Wisconsin’s devotion to Friday fish fry is one of those much-boasted traditions that you think must be exaggerated – but it’s true. People actually come out in droves and wait for hours for a table, drinking old-fashioned brandy. Friday is not complete without this sacrament.
However, there are fried fish fans (including me) who don’t like the wait. At one point in the history of fish frying in the states, some restaurants allowed Friday fish fries to be included on the Wednesday special menu. I understand that the celebratory nature of TGIF is missing on Wednesday. However, if you want to try the area’s legendary fish fries without much effort, consider Wednesday. Or maybe two fish fries a week is your way of life – you’re a wonderful Wisconsin.
Quivey’s Grove comes with a robust Wednesday cod fry (two-piece lunch special $14, dinner $18). Quivey’s had tents and outdoor tables to accommodate Friday crowds long before the pandemic made summer dining in tents a common sight; Wednesdays at Stable Grill are less hectic. Classic beer dough (crispy, prosperous, pleasantly slightly fatty) brings out the best of subtle cod. The salad is crunchy, with a slightly milky mayonnaise and celery dressing. The salad needs something (even a little salt helped), but it’s definitely acceptable. The tartar sauce is tart (my preference) rather than sweet, but it has little dill marinade, although there are some flecks. Parmesan potatoes are a house specialty here; they’re cheesy potato pancakes, served in a casserole-like square, and are best if you let them chilly a bit to allow the cheese to penetrate. (French fries are also available.) The included slice of bread is good, cut from a loaf of real bread. It’s listed as sourdough on the menu, but it tastes like white. In a perfect world, I’d prefer something other than cod and would like there to be more going on in the salad, but with these miniature quibbles aside, I’ll say Quivey’s hits all the right notes, including a cozy dining room set in a pioneer stable.
On the other side of town, I can make a robust case for East Side’s Wednesday fish fry Dexter’s Pub. The pub recently offered a midweek choice of cod or zander. The walleye is lightly breaded, probably with some cornstarch added. Abundant walleye really do taste like walleye; there is some skin left over, which adds extra flavor and reminds guests that it’s a real filet. The batter is also lightly applied to the cod. The fries are excellent, robust and seasoned; there are also fries and waffle fries. Dexter’s wins the lottery for my Tartar Sauce version with lots of pickled dill. The salad is very onion-like. I’ve never been a fan of onions in coleslaw, but if you are, this is your salad. Half a slice of cumin rye is a classic Wisconsin fried fish dish. However, on my last visit, both the cod and zander were a bit overcooked.
Esquire Kavanaugh Club, which has been making Friday fish fries for more or less forever, has a choice of perch ($14.50) or cod ($16) on Wednesdays. Pick one because I think they taste the same – and none of them taste the same as perch or cod. The only difference is that the perch is shaped like a perch. Both were bulky, with a texture almost reminiscent of whitefish. That said, I didn’t mind the flavor or the featherlight, crisp breading, although it could have used some seasoning. The fries are cut; Coleslaw is classically creamy and sweet, as is the tartar sauce. The bread is a very cushioned loaf that tastes like white bread with cumin.
Jordan’s Big 10 Pub has a dedicated following for the Friday fish as well as the Wednesday perch ($15) or bluegill ($16). I can only speak about the perch, which arrives in two huge fillets. Unfortunately, they were over-fried and the dough could have been seasoned. The slaw is somewhere between vinegar and mayonnaise, with a slight hint of horseradish; Tartar sauce is a classic Wisconsin sweet. My waiter recommended the fries, crispy on the outside and fluffy potatoes on the inside: my favorite part of the meal.
Oakcrest Tavern it’s a cute, iconic miniature town tap that’s somehow stuck in the middle of Madison’s west side. The dining room is circumscribed, but there is seating at the bar and you can order takeout without contact (take your bag from the hall). The cod ($12) and perch ($14) are ridiculously heated from the fryer, but both could do with more flavor – from the fish and the batter. The fries are crinkled; coleslaw salad is based on sweet mayonnaise; the tartar sauce is middle of the road, neither sweet nor tangy.
Oakcrest Restaurant now also offers fish fry on Thursdays. Could this be the next trend? Other restaurants have simply capitulated to the inevitable and serve fried fish every day. But that’s a topic for another day.
All restaurants listed serve lunch and dinner on Wednesdays except Dexter’s, which currently opens at 3 p.m.
