Fish Type: Cod Price: $13.29
Overall, I would recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Good Potato Score: Good Tartar Score: Excellent Bread Score: Excellent Miscellaneous Score: Excellent |  |
Comment: A couple years back we visited a place called The Country Place Café down in Brooklyn. We liked almost everything about The Place and their Fish Fry, with the exception being the fish they were frying (which was Tilapia). We hoped that as they grew their Fry would evolve to offer a real Fish Fry fish instead of the less desirable oceanic variety Lo and behold it finally did.
A name change ushered in a new era in Brooklyn Fish Fry as the revamped Holstein added a fried cod option to their menu. While there are still a couple versions of Tilapia to choose from (with the Parmesan variety coming highly recommended), we, like almost everyone else we overheard ordering, stuck to the cod. The $12.29 cod is a 2-piece affair, but like any gluttonous Fish Fryer we felt the need to ask if we could have an additional piece to which they happily obliged. Had we known the extra piece was going to be $4 more we may have thought better of it, but as they say, live and learn. While the overall price tag was kind of steep everything was homemade and prepared to order so its not totally unjustified.
The fish itself was good and clearly high quality. The pieces were large (in the 4-6 ounce range) and flaky as can be. The pure meat partnered with a light batter that had a great texture but lacked any discernable flavor. The delicate coating also concealed a moderate amount of grease which seeped forth from its hiding place once its restraint was punctured. Regardless, it was still serviceable and we had no problem gobbling up all three chunks.
Sucking up some of the seepage were the Julienne-cut fries that lay beneath the fish. They were a small but resilient bunch, although unlike everything else, didnt appear to be homemade. While they would have been well portioned given the standard 2-piece, they ran short long before we made it to the third piece of fish.
Luckily, the thick, creamy, homemade tarter lasted until the end and enhanced every bite of the fish it touched. It had plenty of pop, and was brawny enough to conceal every drop of grease it encountered. It was pretty much ideal in every way and brushed away any blemishes with ease.
Holsteins homemade slaw also did the job with a uniquely sweet twinge that really livened up the whole meal. It also paired perfectly with the slice of thick caraway rye on the side.
While its not a supper club, and there was no relish tray beforehand, Holstein did offer us a nice little sampler and soft cheese and delectable salami which we gladly accepted. It was a nice way to start the meal and made the slightly higher-than-average prices more palatable.
We really enjoy the farm-to-table concept and the care that Holstein puts into their food, but mostly were glad they added cod to their Friday menu. The owners clearly love their restaurant and have listened to the community they serve. Overall, we recommend this Fish Fry and think Brooklyn has something to be proud of in Holstein.
www.holsteinrestaurant.com
233 Douglas Drive
Brooklyn, WI 53521
(608) 455-1115
