Wow, this summer has flown by. I can't believe that I'm typing this on the last full week of July and it's been nearly two months since I've gone out for a fish fry.
I'm sorry I haven't been more consistent, but I'm an army of one and it's pretty tough to try and sneak in a great fish dinner on the summer weekends. However, this past weekend I was treated to a nice evening of friends, beer and fish with some good friends from Waukesha. As we mulled over our endless choices of restaurants for a Fish Fry, we decided on Copper's Pub & Grill located inside the Country Springs Hotel.
Copper's not only offers a a full menu of dinner and lunch items, but they boast over 100 different beers from all over the country/world. I must say looking choosing a beer out of 100 options is pretty tough, but I managed to pick a wheat beer (I forgot the name) that was pretty tasty and blended perfectly with a fish fry!
When we got to Copper's we decided to eat at the bar. The server was very quick to tend to our beverage orders and we perused the menu for our options. I decided on the Broiled Cod with parsley potatoes and sauteed vegetables ($11.50), while the rest of my party opted for the AYCE Fried Cod, fries and potato pancakes ($11.50).
Shortly after we put in our food order a server quickly brought out our entrees along with sides of cole slaw and potato salad. I was a little leery at the swift nature our food arrived, to me that only means that the kitchen has pre-made a lot of fish. My broiled cod came with a sauce drizzled over the three small squares of fish, the sauce, to me was the combination of a bland alfredo and something else I could not put my finger on, and it wasn't that great. I ate about a square of my over cooked fish, devloured my potatoes and veggies (which were excellent) and decided to dive into the abundance of fried cod in front of me.
The fried cod was a much better option, although I believe that they have plates all ready to go on command, it was still hot, cooked well and breaded nicely. The breading was not too heavy, and although the pieces were small (typical of AYCE) the fish itself was not over cooked and tasted good. I even indulged in a potato pancake which was average.
Knowing how important these things are to blog readers, I even tasted the tartar sauce, which by my standards was good, but my friends enjoyed it tremendously. The cole slaw of the creamy descent and the american potato salad were both delicious and above average.
On my scale of 1-10, I would rate Copper's a solid 7. I think it's because my broiled cod kinda sucked. So I recommend that if you do go there order the fried ACYE fish. It's pretty good, and have a whole bunch of different beers, I think that was the most intriguing thing about the visit.
Until next time, and I'm sure it will be sooner rather than later, enjoy the rest of your summer, be thankful for all the good life has to offer and give LOTS of hugs. Have a great weekend.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Park Avenue Pizza, Pewaukee, WI
And so another blog begins...it's been a while!
These entries are getting further and further apart as we approach Summer (if Spring would ever get here). I'm training for a sprint triathlon in July and my fish fry dining is going to be decreased, not eliminated, but we'll be eating out a little less. However, please check out the Facebook updates, as I usually try and get the blog readers involved and ask for opinions on the next fish fry dining destination.
This past Friday we decided to FINALLY go to Park Avenue Pizza, 121 Park Avenue, Pewaukee, WI. My friend Amy Jung from the Lakeview Lanes days has urged me week after week to visit this restaurant and I am so glad I did. I'm actually disappointed it took me nearly a year to take her advice, but I was leery -- I mean, it's a pizza and spaghetti joint, and I assumed (wrongly) a fish fry would be average at best.
The quaint dining atmosphere is welcoming, the restaurant is deceivingly large, from the look on the outside of the building you would think you were walking into a small, intimate Italian restaurant, not the case at all. There were plenty of tables and a lot of people, but it was still quiet and friendly (if that makes any sense at all).
We began our meal with some haystack onion straws, as we were all very, very hungry. While munching on our appetizer we discussed the day's events and perused over the fish fry menu. While Park Ave has other options, I decided to go with their signature fry, the deep fried haddock (yes!! haddock) for $11.95 with potato pancakes. Ann had the baked haddock with the cakes as well.
