Fish Type: Cod Price: $13.00
Overall, I would recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Good Potato Score: Good Tartar Score: Good Bread Score: Poor Miscellaneous Score: Good |  |
Comment: I'm going to keep this brief. It's not because I don't have good things to say about this Fish Fry, but because I don't have time to go into great detail anymore. Such is life.
I showed up at the Tin Fox for lunch and as expected the place was pretty quiet. It's not a bad thing per se, as I got to sit at a wide open bar with the bartender/waitress all to myself, but I have to wonder how long they can keep scraping by if that's indeed what they're doing.
The FF special runs from 11am to close consists of $13 cod or $16 haddock. I went for the cod and it was really quite good. The first thing you notice is the bubbly beer batter that clings to the flaky fish like the last leaves of fall to a branch. Like the leaves their hold is tenuous and easily gives way when kissed by the wind or jaw. This delicate clinger of a coating has some serious flavor of its own highlighted by a subtle smokiness. The meat beneath is slick, but mine didn't crumble or get mushy which shows some true frying mastery was in play.
Tons of thin house-cut fries sit shotgun, and these were on the limp side texture-wise. Still, they were easy to like since they came in droves. The tartar is kinda crazy and to be honest the cod didn't even need it (which is a rarity). It has an orange hue, and a smoky pep all its own that bolstered the flavor of the fish even more so when used. Finally, a colorful slaw fits right in with its own unique flavor and smoky essence. It was as interesting a slaw as I've seen, but totally worked in the context of this Fish Fry.
In all honesty I'm sort of surprised the Tin Fox doesn't seem to be resonating more with people. The place is beautiful, and every time we've been there the food has been very good, and the staff very friendly. Overall, we recommend this Fish Fry and only hope things pick up so that we can have it again some day.
thetinfoxrestaurant.com
2616 Monroe St
Madison, WI 53711
(608) 709-1616
