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Fish Type: Lake Perch     Price: $16.00

Overall, I would highly recommend this Fish Fry.

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

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Comment: When I decided to go to Stalzy’s this Friday I had one thing on my mind – walleye, and lots of it. Stalzy’s walleye is a force to be reckoned with and since it’s always been the only fish on their menu there’s hasn’t been much else to think about come Friday. But lo and behold, the times they are a changin’. They have recently added…wait for it…lake perch! And not just that, lake perch with Hamms beer batter! Needless to say, I knew what needed to be done.

Like the walleye, the perch comes in on the high end at $16, but includes ALL the trimmings which helps to justify the price. We were in early and the food began rolling our way almost instantly starting with the relish tray, breads, and coleslaw. A few carrots, some celery, and radishes got things going and really set the scene nicely. They cozied up to the rye, and made friends with a fresh white roll. They shared the love with an abundant bowl of slaw that is as creamy as any you will ever see. It was a beautiful friendship as everything present was fresh and carefully prepped.

The perch lurched our way not long after and was every bit as impressive looking as the apps (if you want to call them that). This fish is a strange dichotomy if there ever was one. On one hand, the Hamms-based batter was delicious and had a flavor that was truly unique - I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted any better quite like it. However, putting a thick beer batter on a delicate fish like lake perch is a no-no as it totally masks its mild flavors. The perch seemed to be high quality and flaky, but it was impossible to tell since the batter simply overrode it. Put this batter on some cod or haddock and it would be one for the ages, but on the perch it’s just a bit much.

So, while the perch missed the mark a little the potato pancakes were flawless. These cakes are the real deal, and the two diminutive discs used to be delicious but slightly unsatisfying. Thankfully, they have shifted into top gear and the two sprawling pancakes of today practically covered the entire plate. They are thin and crispy and looked to have been bubbling off the griddle. The apple sauce and sour cream on the side really put them over the top and I have no qualms about saying these could well be the best potato option in Madison. No joke.

The small side of tartar couldn’t stand up to the fish and got gobbled up by the brawny batter. It was hard to tell if it was actually good or not since the batter took control, but based on our previous experiences I know it was.

Stalzy’s continues to fly under the radar to some extent as this is easily so of the best fish in town but they are never really that busy on Friday nights. That’s all well and good for me though since I want it, and the less people that show up the better my chances are of getting it. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and will no doubt be back to prance with the perch or waltz with the walleye again very soon.



stalzysdeli.com/
2701 Atwood Ave
Madison, WI 53704

(608) 249-7806