After waiting for about 20 minutes (not terrible) the dinners arrived. A very healthy portion of perfectly cooked haddock was sitting in front of me, it was absolutely delicious...the batter was light, crunchy and the fish inside was hot, flaky and gorgeous. (yes, gorgeous, I love haddock). And to top it off, no tartar necessary, but if you choose to try it, it was good -- I do like me some dill in the tartar. My potato pancakes were a little thick and not as tasty, but still good, the only complaint was the less than average cole slaw, which I did not eat at all after tasting. Ann's baked haddock was also very good and well cooked, while the seasonings were good (dill, paprika), it needed a little something else, and I was very surprised the baked fish was not served with melted butter.
So, overall the Park Avenue Pizza dining experience was a great one. I can't wait to go back and try one of their "specialties" -- and I highly recommend you dine there some Friday night and see for yourself how good this fish fry is. 8.5 out of 10 for this place, the average sides brought down the points.
Have a great weekend everyone. Hopefully we will see some break in the cool temperatures and be able to head outside and enjoy my favorite time of the year.
And as always, do not forget to hug someone!
These entries are getting further and further apart as we approach Summer (if Spring would ever get here). I'm training for a sprint triathlon in July and my fish fry dining is going to be decreased, not eliminated, but we'll be eating out a little less. However, please check out the Facebook updates, as I usually try and get the blog readers involved and ask for opinions on the next fish fry dining destination.
This past Friday we decided to FINALLY go to Park Avenue Pizza, 121 Park Avenue, Pewaukee, WI. My friend Amy Jung from the Lakeview Lanes days has urged me week after week to visit this restaurant and I am so glad I did. I'm actually disappointed it took me nearly a year to take her advice, but I was leery -- I mean, it's a pizza and spaghetti joint, and I assumed (wrongly) a fish fry would be average at best.
The quaint dining atmosphere is welcoming, the restaurant is deceivingly large, from the look on the outside of the building you would think you were walking into a small, intimate Italian restaurant, not the case at all. There were plenty of tables and a lot of people, but it was still quiet and friendly (if that makes any sense at all).
We began our meal with some haystack onion straws, as we were all very, very hungry. While munching on our appetizer we discussed the day's events and perused over the fish fry menu. While Park Ave has other options, I decided to go with their signature fry, the deep fried haddock (yes!! haddock) for $11.95 with potato pancakes. Ann had the baked haddock with the cakes as well.
After waiting for about 20 minutes (not terrible) the dinners arrived. A very healthy portion of perfectly cooked haddock was sitting in front of me, it was absolutely delicious...the batter was light, crunchy and the fish inside was hot, flaky and gorgeous. (yes, gorgeous, I love haddock). And to top it off, no tartar necessary, but if you choose to try it, it was good -- I do like me some dill in the tartar. My potato pancakes were a little thick and not as tasty, but still good, the only complaint was the less than average cole slaw, which I did not eat at all after tasting. Ann's baked haddock was also very good and well cooked, while the seasonings were good (dill, paprika), it needed a little something else, and I was very surprised the baked fish was not served with melted butter.
So, overall the Park Avenue Pizza dining experience was a great one. I can't wait to go back and try one of their "specialties" -- and I highly recommend you dine there some Friday night and see for yourself how good this fish fry is. 8.5 out of 10 for this place, the average sides brought down the points.
Have a great weekend everyone. Hopefully we will see some break in the cool temperatures and be able to head outside and enjoy my favorite time of the year.
And as always, do not forget to hug someone!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Dylon's Steakhouse, Pewaukee
Happy Tuesday. I am extremely busy these last couple of weeks and my schedule only gets more hectic in the upcoming months. I am going to try to get to at least one fish fry a month as we warm up here in Wisconsin. But please visit my facebook page for more frequent updates of restaurants as I visit them.
I've definitely been out of the blog loop lately, so I wanted to quickly get one posted. This week you are going to be treated to a blog I should have posted a few weeks ago, but you're better late than never, right? Welcome to the Dylon's Steakhouse on Pewaukee Lake, review.
Dylon's is the old Golden Anchor, and I had been there before, but not under the new ownership, but I still love that place, it's a very quaint restaurant, and if you get into the "sun room" it has an incredible view of beautiful Pewaukee Lake. Unfortunately on that rainy Friday, I was pressed for time, I had to order the "takeout" fish fry, but I don't live far from Dylon's, there was no time for the fish to get soggy or cold. I ordered the Beer
Perch for $17, Baked Cod for $12, 1/2 Perch, 1/2 Beer Battered Cod for $15, French Fried Walleye Pike for $18 and Baked Walleye for $18.
