a series of highs and lows. First: the good. It’s a huge building with a modern interior and it wasn’t packed with oldsters. The fish fry menu was short but sweet, and pricing was consistent with others in the area. This week I ordered beer-battered bluegill ($12.95) with potato pancakes.

OK, now for the lows. This was not a traditional fish fry that served bowls of coleslaw and rye bread for the table – we had to wait for those to appear alongside each of our main dishes. The coleslaw was dry. I only got one (admittedly robust) potato pancake, and it had a certain spice that I couldn’t pin down – something pie-like – nutmeg? Eating the mystery pancake with the cinnamon apple sauce was like taking a bite of hash brown sweet apple pie, which I did not enjoy.

Now, I know bluegill are small fish, and you might encounter a few tiny, bendy bones when chewing. However, the first piece of bluegill I bit into had a lot of stiff, sharp bones. I had to spit it out into my hand like a 3-year-old, grossing out everyone at my table. I complained to the waitress and she was apologetic but did not offer to bring me any new pieces of fish, to exchange out my meal or to knock money off my bill. Hey, I almost punctured my trachea on your fish – you might want to smooth that over with a bit more grace. Aside from the one piece with bones, the rest were safe to eat, although rather bland. Tartar sauce helped. I chewed carefully, on alert for more murder-bones.

Wells Street is a large restaurant/pub and the noise level inside was more conducive to rowdy fun than last week at Nashotah Clubhouse. Additionally, many of the patrons were younger people, and as the night wore on and our after-dinner drinks continued, Wells Street became more of a 23-year-old bar hangout than a restaurant (which is okay with me – HEY, BOYS!). I give Wells Street a 6 out of 10.

Beth Blanck: Well, because there has been some "controversy" among a few followers that I have yet to truly review a traditional fish fry.  I decided to have the fried cod this week.  It was $10.95, which was consistent price-wise among all the other fish frys we have encountered and like the prices, the fish itself was like a lot of the meals I have encountered.  Not bad, not good.

The breading was light and the fish was flaky and cooked to perfection, however, where we lacked was in flavor, while everything seemed to be done right, there was just something "missing" from the dinner itself.  The fish was average, but my potato pancake was awful...it was thick and overdone on the edges and the flavor was just "off" -- even after smothering with ketchup, I still found myself reaching over to Kendra's plate to steal a few of her chive fries, and that's not supposed to happen.

Our server was gracious and our drinks were fabulous, but like I stated before, our meal was...eh, not anything to get excited over.  I give the Wells Street Tavern a 6 out of 10 this week.

I've been a little disappointed in our fish frys since the Phoenix, so much so, we've decided to take a week break to celebrate my 38th birthday.  Ann and I will be back with the blog on February 8th (after the Super Bowl) with the latest and greatest update on our Fish Fry Excursion.  I may just jot a few notes next week, but you never know!

Also on a closing note, I want to thank Trish Washburn and her staff at the Soleil Yoga Center in Oconomowoc.  Our yoga jam on Friday night was invigorating, enlightening, mind-opening and just plain fun. It was a challenging workout of the mind, spirit and body.  If you live in the Lake Country Area, I would ask you check out the center at yogatrish.com -- you will NOT be disappointed. 

Have a great week everyone, enjoy life, smile, laugh and eat well!  :-)