Fish Type: Cod Price: $7.50
Overall, I would recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Good Potato Score: Fair Tartar Score: Excellent Bread Score: Good Miscellaneous Score: Good |  |
Comment: Is there anything better than a beater pickup? You know the kind Im talking about. More than likely your dad and/or grandpa drove one from the day he bought it (with cash) until the day he died, and never once considered trading it in for something newer or flashier. Sure, theres guaranteed to be a few dents and dings, it probably has more rust than metal left on the body, and it has definitely been there and back, but these trustworthy trucks always get the job done. Unheralded autos like these serve their purpose without drawing a bunch of unwanted attention, and when Friday rolls around sometimes we want a Fish Fry that does the same. In these instances we often turn to Wilsons, the beater pickup of Fish Frys.
Reese and I swung the old jalopy into Wilsons parking lot just as the clock stuck noon and I was not the least bit surprised that the entire thing full except for one small space that most cars couldnt be crammed into. Luckily for us, the small car we currently cavort in had no problem squeezing in, and with that, Wilsons lot was filled to the brim. We scurried inside to escape the cold, and immediately found a table amongst the many available.
Wilsons superior server, Mac, was for Dallas at the Super Bowl this Friday, and a couple young bucks were filling fish orders in his stead. One of them scooted right over, detailed our desires and brought us some beverages to get our engines primed. We waited no more than three minutes, and like magic, the fish appeared before us. It was alarmingly fast, in fact, I think I heard it do a burnout on its way over.
The small ovular plate that hosts Wilsons Fish Fry performs a delicate balancing act and somehow manages to make it all fit in. Unveiling the tartar requires you to move your roll; likewise, in order to see the slaw, a lemon wedge must be cast aside. Once these items have been relocated, all that remains is to pop the lids on the solo cups and go to work, and believe me, I wasted no time removing the ragtops.
Usually I cant help myself, and bore into the fish first and foremost, but today I took a different route. The fish was too hot to handle so I decided to let it idle for a bit while I took a run at the slaw and roll. As per usual the slaw was bone-stock, and the roll needed to be suped-up with a little butter, but by and large they did what they needed to do. After a couple bites, I refocused my attention on the fish.
As always, the cod was spot on. The light and flaky fish was incredibly hot (as youd imagine it would be after being ready in only three minutes), and surprisingly moist. The spicy breading (reportedly made by a company called Mies) was superb and mingled with the small pieces of cod like a dream. Wilsons tartar was the perfect bolt-on, and helped push the cod into overdrive. The thick and zesty sauce is a personal favorite, and while it comes in a tiny cup, the good folks at Wilsons are always happy to bring you another (free of charge, of course).
Like a beater truck, this Fish Fry is not without its flaws. The French fries this go-round were not quite as good as they have been recently, nor were there very many of them to go around. They were fairly well fried, but just werent very tasty. Wilsons slaw also didnt add any horsepower to the Fish Fry, as the creamy concoction just has a funny taste, and mostly went to waste. As I plowed the fish and fries through my intake manifold, I noticed that I was pulling away from Reese and then some. I practically crossed the finish line before he even got into second gear, taking the checkered flag with ease.
Overall, this was another successful trip to Wilsons, and we have no problem recommending their Friday special. The cod is one mean machine, and when you fill the tank with Wilsons homemade tartar it really puts the hammer down. As with any old truck, while the engine runs fine most of the time, there are bound to be a few hiccups, and the fries definitely backfired today. Rattletraps like these never come fully loaded, and the slaw and roll are certainly not the equivalent of power windows, but then again they dont need to be to get the job done. One of these days Im going to get around to purchasing a beater truck of my own, and when I do, I will make sure to drive it to Wilsons on Fridays. I mean, it just makes sense, doesnt it?
www.wilsonssportsbarandgrill.com/
2144 Atwood Avenue
Madison, WI 53704
(608) 241-2226
