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: Well, I don’t know if that could have gone any smoother…in the door around 11:30 and out around noon. Almost like stealing…
Of course when you pay $13 for a 2-piece cod you’re not stealing anything, but the service at Monkeyshines sure made it feel that way. My butt hit the barstool and I had a stiff, no-nonsense bloody in front of me faster than you can say “a little spicy.” The bloody did the deed, but was about as basic as they come, which foreshadowed the food that followed.
Like the drink, the cod was ready in the blink of an eye and served scalding hot. As I tore into it a legitimate plume of steam rose from the freshly-cracked fillet and let me know this cook wasn’t messing around and really knows his stuff.
At first glance I could tell this cod was hand-breaded and high quality. The coating was extra-crunchy and offset the flaky fish remarkably well. Being that Monkeyshines is a true bar I wagered their fish wouldn’t be so pure, but try as I might I didn’t detect a hint of the sodium triphosphate translucency that plagues lower quality products. Well done.
The portion of battered fries was on the small side, but what was there was great. The tartar fell on the thin end of the spectrum, but appeared homemade and complimented the cod well. Lastly, an overflowing cup of slaw was heavy on the juice, but also brought the heat. It had a great pop and a pleasant flavor which makes sense as I’m sure it accompanies many of their specialty BBQ dishes. Good stuff.
With a name like Monkeyshines you might think their food would be an afterthought, but I can assure you this Fish Fry is no joke. Overall, we have no issues with recommending the Friday special, and will definitely be back soon to confirm what we just found out - when it comes to Fish Fry, this monkey shines.www.monkeyshinesbarandgrill.com/
6209 McKee Rd
Fitchburg, WI 53719
(608) 274-5339