The beer batter was delicious, I absolutely loved it -- it's so rare to get a perfectly cooked beer batter, because it does get damp quick. This was not the case with Dylon's fish fry, the cod itself was hot, flaky and very tasty. The potato pancake was pretty average, but the side of cole slaw was incredible. The nice servers, while very attentive to me when I showed up, forgot to add in the rye bread, but I am going to assume here (I know, I know) that it was your typical store-bought bread, but if anyone who has dined there, can say otherwise, please do so.
Overall, even though the price was just a twinge more, I think you're paying for the overall "supper club" experience, and well, I ate the food at my dining room table. But I was just as pleased and I would recommend Dylon's to anyone looking for a good fish fry in the area.
I think Dylon's is definitely worth a 7 out of 10. I look forward to going back there and trying the other options looking out at the lake, rather than a Brewers game on television the next time I eat their fare.
I hope you are all trying to enjoy this interesting and dreary spring. I pray summer is right around the corner for golf, running, biking, outdoor dining and blended drinks. That's what is really important, right?
Don't forget to give out large doses of hugs to loved ones, especially now, while the sun is still in hibernation.
I've definitely been out of the blog loop lately, so I wanted to quickly get one posted. This week you are going to be treated to a blog I should have posted a few weeks ago, but you're better late than never, right? Welcome to the Dylon's Steakhouse on Pewaukee Lake, review.
Dylon's is the old Golden Anchor, and I had been there before, but not under the new ownership, but I still love that place, it's a very quaint restaurant, and if you get into the "sun room" it has an incredible view of beautiful Pewaukee Lake. Unfortunately on that rainy Friday, I was pressed for time, I had to order the "takeout" fish fry, but I don't live far from Dylon's, there was no time for the fish to get soggy or cold. I ordered the Beer
Perch for $17, Baked Cod for $12, 1/2 Perch, 1/2 Beer Battered Cod for $15, French Fried Walleye Pike for $18 and Baked Walleye for $18.
The beer batter was delicious, I absolutely loved it -- it's so rare to get a perfectly cooked beer batter, because it does get damp quick. This was not the case with Dylon's fish fry, the cod itself was hot, flaky and very tasty. The potato pancake was pretty average, but the side of cole slaw was incredible. The nice servers, while very attentive to me when I showed up, forgot to add in the rye bread, but I am going to assume here (I know, I know) that it was your typical store-bought bread, but if anyone who has dined there, can say otherwise, please do so.
Overall, even though the price was just a twinge more, I think you're paying for the overall "supper club" experience, and well, I ate the food at my dining room table. But I was just as pleased and I would recommend Dylon's to anyone looking for a good fish fry in the area.
I think Dylon's is definitely worth a 7 out of 10. I look forward to going back there and trying the other options looking out at the lake, rather than a Brewers game on television the next time I eat their fare.
I hope you are all trying to enjoy this interesting and dreary spring. I pray summer is right around the corner for golf, running, biking, outdoor dining and blended drinks. That's what is really important, right?
Don't forget to give out large doses of hugs to loved ones, especially now, while the sun is still in hibernation.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Culvers, Hartland, WI
So, did I sink to a new low?
Some think I did, that I completely gave into the whole societal thought that "I don't have enough time, drive thru is my only option." I played each and every scenario in my head, how I could get to a Lake Country Restaurant I haven't visited before, grab a quick to-go order, have it still be relatively fresh when I got home and do a decent review. There was nothing close enough, nothing I hadn't reviewed, I had no choice. I gave in, I went to Culvers, 701 Industrial Court, Hartland, WI. Much to my surprise, the fish fry at Culver's is better than some of the restaurants I've dined at while writing this blog. Sorry to those who think I sold out, but honestly, I'm glad I did.
I had never had a fish fry from Culver's before and there were a lot of people saying I would enjoy the meal. I shrugged it off. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE Culver's, however, it's not the place I'm going to head when wanting to experience "fine dining" -- it is, after all, fast food.
