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Fish Type: Walleye     Price: $12.00

Overall, I would highly recommend this Fish Fry.

Fish Score: Excellent
Potato Score: Good
Tartar Score: Excellent
Bread Score: Good
Miscellaneous Score: Good

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Comment: Whenever I am in the mood for freshwater fish, one place immediately springs to mind. There are several reasons for this innate evocation, starting with the fact that this particular establishment is relatively close no matter where you happen to be in town. Secondly, the service at this particular place is always quick, resulting in rapid turnaround times on busy Friday afternoons. And lastly, this bastion of all things fried proudly offers all three of the major freshwater varieties, and does every one of them damn well. Of course, I am talking about the Fish Fry institution that is Dexter’s Pub.

Reese and I rolled into the near-East establishment just before noon, and snatched one of the open high-top tables in the bar area. The waitress buzzed right over, dropped some menus, and scampered away to grab us some drinks while giving Reese a chance to peruse his options. I was already locked into the $10 bluegill so the only decision for me was between brew fries, waffle fries, or pub chips, of which I branched out and tried the homemade chips. When she came ‘round again, fish orders were placed, drinks were sipped, and merriment exchanged.

The food arrived posthaste, and I pounced on my platter like a jungle cat. Several of the bluegill met their makers instantly as I sunk my claws deep into them, devouring their flaky torsos in the blink of an eye. The rest of the school met a similar fate, as the airy fish was simply impossible to resist. The light breading was home to the perfect blend of spices, and complimented the flaky fish flawlessly. Also flattering the fish was Dexter’s outstanding tartar sauce which was thick and zesty, and paired perfectly with the bluegill. At the end of the day the tiny cup was just enough thanks to the fact that the fish was so good the sauce could be used sparingly.

From our previous experiences we know that Dexter’s waffle fries are a cut above the rest. It just so happens the homemade pub chips were also nothing to scoff at. The thin-cut chips were nice and hot when served, and tasted divine with the generous dousing of salt I laid on them. All in all they were very good, but the one detractor, if there is one, is that they got cold quickly; so for you slower eaters, you might need to make an adjustment or be satisfied with cold chips. Not a big loss in my book, but definitely something to think about when deciding on your side.

Rounding out the plate was a nice, soft white roll, and Dexter’s latest take coleslaw. The roll was what we have come to expect, but ever-changing slaw was a bit of a surprise. This has to be the best slaw we’ve had at Dexter’s to date - although it still wasn’t perfect. The previous versions included vast amount of green pepper, but this latest incarnation seems to have supplanted onion for the verde veggie, making for an extremely potent mixture. While this rendition was a dramatically different there is still some room for improvement.

As I polished off my remaining morsels, Reese offered a bite of his bountiful walleye fillet, which I simply couldn’t refuse. The wonderful walleye was every bit as good as the bluegill and home to the same spicy breading. Reese also sprung for the homemade Hungarian mushroom soup which came before the fish, and he claimed to be excellent. Apparently all of Dexter’s soups are homemade, so make sure to check them out if you are a soup eater.

Overall, this was another fantastic visit to an icon on the Madison Fish Fry scene. Both styles of fish were above reproach and blended effortlessly with Dexter’s signature tartar sauce. The pub chips were also great, and fit right in with the rest of the fantastic potato options. After sampling all the varieties we have come to the conclusion that you really can’t go wrong with the spuds at Dexter’s so just get whichever one happens to sound best to you. The banquet is capped off with a standard dinner roll, and Dexter’s continually improving slaw, making for a truly idyllic Fish Fry experience. If you live in the Madison area, and are a fan of Fish Fry you simply have to make the trek to Dexter’s. We promise, you won’t be disappointed.



www.dexterspubmadison.com/
301 North Street
Madison, WI 53704

(608) 244-3535