Fish Type: Cod Price: $15.00
Overall, I would recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Good Potato Score: Excellent Tartar Score: Excellent Bread Score: Excellent Miscellaneous Score: Good |  |
Comment: To be honest, we were a little worried. Even though wed been to Masons a couple times before we had our doubts about this upcoming visit. Why were we worried, you ask? Well, a bunch of negative reviews from Google Users had cropped up online berating the service and food, and we thought that maybe things had taken and nosedive since our last visit. We were worried, but we followed through, and were certainly glad we did.
Maybe it was the negative reviews, or maybe theyve gained a bad reputation in Oregon (things like that can happen quickly in small towns), but whatever it was they were noticeably less busy than on our previous visits. We had no trouble getting a table for four right away and an experienced waitress was at our side in no time. Masons isnt one of those places just offering fish to fit in, they do Fish Fry right. They offer walleye, lake perch, and cod and between the four of us we got to try all three.
The cod comes as a 2, 3, or 4-piece starting at $12 and ending up at $15. Things got off to a bit of a rocky start as the food arrived and the 4-piece cod with potato pancakes was nowhere to be found. A plate of walleye arrived instead, but the waitress quickly realized the error and gathered up the errand plate switching it out for freshly fried cod within five minutes. A free dessert was offered for the mix up and while it wasnt necessary the Crème Brule was certainly welcome.
The 4-piece was nothing if not plentiful. The fat loins were home to a thick beer batter that was more substantial than wed like it to be. The copious coating also didnt have much flavor so the pristine Icelandic cod didnt get much assistance. The fish itself was flaky and greaseless resulting in a solid rendition although there was nothing truly remarkable about it.
The walleye was noticeably more flavorful than the cod and seemed to have the same beer batter although it was applied much more conservatively. The lake perch on the other hand was markedly better than either and stole the show yet again. Unlike its beer battered brethren the perch featured a light, crunchy breading with a succulent blend of seasonings. It had a subtle saltiness and was easily enjoyed with or without tartar.
Speaking of the sauce, Masons version is clearly made in-house. While it looked like it was going to be ultra-dilly, it surprisingly wasnt. It had plenty of zip which gave the cod a little something to hold onto.
There are a plethora of sides to choose from and the potato pancakes were a good pick. They were thin and crispy although lacking a little in the onion department. The paired really well with the side of apple sauce, but were amazing when dunked in the syrup (both available free of charge).
Some warm bread came before the fish, accompanied by a side of absolutely superb olive butter. The bread itself had a moist, dense, ciabatta feel, and when paired with the specialty butter was out of this world.
While we were a little worried going in our fears were quickly cast aside as Masons delivered another amazing Fish Fry. The lake perch and walleye were great and we have no qualms about giving the cod our seal of approval as well. Overall, we highly recommend the Fish Fry at Masons on Main and think there is a something a little fishy with a few Google Users.
www.masonsonmain.com
113 South Main Street
Oregon, WI 53574
(608) 291-0631