The line for the drive-thru was longer than normal at 8pm on a Friday night. I waited probably 5 minutes to get my turn at the order screen. I decided on the 2pc Beer Battered Cod for $8.99, there was also a 3pc option, for $10.99. If you don't specify, you get french fries and cole slaw, I chose to get the mashed potatoes instead of the fries, but did indulge in the slaw.
This is going to be a quick review, as there is nothing to review aside from the food itself, I had no ambiance (my car was a little dirty), I had no waitress (although the car-side service was quick), and I had no cocktails (good thing, I was driving).
Fish was a little heavy in breading, with that said though, it was cooked perfectly. I took a little of the breading off, and the flavor of the fish was very good, it totally fit into my "say no to tartar" campaign. But for all of you who enjoy tartar, their "Culvers" brand tartar was all right. My cole slaw was creamy and a little heavy on the mayo, but again, I enjoyed it. There was also a store-bought bakery roll, which was irrelevant.
All in all I am going to give this meal a 7.5 out of 10 stars. It was a to-go fish fry, that traveled well and also tasted phenomenal. Culver's has figured it out, fast-food that isn't the disgusting processed stuff we're used to. The ingredients are good, they're REAL and the most important thing (to me) is they are aware of food allergies and are sensitive to that, the franchise is often involved in the communities they're located in and their philosophy is truly one I can buy into and so is the fish!
Hope you all enjoyed my lame-ass blog this week. I'm going to try to get to a nice place this week, time will tell what we end up deciding upon.
In the meantime, pray for all the people who continue to suffer in Japan. I cannot imagine what the folks in that country are going through. As always, be sure to give out the hugs in abundance!
Some think I did, that I completely gave into the whole societal thought that "I don't have enough time, drive thru is my only option." I played each and every scenario in my head, how I could get to a Lake Country Restaurant I haven't visited before, grab a quick to-go order, have it still be relatively fresh when I got home and do a decent review. There was nothing close enough, nothing I hadn't reviewed, I had no choice. I gave in, I went to Culvers, 701 Industrial Court, Hartland, WI. Much to my surprise, the fish fry at Culver's is better than some of the restaurants I've dined at while writing this blog. Sorry to those who think I sold out, but honestly, I'm glad I did.
I had never had a fish fry from Culver's before and there were a lot of people saying I would enjoy the meal. I shrugged it off. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE Culver's, however, it's not the place I'm going to head when wanting to experience "fine dining" -- it is, after all, fast food.
The line for the drive-thru was longer than normal at 8pm on a Friday night. I waited probably 5 minutes to get my turn at the order screen. I decided on the 2pc Beer Battered Cod for $8.99, there was also a 3pc option, for $10.99. If you don't specify, you get french fries and cole slaw, I chose to get the mashed potatoes instead of the fries, but did indulge in the slaw.
This is going to be a quick review, as there is nothing to review aside from the food itself, I had no ambiance (my car was a little dirty), I had no waitress (although the car-side service was quick), and I had no cocktails (good thing, I was driving).
Fish was a little heavy in breading, with that said though, it was cooked perfectly. I took a little of the breading off, and the flavor of the fish was very good, it totally fit into my "say no to tartar" campaign. But for all of you who enjoy tartar, their "Culvers" brand tartar was all right. My cole slaw was creamy and a little heavy on the mayo, but again, I enjoyed it. There was also a store-bought bakery roll, which was irrelevant.
All in all I am going to give this meal a 7.5 out of 10 stars. It was a to-go fish fry, that traveled well and also tasted phenomenal. Culver's has figured it out, fast-food that isn't the disgusting processed stuff we're used to. The ingredients are good, they're REAL and the most important thing (to me) is they are aware of food allergies and are sensitive to that, the franchise is often involved in the communities they're located in and their philosophy is truly one I can buy into and so is the fish!
Hope you all enjoyed my lame-ass blog this week. I'm going to try to get to a nice place this week, time will tell what we end up deciding upon.
In the meantime, pray for all the people who continue to suffer in Japan. I cannot imagine what the folks in that country are going through. As always, be sure to give out the hugs in abundance!
