Lake Country Wisconsin Fish Fry Reviews

Schwabenhof, Menomonee Falls, WI

2011-12-18T08:45:00.004-06:00

German Potato Salad: Yes, I know, it's only a side dish, but to me, it's much more. It's Friday mornings spent at my grandparents supper club in the late 70s. My parents both worked daytime prep hours at the restaurant, and my sister and I often accompanied my folks when they started their day at Blanck's.

My great-grandmother, Marcella was the master behind the german potato salad. I would sit and "help" her as she peeled and cut potatoes for hours, if you consider help cutting one potato, while she plowed effortlessly through 10. I also "helped" by taste testing pieces of bacon on the stove nearby (smelling so delicious, by the way). I was filled with so much anticipation and could not wait to get that first little sampling as soon as she finished adding the sugary vinegar final touch. It's such a vivid memory, that has stuck with me my entire life.

Why do I lead with the nostalgia? Well, because this past Friday evening we dined at the Schwabenhof, a huge German supper club on the outskirts of Menomonee Falls. When we sat down and ordered our fish fry, I kindly asked the waitress if the potato pancakes were homemade, and she replied "no, but our German potato salad is" -- so that's the route I took. The route back to a childhood filled with memories of a family packed into a kitchen at a supper club cooking, cutting, baking and seasoning food to be served each evening. Looking back, it's a memory I'm lucky to have.

Fortunately the memory still lives vividly and the potato salad at the Schwabenhof, while very good, was nowhere near the caliber of my great-grandmother Marcella. But I would still recommend you order it!

The fish fry at the Schwabenhof is an All-You-Can-Eat Fried Cod for 10.95, you also can have the AYCE Fried Chicken or a combo of Fish and Chicken for the same price of 10.95. With each of those entrees you get a choice of sides (fries, pancakes, baked potato, potato salad), cole slaw and rye bread.

The fish was cooked perfectly, and the breading was flaky, but a little bland. I'm not sure why you would need to eat the AYCE, because the first helping they give you is more than enough. I enjoyed the fish, and while it wasn't my favorite, the Schwabenhof is a place I would definitely visit again. The cole slaw was creamy and flavorful and even the little bit of tartar I had was good (reminder, not a huge tartar fan).

The Schwabenhof will get a solid 8 out of 10 on this visit. Our service was fast and friendly, the old fashions were strong and the food was great.

I realize its' been a while since I posted a blog and I hope to get some more up in 2012.

I wish you all the happiest of holidays, and all the best for the New Year. May the memories you make during this season stick with you for a lifetime.

Finn's Bar & Grill, Wales

2011-10-10T15:39:00.003-05:00

So, what a week to pick up the fish fry blog.

To know anything about me is to know that I'm a huge sports fan, you could probably say fanatic, but ultimately I grew up watching all kinds of sports, and while football is my favorite, I am also partial to baseball. And what a treat it has been this season with the Brewers.

On Friday evening I started at the Kettle Moraine High School Homecoming parade, as is tradition with a lot of the adults, I made the trek to Finn's Bar and Grill to watch the last half of the Brewer game and indulge in a fish fry. The last time we ate there I gave it a 7 out of 10 and I wanted to see if things were any better. I made a plea in that blog to not settle for mediocrity... the following is a excerpt from that blog.

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.

Well...after Nyjer Morgan hit that "tickler" up the middle, I managed to jump up and down, hug strangers and periodically check my pulse in the moments after, to be sure everything was ok, I also figured it was a good time to finally order dinner.

Kendra and I each had the fried cod with the potato pancakes. I will say this, the box cakes are still really good and I still can't believe they're from the freezer. They were exactly the same as they were last year and I was happy about that. The slaw and potato salad were also nice compliments to the meal. This time, the fish was cooked well, but was breaded heavily and I had to take a lot of the breading off because it got to be overwhelming. Our food was hot, our service was excellent and the crowd of Brewer-friendly faces made the average dinner a little bit better.

The score stays the same folks. 7 out of 10. I would recommend it to friends, but would be quick to direct them to another place if they're looking to be "wowed."

