Fish Type: Cod Price: $17.00
Overall, I would highly recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Excellent Potato Score: Good Tartar Score: Excellent Bread Score: Excellent Miscellaneous Score: Excellent |  |
Comment: Years ago someone told me there was a great Fish Fry hiding in plain sight down in Fort Atkinson. It took a while, but we finally made the drive to the @firesidetheatre to see for ourselves.
The Fireside takes reservations for their Fish Fry, and since they only do matinees on Fridays there isn’t any theater traffic to deal with. The beer battered cod goes for $17 and comes with all the trimmings plus a side of streamed veggies. There is also a baked option, buttermilk fried chicken, or a combo of all three, but I just stuck to the standard deep fried (although they all sounded appealing).
Our waitress was professional and prompt and brought slaw and a small basket of bread just a few seconds after our orders went in. The slaw was cool and creamy and a simply delicious rendition. The rye in the basket was soft and fresh with just enough crustiness to balance it out. My wife and I also both sampled the chowder ($4 a cup) and agreed it was good, but not great.
The cod came out looking like a million bucks shortly after and I tore right into it. The four chunks were hearty and easy to handle which made dipping into the thick, homemade tartar a pleasure. The fish had a soft feeling but maintained its flaky texture. The beer batter, while not crispy, had a decadent flavor and was virtually grease free. All in all it was really tasty and I devoured all four pieces.
You don’t find many German potato pancakes in Madison so when they show up on a menu my hands are basically tied. These latkes were on the thick side as far as PPs go and fried crisp. They were firm enough that you could have picked them up like chips and dipped them in the delicious ruby red apple sauce. The steamed veggies were basic, but a nice bonus.
The Fireside is a cool place and the hour drive flew by on this gorgeous summer day. We also hit a couple shops in town which made the trek even more worth it. Overall, this Fish Fry is probably highly recommendable, and I’m glad we finally took that trip.www.firesidetheatre.com/
1131 Janesville Ave
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
(920) 563-9505
