Fish Type: Cod Price: $8.00
Overall, I would not recommend this fish fry.
| Fish Score: Fair French Fry Score: Good Tartar Score: Good Bread Score: Poor Miscellaneous Score: Good |
Most places have long, thin cod filets. This seems to reduce frying time and lead to evenly cooked fish. The Avenue is unique in that their filets are huge and almost cube shaped, yet they are somehow able to fry it perfectly. The BSR has apparently tried mimicking the idea without getting the subtle nuances that make the Avenue sparkle.
The “hand-dipped, beer battered cod” at the BSR will run you around 8 bucks which is fair when you consider how much food you get. The cod was certainly plentiful but not great. Neither the fish nor the batter had a distinctive taste which made it kind of blah overall. It was slightly greasy and since there were some pieces of leftover crap from fryer on them I assume the oil hadn’t been changed for a while. The fish itself was a little mushy and was not trimmed perfectly. In an effort t to keep the pieces fat, some chucks of discolored fish got left behind. These parts taste funny, have a weird texture, and should really be trimmed away if you want to offer a flawless Fish Fry.
Like the fish, the tartar sauce was also different the on my last visit to the BSR. The new stuff was a decent blend of mayo and relish which was just fine, and a dramatic improvement from the dilly stuff I remember. The French fries were straight-cut with the skins on. They were plentiful and about what you would expect at a local tavern.
The coleslaw appeared to be homemade and had a kick of horseradish that I really enjoyed. I would also have enjoyed a slab of bread or two, and since I didn’t even get close to touching the third piece of fish I feel a trade could have been arranged.
There is no doubt that The Branch Street Retreat is a great bar. It is clean and well kept, especially considering they have been in business for almost 20 years now. The service was quick and friendly which got us in and out in less than an hour making the BSR a legitimate Friday lunch possibility. Overall I just don’t think I can recommend this Fish Fry anymore. They have clearly tried to improve it but based on this experience it actually seems to have taken a turn for the worse.
2644 Branch Street
Middleton, WI 53562
(608) 836-7750