Well, folks. I'm hoping to be blogging a little more frequently in the upcoming months. I'm very much looking for any suggestions of new places in the Waukesha County/Lake Country area. I hope you understand my long-term absences -- I'm a one-person operation, and sometimes I can't eat fish EVERY week. I mean..can you?

Go Brewers! Go Packers and On Wisconsin!

Hug your loved ones people and maybe even hug someone you don't even know!

Country Springs Hotel - Copper's Pub & Grill

2011-07-29T08:55:00.000-05:00

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.

Park Avenue Pizza, Pewaukee, WI

2011-05-20T10:27:00.000-05:00

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!

Dylon's Steakhouse, Pewaukee

2011-04-26T10:17:00.000-05:00

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.

Culvers, Hartland, WI

2011-04-13T16:03:00.000-05:00

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!

Hideaway Pub, Franklin, WI

2011-04-08T11:24:00.000-05:00

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!

Ron's Cozy Corner, Okauchee (Oconomowoc), Wi

2011-03-16T11:03:00.000-05:00

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!

Five O'Clock Club, Pewaukee, WI

2011-02-16T14:33:00.000-06:00

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!

Finn's Bar & Grill and The Phoenix

2011-02-09T10:28:00.000-06:00

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!

North Lake Inn, North Lake

2011-01-26T12:15:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone and welcome to my birthday week! I've missed blogging and I'm happy to report to you my greatest thought and insight on the great fish fry tradition. However, this week, we ran into yet, another bust.

On Friday, Ann, Shannon and I ventured to the North Lake Inn, W315N7707 State Road 83 in quaint North Lake, Wisconsin. We tried to make the trip a few weeks ago, but were stunned at the amount of people and decided elsewhere, that particular night I was in no mood to wait in line for dinner, but I put my mind in the right place for this latest adventure and decided that no matter how many people or how long the trip might take, I was going to eat at the North Lake Inn.

Much to my surprise, there were barely any people at the NLI on Friday night, but my guess is the sub-zero temperatures and time of the evening (8pm) had a little to do with it. I've been to this restaurant before for some absolutely fantastic pizza and as we were sat, I caught a glimpse of some other italian delights at other tables. The lasagna dish looked incredibly delicious, but I had to keep my mind on the goal: the blog. the fry.

As we sat in the tiny dining room we were not greeted warmly at first. Our server/busser had to be summoned (by us) and I despise having to call a server to a table (especially when it is not busy). We quickly ordered the cheese filled tortilla crusted thingys (I don't have access to a menu, and cannot remember for the life of me what they were called), they were served with salsa and sour cream and were absolutely delicious.

We waited a bit as our friend Shannon was running a little late, as she was ten minutes out of town, she asked we order for her (big mistake). This night, we did not stick to variety (and I apologize) all three of us ordered the herb crusted baked cod. The entree sounded too good to pass up ($11.95), we each ordered the potato pancakes to accompany the fish and as always, had the coleslaw and bread.

The Inn also has Perch, Deep Fried Cod and Walleye, and I deeply apologize for not having tasted one of them, but as you read this blog, you will realize I might not have been missing much.

I'm not lying when I say that within two minutes our entrees were ready to be served. I'm all about fast service, but this was a little out of control, as Shannon wasn't even at the restaurant yet. Ann and I started in on our dishes, and awaited Shannon's arrival. You knew it would be disaster once that food was put back under the dreaded "heat light" -- fish does not sit well...trust me.

Well, in hindsight, I wish that our waitress had kept ALL our dinners under that heat light. I still cannot understand how food that came out so fast, could have been cold. Yes, my fish was cold, my potato pancake was rock hard (it was a giant potato chip smothered in grease). I was so disappointed as I was looking forward to this trip. The highlight of the evening was the fantastic company, creamy coleslaw and one damn good piece of garlic bread.

One thing to the NLI, if that fish had been properly heated and the potato pancake less "dead" the entree would have been successful and this review would have been longer and more positive. Cold fish sucks, bottom line and I was lost after that first bite.

I'm going to give the North Lake Inn a 5 out of 10. Our service got much better after the disastrous start and my old fashioned was pretty damn good. I'll be back to the NLI, but for pizza....

