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!