Fish Type: Bluegill Price: $12.00
Overall, I would highly recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Excellent Potato Score: Excellent Tartar Score: Excellent Bread Score: Good Miscellaneous Score: Excellent |  |
Comment: Say what you want about Tobys. Say its small. Say its cramped on Friday nights. Say its not your cup of tea. Say any of those things, just dont say they dont have a good Fish Fry. Thats just not true.
Tobys has a great Fish Fry and perhaps the best that Madison has to offer. Their slate of fish is as complete as any, fully stocked with: cod, lake perch, walleye (baby pike), bluegill, and even catfish. During the lunch hour the baby pike goes for $12 and the bluegill for $11. I dined on both recently and heres what I thought
They were great. End of story
Just kidding. Dont get me wrong, they are great, but thats far from the end of the story. The baby pike is actually a man-sized portion as the two fillets add up to at least 10 oz. of meat. The young fish have a smooth and flaky texture that is more tender than their adult counterparts and dont have the same musky flavor. Its a really sophisticated rendition and tastes more like lake perch than a full grown walleye. The supple meat pairs elegantly with Tobys wispy breading resulting in perfectly balanced fillets.
The bluegill is also immaculate and as hearty as you see for $11. The nine or so fillets will vary in size but will be consistently delicious. The subtle fishy flavor is complemented by the same lightly-seasoned breading as the walleye resulting in nothing less than pure satisfaction.
Steak fries, baked potato or hash browns come on the side and are all good choices. The fries tend to fluctuate around the mean taste-wise but never get more than one standard deviation away and always come in droves. The hash browns, on the other hand, are always superb especially when loaded up with onion and topped with a slab of classic American cheese.
Tobys tartar is simply bangin, and while the fish doesnt call out for it, it always welcome. Its the supper club standard thick and creamy mayo mix with just enough relish to keep things interesting. It brings down the house every time.
At lunch a nice, soft piece of French bread partners with a cup of Tobys sweeter-than-most coleslaw forming a dynamic duo thats more than up to snuff. Where so many places stumble in this area, Tobys excels, be it ever so subtly.
As if the stupendous fish and fantastic sides werent enough, Tobys even throws in a personal-sized serving of ice cream when all is said and done at no extra charge. How do ya like them apples (or in this case strawberries and vanillas)?
Tobys continues to impress and is easily one of, if not the absolute best Fish Frys Madison has to offer. Overall, we highly recommend both the bluegill and the baby pike as well as all the other fish they have to offer. Tobys is simply superb, and one place that clearly aims to please.
www.tobyssupperclub.com/Tobys_Supper_Club/Home.html
3717 S Dutch Mill Road
Madison, WI 53718
(608) 222-6913