Friday, April 8, 2011
Hideaway Pub, Franklin, WI
This is not exactly about a Lake Country place, but Beth was nice enough to let me vent here as a guest blogger. Besides, she didn't want an empty space this week.
Last Friday, the Cabby family went to the Hideaway Pub on 76th Street in Franklin. We were told phrases like: "this is the place," or "fabulous food," naturally, we decided to try it.
I made reservations for a group of 15 people, ten days ahead and called three days before to confirm the reservation. Upon arrival, there were cars parked along the highway due to the overflowing parking lot. Apparently, there were a great deal of walk-in diners.
The hostess kept the walk-in biz walking in, while our group (which included my 82 year-old dad and his wife) stood in the doorway hall cramped in with the party of eight that also had 6:30 reservations. A hostess cam out about 6:40 only to "x" out the grouper specials on a dry erase board.
We finally sat down at 7:30 and waited 10 minutes to order drinks (the stressed waitress forgot my dad's) and after orering, 2 people found out the baked fish they ordered was not available (sorry dad).
FIFTY minutes (yes, 50) after we sat down, we got food. The beer battered cod coating was firmly around the nice sized pieces, but it had no seasoning nor did the cod (note from Beth: again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, the tartar factor...). Excellently flaky BLAND fish. Two good sized potato pancakes tasted a bit like potato, but had so much flour in them, they stuck to each other like calories to my backside. The offerings of syrup or applesauce couldn't even make them edible. And, on a side note: the clam chowder was pasty.
I completely understand an unexpected rush of people, but not taking care of reservations (when you TAKE reservations) in a timely manner was totally unacceptable. A gesture of a discount or even a cocktail would have been nice, but the apology for the delay was half-assed at best...
So, my guess is Cabby won't be going back there anytime soon. I would like to thank him for his input and helping me out while I deal with my crazy schedule. Enjoy your weekend everyone. And I promise, I'll be back next week. I may even get a chance to do a review this weekend, but I can't guarantee it. Have a great weekend everyone, and please -- keep up with the hugs!
Last Friday, the Cabby family went to the Hideaway Pub on 76th Street in Franklin. We were told phrases like: "this is the place," or "fabulous food," naturally, we decided to try it.
I made reservations for a group of 15 people, ten days ahead and called three days before to confirm the reservation. Upon arrival, there were cars parked along the highway due to the overflowing parking lot. Apparently, there were a great deal of walk-in diners.
The hostess kept the walk-in biz walking in, while our group (which included my 82 year-old dad and his wife) stood in the doorway hall cramped in with the party of eight that also had 6:30 reservations. A hostess cam out about 6:40 only to "x" out the grouper specials on a dry erase board.
We finally sat down at 7:30 and waited 10 minutes to order drinks (the stressed waitress forgot my dad's) and after orering, 2 people found out the baked fish they ordered was not available (sorry dad).
FIFTY minutes (yes, 50) after we sat down, we got food. The beer battered cod coating was firmly around the nice sized pieces, but it had no seasoning nor did the cod (note from Beth: again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, the tartar factor...). Excellently flaky BLAND fish. Two good sized potato pancakes tasted a bit like potato, but had so much flour in them, they stuck to each other like calories to my backside. The offerings of syrup or applesauce couldn't even make them edible. And, on a side note: the clam chowder was pasty.
I completely understand an unexpected rush of people, but not taking care of reservations (when you TAKE reservations) in a timely manner was totally unacceptable. A gesture of a discount or even a cocktail would have been nice, but the apology for the delay was half-assed at best...
So, my guess is Cabby won't be going back there anytime soon. I would like to thank him for his input and helping me out while I deal with my crazy schedule. Enjoy your weekend everyone. And I promise, I'll be back next week. I may even get a chance to do a review this weekend, but I can't guarantee it. Have a great weekend everyone, and please -- keep up with the hugs!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Ron's Cozy Corner, Okauchee (Oconomowoc), Wi
Welcome Back, it's been a crazy couple of weeks, and if you can bear with my overwhelming schedule and occasional fish fry missed weeks, I appreciate your patience, and welcome you to check out past blogs and reviews if you're ever looking for a restaurant to visit.
