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!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
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!
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!
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