Fish Type: Cod Price: $9.00
Overall, I would not recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Good Potato Score: Good Tartar Score: Fair Bread Score: Good Miscellaneous Score: Good |
Comment: Wando's really used to deliver the goods. Not only was their fish tasty, but it was relatively cheap too. It was the best of both worlds and a Fish Fry we happily relied on for years. Moreover it was a diverse Fish Fry with cod, walleye, and lake perch every Friday and not one of them over $12.00. Oh how things have changed.
A few months ago we went to Wando's and tried the "perch" (which was historically the best of the bunch) and were massively disappointed when we were served ocean perch instead of the classic freshwater variety. It was the first sign of a Fish Fry in decline, but we hoped it was just a temporary setback. Unfortunately, on this visit the degeneration continued.
Not only was the lake perch absent from the menu again, but any form of perch was gone altogether. The only remaining options were cod and walleye and since Id already had walleye earlier in the day I settled on the cod even though I was hesitant to do so. In addition, Wando's was busy this Friday (there was a Badger hockey game at the Kohl Center), but it wasn't that busy. Regardless, the waitress on the second floor completely ignored us for a good 10 minutes so we eventually went to the bar to get our own beer and put in our order with the bartender. It was a little bizarre to say the least.
The fish actually arrived pretty quickly after that and looked decent (I was worried it would sit by the kitchen since the waitress couldn't have cared less). The plate featured all five items youd expect it to, and I started with the fish as you might expect me to. The cod actually tasted fine, but that was thanks exclusively to the seasoned breading. The fish itself was far from pristine and had a translucent appearance (a sure sign that it had been frozen for quite some time). Furthermore, it wasn't as flaky as youd like it to be and the ends had a brownish twinge to them.
Item 2/5 was the curly fries I chose over the plain variety, and they were a hodgepodge to say the least. They tasted fine overall, but there were a lot of nubs and some that were a too crispy. It was definitely a mixed bag, but a bag you didnt necessarily mind holding.
Next on the list was Wando's tartar which is their usual dilly blend that isn't terrible, but isn't exactly what youre after (especially when the cod could use a pick-me-up).
Sitting in the fourth spot was a 4 oz cup of standard coleslaw. It wasn't a bad blend and was totally edible, but nothing youd come back for specifically. I ate it all anyway if that tells you anything.
Rounding out the quintet was a regular dinner roll which was every bit of ordinary.
While Wando's didn't deliver the goods this time around I dont think it's totally a lost cause per se. They still have their walleye which reportedly remained very good, and is reasonably priced. Overall, we don't recommend the cod at Wando's, but would still come back for another crack at the walleye (provided it doesn't disappear from the menu too).
www.wandosbar.com/
602 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53715
(608) 256-5204