This week we decided on Ron's Cozy Corner, W359N5920 Brown St., Ste 110, Oconomowoc. I've had several people recommend Ron's, and felt it was time to descend upon this Lake Country favorite. I dined with my friends Kendra and Tim, Kendra was nice enough to give her own thoughts about our experience, so I've decided to include them. I'll add to hers at the end of the column.
Kendra's take:
When Beth mentioned fish fry at Ron’s Cozy Corner on the first Friday of Lent, I was like…ummm…..really?? All I could envision was masses of cranky people crowded together in a small town tavern-like setting just waiting waiting waiting for a table to finally open up. But I decided that I would go and see what kind of mayhem may be in store for us. As it turns out, I was pleasantly surprised (once we actually found the restaurant, which was somewhat difficult)! Ron’s was not at all what I expected – the food was great, the atmosphere welcoming, and the wait acceptable.
First – the atmosphere. Nothing at all like the small town bar/restaurant experience I expected. Ron’s new location was warm and welcoming and the decor actually reminded me a little bit of a nice Mexican restaurant.
Second – the wait. We arrived a little after 7pm and the wait was an acceptable 30 minutes. There were open seats at the bar, the bartender was very friendly and, according to Beth, made a great bloody mary.
Third – the food. I ordered the perch ($11.95) and was very happy with my selection. The fish batter was seasoned just right, and the fish itself crispy on the outside and flakey and light on the inside. I used very little tartar sauce, which, as I’ve said in previous posts, is an indication that I’m really enjoying my dinner. The potato pancakes appeared to be homemade, and were delicious as well.
Ron’s Cozy Corner had everything I look for in a fish fry experience – amazing company, efficient service, and great food. The only complaint I would have about the evening was the difficulty in actually finding the new location. Overall, I give Ron’s a 9 out of 10!
Thanks to Kendra, as always for helping me out with the blog from time to time, it helps to get someone else's opinion, and I'm finding I do have a lot in common with the diners I go out with, and hopefully that translates to my common interests with the blog readers!
I only want to add a few details. Ron's serves the traditional fish fry family style. For $9.95 you get deep fried haddock (yes, haddock, not cod) and french fries, for an additional $2.00 you have the option of potato pancakes. You have an option for more fish, but I believe you can only order two extra pieces, in my opinion, you don't need the extras, they serve more than enough the first round.
The waitress brings creamy cole slaw, rye bread and German potato salad out prior to the meal, and all components were average. I felt as though the German potato salad was a little bland, the bread was out of a bag and I'm not sure the cole slaw was homemade.
I ordered the haddock -- HOORAY -- I'm incredibly pleased that for the first time in weeks, the fish was perfect. No tartar needed. So far, Ron's is the first restaurant to pass the "Say No to Tartar" campaign, as they mixed a perfect blend of seasonings in their batter. The fish was cooked perfectly, as Kendra said, we had the best combination of crunchy batter, that was not overwhelming, and a delicious piece of haddock. Kudo's to Ron's.
On a side note, the bloody mary's were phenomenal!
Overall I will give Ron's a solid 8 out of 10. I think the sides were underwhelming and it keeps me from getting them too close to perfection. I highly recommend you visit Ron's Cozy Corner.
I hope you all have a wonderful week, I will not be blogging on Friday as I will be out of town this weekend. I might have to stop at my dad's for a fish fry, but I'm not going to review that. It's a little biased!
One last thing, in lieu of the recent events in Japan please keep in mind that it is truly important for us to be thankful for all the little things we have. Life is an amazing gift and we never know when it can be taken away from us. Maybe in all this turmoil, we can learn to appreciate each other, not just the people that are alike, but different as well.
Give a hug!
Happy St. Patty'sDay!
This week we decided on Ron's Cozy Corner, W359N5920 Brown St., Ste 110, Oconomowoc. I've had several people recommend Ron's, and felt it was time to descend upon this Lake Country favorite. I dined with my friends Kendra and Tim, Kendra was nice enough to give her own thoughts about our experience, so I've decided to include them. I'll add to hers at the end of the column.