Have a great rest of your week everyone. As 39.1 looms on my horizon, I'd like to say thanks to you all for reading, thanks for following on facebook and for giving me a little attention while I do something I really enjoy. Much love to you all.

Ox & Cat's Sports Bar and Grill, Monches, WI

2011-01-11T12:33:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year and welcome to the first blog of 2011. I cannot believe that we are already embarking on a new year, filled with new resolutions, new goals and for some, new hope. Ultimately, I've been pretty good at staying away from the hype regarding resolutions, but I do resolve to continue eating fish nearly every Friday, and giving you my opinion. I mean, that is why you're reading this.

This past Friday I made my first trip to the Ox & Cat's Sports Bar and Grill, W302N9510 County Rd E, Hartland, WI (The address is technically Hartland, but it's located in Monches, an unincorporated town north of Hartland). I had been told this fish fry was one of the better in Lake Country, so I was eager to give it a try. Turns out, my anticipation gave way to disappointment.

Our waitress swiftly tended to our table of 8, took our drink orders and in no time had them sitting in front of us, impressive indeed. Soon after she was back to take our order. I decided on the deep fried cod ($9.00), my friend Shannon ordered the baked cod ($10.00) and we decided to mix and match. She ordered the sweet potato fries and I just had side of chili, knowing I was near my fill of carbs for the day! The Ox & Cat's also has Perch and I believe Walleye (I am not sure on that one, sorry for the oversight).

As we waited for our food and conversation was flowing I looked around the old wood-floor dining room and noticed it was very much like an indoor picnic. Informal table settings, menus, plasticware and napkins lodged in an old six-pack container on the table, folded chairs and long tables everywhere. The place was actually packed and what was more impressive is that the dining room was run by a one-woman show...and she handled it perfectly.

The food came in a very reasonable amount of time and from the moment the fish was set in front of me, I knew it was going to be a less than pleasurable experience. The cod was overly breaded and the fish inside was overcooked. I'm not sure if they hand-bread at the Ox & Cat's, but the case could be made that they do not and the fish is pre-packaged and frozen. The breading was absolutely overwhelming, very similar to the heavy breading you find on a frozen fish patty at McDonald's, it overpowered any flavor the fish might have had, I actually had to use my tartar sauce on the fish pieces (you know that's bad if I'm doing that).

My chili, was homemade, a little cool, but still very good...props on that. Shannon's baked fish was much better than my deep fried entree. The seasonings were simple, but flavorful and the portion size was just right. The highlight was those sweet potato fries, I had a couple and was very glad they were not on my plate as I could have easily downed them all.

Overall, I'm going to give the Ox & Cat's a 7, and that's because the service was amazing, I'm still in awe how that waitress was able to command the dining room without breaking a sweat. The food was just OK, but after perusing through the menu, I will definitely try the perch next time, they also have (according to the patrons I was with) great sandwiches and pizza.

Until next time, have a wonderful week. I'm not sure if I'll by fish frying it this week or not as I have dinner theater plans, but definitely will be back on track the following week. I love it too much to stop. Also, if you have any suggestions or would like me to stop at your establishment, just leave a comment or post on Facebook. Don't forget to check Lakecountrynightout.com for the upcoming events or places to go in Lake Country.

And, as always, especially this time of year...tell someone you care about, just how much they mean to you. In wake of the tragedy in Arizona, it's time we all lighten the load.

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

2010-12-21T11:00:00.000-06:00

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

2010-12-14T09:38:00.000-06:00

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

2010-11-16T11:06:00.000-06:00

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

2010-11-09T13:46:00.000-06:00

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

2010-10-27T13:47:00.000-05:00

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

2010-10-19T16:49:00.000-05:00

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...

2010-10-12T13:18:00.000-05:00

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

2010-09-30T13:37:00.000-05:00

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

2010-09-22T15:24:00.000-05:00

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

2010-09-15T16:30:00.000-05:00

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

2010-07-28T14:51:00.000-05:00

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

2010-04-05T12:15:00.000-05:00

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

2010-03-24T11:44:00.000-05:00

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! :-)