Fish Type: Cod Price: $5.59
Overall, I would barely recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Good Potato Score: Good Tartar Score: Good Bread Score: Good Miscellaneous Score: Good |  |
Comment: No matter how old I get, or how much I think I have figured out in this world, something always crops up that makes me question everything I thought Id learned. It must have to do with the sheer diversity of personalities and situations that those people are placed into. For whatever reason, peoples actions just dont always make sense to me. I guess that is one reason I like Fish Fry so much - I know what to expect and when something doesnt live up to expectation I can easily say that based on my experience this meal didnt cut the mustard. People are much more difficult, and what fits for one person rarely, if ever, transfers to the whole. People are not Fish Frys, I guess.
If the is one thing I have come to expect from the Fish Fry at the North Side Kwik Trip in Viroqua, WI, its a good deal. For less than four bucks you can procure a complete meal which is every bit as tasty as the fish most places sell for $8 or more. Since I was in a hurry and knew that a dinner Fish Fry was not in the cards this week, I made yet another visit to the KT my first visit to their *new* location). I whipped into their massive parking lot right at 11am, and put in my order for a 5-piece. I moseyed around the store, grabbed a twelver of The Cow for the party I was attending that evening, and waited a few minutes for the fish to fry. As soon as it was up, I bolted for the door and was on my way to my folks house to eat.
Exactly six minutes after exiting KT I dove into my bounty at the kitchen table. My five pieces were crammed tightly into their Styrofoam coffin and were nice and hot, but not steaming after their short jaunt south. The hand battered fillets were as tasty as I have come to expect, and surprisingly meaty, although a little of their flakiness was lost in transit. I ran through them at breakneck speed, leaving their once proud collection in shambles they were no match for my appetite this day.
Accompanying the five fried warriors was a squadron of wedge fries which were grabbed straight from the warming tray. Due to their lack of freshness they were less than spectacular, but were still plentiful and somewhat tasty. Unfortunately, since they came from under a heat lamp, they were totally lacking any crispiness. The tartar sauce was also a little off as the humungous cup was based on a thick mayo, but was over-saturated with relish, which totally dominated any and all other tastes.
In the past I have been less than pleased with the lack of slaw provided with this Fish Fry. Either word has gotten around, or enough people have spoken their mind on the topic, but for whatever reason they now give you a big ol cup of the stuff although after trying it, maybe they shouldnt. Im not sure where this slaw came from (it didnt look homemade), but wherever it is they should probably send it back. The creamy mix was just flat-out not good. It was really bland and looked a little goopy. After trying to stomach a few bites I found myself wishing for the second dinner roll of yore. Speaking of the rolls, while the one provided wasnt anything fancy, it was soft and fresh, and right on the money. It was easily superior to the slaw, and really made the subpar concoction stick in my craw a bit.
Overall, this Fish Fry is still easily recommendable, especially at its price point. Nowhere else are you going to find a 5-piece Fish Fry for less than six bucks, and if somehow you do, there is no way it will be this good. The fish is above average, the fries are good (even if they werent fresh) and the tartar is acceptable. Their slaw experiment seems to have failed, but who knows, maybe they are working on it? When all was said and done, I was as full as can be, and more than ready for a weekend with good friends in the countryside of Southwestern Wisconsin. This is one Fish Fry that is will exceed your expectations.
www.kwiktrip.com
1301 North Main Street
Viroqua, WI 54665
(608) 637-2114