Kendra's take:
When Beth mentioned fish fry at Ron’s Cozy Corner on the first Friday of Lent, I was like…ummm…..really?? All I could envision was masses of cranky people crowded together in a small town tavern-like setting just waiting waiting waiting for a table to finally open up. But I decided that I would go and see what kind of mayhem may be in store for us. As it turns out, I was pleasantly surprised (once we actually found the restaurant, which was somewhat difficult)! Ron’s was not at all what I expected – the food was great, the atmosphere welcoming, and the wait acceptable.
First – the atmosphere. Nothing at all like the small town bar/restaurant experience I expected. Ron’s new location was warm and welcoming and the decor actually reminded me a little bit of a nice Mexican restaurant.
Second – the wait. We arrived a little after 7pm and the wait was an acceptable 30 minutes. There were open seats at the bar, the bartender was very friendly and, according to Beth, made a great bloody mary.
Third – the food. I ordered the perch ($11.95) and was very happy with my selection. The fish batter was seasoned just right, and the fish itself crispy on the outside and flakey and light on the inside. I used very little tartar sauce, which, as I’ve said in previous posts, is an indication that I’m really enjoying my dinner. The potato pancakes appeared to be homemade, and were delicious as well.
Ron’s Cozy Corner had everything I look for in a fish fry experience – amazing company, efficient service, and great food. The only complaint I would have about the evening was the difficulty in actually finding the new location. Overall, I give Ron’s a 9 out of 10!
Thanks to Kendra, as always for helping me out with the blog from time to time, it helps to get someone else's opinion, and I'm finding I do have a lot in common with the diners I go out with, and hopefully that translates to my common interests with the blog readers!
I only want to add a few details. Ron's serves the traditional fish fry family style. For $9.95 you get deep fried haddock (yes, haddock, not cod) and french fries, for an additional $2.00 you have the option of potato pancakes. You have an option for more fish, but I believe you can only order two extra pieces, in my opinion, you don't need the extras, they serve more than enough the first round.
The waitress brings creamy cole slaw, rye bread and German potato salad out prior to the meal, and all components were average. I felt as though the German potato salad was a little bland, the bread was out of a bag and I'm not sure the cole slaw was homemade.
I ordered the haddock -- HOORAY -- I'm incredibly pleased that for the first time in weeks, the fish was perfect. No tartar needed. So far, Ron's is the first restaurant to pass the "Say No to Tartar" campaign, as they mixed a perfect blend of seasonings in their batter. The fish was cooked perfectly, as Kendra said, we had the best combination of crunchy batter, that was not overwhelming, and a delicious piece of haddock. Kudo's to Ron's.
On a side note, the bloody mary's were phenomenal!
Overall I will give Ron's a solid 8 out of 10. I think the sides were underwhelming and it keeps me from getting them too close to perfection. I highly recommend you visit Ron's Cozy Corner.
I hope you all have a wonderful week, I will not be blogging on Friday as I will be out of town this weekend. I might have to stop at my dad's for a fish fry, but I'm not going to review that. It's a little biased!
One last thing, in lieu of the recent events in Japan please keep in mind that it is truly important for us to be thankful for all the little things we have. Life is an amazing gift and we never know when it can be taken away from us. Maybe in all this turmoil, we can learn to appreciate each other, not just the people that are alike, but different as well.
Give a hug!
Happy St. Patty'sDay!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Five O'Clock Club, Pewaukee, WI
So, in case you're annoyed with me, or possibly sick of me entirely, you might want to stop reading this blog, because I'm still on my "anti-tartar" campaign. I feel like I'm lobbying for restaurants to step up the game a little bit and season the batter.
This week is no different as our group headed to the Five O'Clock Club in Pewaukee. I will say, I was pretty excited for this trip as I've been to the 5-O before, and my entrees each and every time were extremely delicious. However, until last Friday, I had yet to order their famous fish fry, and I don't think I'll order it again.
As we drove into the parking lot around 8pm on Friday, the place was packed. Packed as in, people were creating their own parking spaces packed (I was not one of them, I got lucky) -- even later in the evening our wait was over 45 minutes, but it was to be expected for one of the best fish frys around (according to many, many people I've talked to over the last two years). We found a cozy spot in the corner of the bar area and our conversation led to a quick passing of the quarter of an hour.
