Fish Type: Whitefish Price: $13.00
Overall, I would recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Good Potato Score: Excellent Tartar Score: Good Bread Score: Poor Miscellaneous Score: Excellent |  |
Comment: I had this Fish Fry again this week. It's basically a carbon copy of my review from September...
Microbreweries used to be a unique animal. They were unicorns in a field of domestic macro lagers and imported ales, and those that existed did so on the fringes. The Great Dane, Vintage, Capital, New Glarus, Ale Asylum, Karben4 and those like them carved out a niche by drawing loyal cult followings; hell, I was a Spotted Cow man for years. Over the last half decade or so these mythical beasts and their nano counterparts have stepped out of the shadows and truly given the macros a run for their money. Madison's newest entry into the micro universe comes in the form of Union Corners Brewing in the brand new Union Corners Development.
Those who have been in Madison for a while know that Union Corners needed something like this badly. The area sat vacant for years without a definitive plan, or reason for anyone to go there. It was a big empty lot at the junction of two major arteries in East Wash and Milwaukee - a beacon for street crime and other nefarious activities. Since upscale breweries are all the rage, a brewery with good food, including a true blue Fish Fry, was just what the doctor ordered. The Fish Fry on the corner is Lake Superior Whitefish or Alaskan Pollack for $13.50, and there was no way I was touching the neighbor to the Arctic north. My disdain for Pollack is well noted... In all honesty, I was skeptical of the whitefish as well, but I have to say UC quashed those concerns.
The 3-piece whitefish was surprisingly good and likely the best whitefish I’ve ever had; I'm not even joking. It wasn't slimy like most whitefish I've encountered, and comes kissed with a light and crunchy cornmeal breading. There was almost no grease to speak of, which is impressive for whitefish since, like I say, it's not the best deep frying fish. It was borderline excellent, but all that said, I can only imagine how much better a nice hunk of buttery cod would be in this style.
There are a couple potato options to choose form (neither of which are French fries), and the “pommes” as they're referred to were spectacular. The were spot-on and quite possibly the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had. Sorry, Mom, but it's true.
The tartar was also commendable, and perked the fish up ever so slightly. In addition to is yummy flavor, it came in a fantastic biodegradable cup which didn't leak, didn't get soggy, and won't be sitting in some landfill for the next 100,000 years. Bravo! I hope more places catch on to this one and I have no qualms about doling out some extra credit for it!
Coleslaw can be an afterthought at the typical Fish Fry, but Union Corners put their thinking caps on for this one. It was as unique as they come; sweet and savory at the same time and popped with plenty of fennel. Yes, fennel. It sounds weird, but by god, it worked. And worked in the best of ways. The only real detractor to this Fish Fry was the fact there was no bread served, but in all honesty we're getting used to it in the anti-gluten twenty-teens.
Madison has a ton of desirable breweries all of a sudden; from One Barrel, Next Door, ALT, Working Draft and Giant Jones on the near east side, to Rockhound downtown, Funk Factory and Delta Beer Lab on the south side, and Octopi and Lone Girl out in Waunakee, a legitimate beer scene has erupted. Union Corners Brewing is yet another great addition to that ever growing list. Overall, we recommend this Fish Fry and Union Corners in general. It's a real draw, and just what a once blighted corner needed.
www.unioncornersbrewery.com
2438 Winnebago Street
Madison, WI 53704
(608) 709-1406
