Finn's Bar & Grill and The Phoenix

Well, what a ride it's been the last few weeks.  The Packers win the NFC Championship, I have a birthday, the Packers win the Super Bowl and now I recover.  It never ceases to amaze me the wonderful roller coaster ride you go on as a sports fan, but the ultimate reward capped off a great season on Sunday and I'm still riding high!

Now, onto the business at hand.  First of all, this might get a little lengthy as I'm going to make a plea to all the fish fry establishments in the Lake Country area (and all places for that matter).  Please, please, please do not settle for mediocrity.  Over the course of the last month or so, I've travelled to various places to enjoy a fish fry, and while my meals weren't terrible, none of them have been over the top either.  I haven't thoroughly enjoyed my meal since, well, since the last time I was at the Phoenix in Hartland.

Just because you cook a mean fish, you're breading has that super crunch and the fish is done well, doesn't mean the task is finished.  You see, I do NOT like tartar sauce (most tartar sauces) and if a fish fry is great, you don't need to dip an already greasy piece of food into more grease.

I think a lot of places bank on you dousing your fish fry in tartar sauce and lemon. To me, it covers up any shortcomings the batter/breading might have. To me, it's complacency. To me, it's lazy.

I compare this thought to cooking a great steak, my grandfather and my dad always told me that if a cut of meat is done right and seasoned to perfection, you do not need any steak sauce.  The same can be said for the bad marriage between tartar and fried fish.

I've encountered this at a few different restaurants and the latest was Finn's Bar & Grill, 220 West Summit Ave., Wales, WI.  I've had people ask me to go there, claiming it was one of the best in the area.  While Ann and I enjoyed ourselves, I would say the fried cod was average in taste, very well cooked and breaded to absolute perfection, but nothing to excite my taste buds.  My guess is it tasted much, much better after a clear coat of tartar.

Our potato pancakes were not homemade (admitted by our server), but they were the highlight of my meal. They had to have been some of the best "box" pancakes I've ever tasted and the coleslaw was also a nice compliment to our entree.  To top it all off, our server was pleasant and our meals were brought out in a timely fashion, all while the dining room was full of warm bodies.  Finns was out of baked cod when Ann and I arrived, so unfortunately, I can only comment on the fried cod. They also have a combo platter with various deep-fried fishy goodies (perch, cod, shrimp) to entice you. The prices are reasonable at Finns and regardless of my earlier rant, I do want to visit again.

I will give Finns a solid 7 out of 10.  Not bad, not great.

The best Fish Fry in Lake Country over the course of the last year and a half is still The Phoenix in Hartland.  I went back last week, to get rejuvenated. Like a junkie I needed my Phoenix fix. And, for the third time now, my meal was simply amazing (be ready to wait at least an hour for your meal, no matter what time you arrive, swiftness is not their forte). The server recognized us (only my third time being there), the baked haddock, fried cod, potato pancakes were scrumptious and I left full, happy and ready to find another establishment that can compare to my favorite hole in the wall fish fry. I have yet to find the rare combination of atmosphere (very unique, and not entirely classy), service and comfort food the Phoenix offers. It's hard to describe in words, you have to go and see what I'm talking about.

Bring it on Lake Country, I want to taste the best entree you have to offer, I challenge you to beat the Phoenix for the number one spot in my blog.

Thanks for reading the rant, I realize it's probably not your average fish fry blog, but I'm not your average person.  Have a wonderful rest of your week. Soak up every moment of this Super Bowl victory and go out and enjoy a fish fry on Friday.  Let me know if you think I'm on the mark, or off my rocker!

Don't forget to visit our facebook page Lake Country Wisconsin Fish Frys -- and give any suggestion, comment or critique.

As always, make sure you hug someone special, it's Valentine's, hug two people if it makes you happy!