We were seated, and withing minutes the overrun waitress greeted us with our own portion of coleslaw, tartar sauce (of course) for the table and rye bread. She set that in front of our faces even prior to us ordering our entrees, but none of us complained, it was late and we were hungry.
I decided on the small fried cod with french fries, $8.50, while my counterparts the table ordered the perch/cod combo, $14.95 (also with fries). The 5-O does not have any other potato option besides fries, unless you want to pay extra, and that was a huge disappointment, as I'm a big fan of the potato pancake. We overlooked the starchy glitch and continued to dig into what I considered some of the best cole slaw in Lake Country, it was oil-based, but not too greasy and seasoned to absolute perfection, an even better follow-up was the homemade seafood chowder, again this was a great homemade soup with big chunks of seafood and potatoes and just the right mixture of veggies in a creamy broth. I figured this was just like the composition of a symphony, light bright beginning, a lingering, yet pleasant middle and then the climactic ending.
We missed out on the climactic ending.
The fish was cooked perfectly, the breading was gorgeous in color and flawless in it's crumb texture, but one very big thing was missing, the flavor. Up to this point we were treated with a great introduction of appetizing components leading up to our very mediocre main entree. It's that simple, I was again disappointed in the seasoning.
And for all your tartar lovers out there, my experts said it was too sweet.
So, there you have it. I'm sorry if you feel as though you're reading the same blog over and over the last month or so, but honestly that's what I've been eating over and over the last month -- it's the fish fry equivalent to Ground Hog's Day.
I will rate the Five O'Clock Club a 7 out of 10. It is strictly because the soup and coleslaw were excellent, but those things should never outshine the main character.
Here's to another week in the books. Next week I hope to fix my bland problem...cross your fingers. And hug the ones you love too!
This week is no different as our group headed to the Five O'Clock Club in Pewaukee. I will say, I was pretty excited for this trip as I've been to the 5-O before, and my entrees each and every time were extremely delicious. However, until last Friday, I had yet to order their famous fish fry, and I don't think I'll order it again.
As we drove into the parking lot around 8pm on Friday, the place was packed. Packed as in, people were creating their own parking spaces packed (I was not one of them, I got lucky) -- even later in the evening our wait was over 45 minutes, but it was to be expected for one of the best fish frys around (according to many, many people I've talked to over the last two years). We found a cozy spot in the corner of the bar area and our conversation led to a quick passing of the quarter of an hour.
We were seated, and withing minutes the overrun waitress greeted us with our own portion of coleslaw, tartar sauce (of course) for the table and rye bread. She set that in front of our faces even prior to us ordering our entrees, but none of us complained, it was late and we were hungry.
I decided on the small fried cod with french fries, $8.50, while my counterparts the table ordered the perch/cod combo, $14.95 (also with fries). The 5-O does not have any other potato option besides fries, unless you want to pay extra, and that was a huge disappointment, as I'm a big fan of the potato pancake. We overlooked the starchy glitch and continued to dig into what I considered some of the best cole slaw in Lake Country, it was oil-based, but not too greasy and seasoned to absolute perfection, an even better follow-up was the homemade seafood chowder, again this was a great homemade soup with big chunks of seafood and potatoes and just the right mixture of veggies in a creamy broth. I figured this was just like the composition of a symphony, light bright beginning, a lingering, yet pleasant middle and then the climactic ending.
We missed out on the climactic ending.
The fish was cooked perfectly, the breading was gorgeous in color and flawless in it's crumb texture, but one very big thing was missing, the flavor. Up to this point we were treated with a great introduction of appetizing components leading up to our very mediocre main entree. It's that simple, I was again disappointed in the seasoning.
And for all your tartar lovers out there, my experts said it was too sweet.
So, there you have it. I'm sorry if you feel as though you're reading the same blog over and over the last month or so, but honestly that's what I've been eating over and over the last month -- it's the fish fry equivalent to Ground Hog's Day.
I will rate the Five O'Clock Club a 7 out of 10. It is strictly because the soup and coleslaw were excellent, but those things should never outshine the main character.
Here's to another week in the books. Next week I hope to fix my bland problem...cross your fingers. And hug the ones you love too!
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