Fish Type: Lake Perch Price: $26.00
Overall, I would highly recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Excellent Potato Score: Good Tartar Score: Excellent Bread Score: Poor Miscellaneous Score: Excellent |  |
Comment: Sometimes the best Fish Frys crop up when you least expect it…like on your wife’s birthday dinner for example. When I provided a list of potential places for m’lady’s big day I was a little surprised she selected the recently renovated Water Street Tavern in Stoughton. Apparently something on the menu caught her eye, and it wasn’t the $26 perch which had caught mine.
We waded into the Water Street with an 8:15 reservation in hand and our son’s soccer game in the rearview. We were greeted promptly by our outgoing waitress and she quickly relayed her menu faves for our consideration. Since it was already late we quickly made our selections, most of which jived with her recommendations.
We started with the calamari app which was a delightful departure from the traditional “deep fried with a shrimp sauce” rendition. The house Old Fashioned was also a bit of a curve ball, and they hit that out of the park too. All in all, a great start.
The perch followed soon after and looked impeccable. At first glance I could tell it was true yellow perch which made me happy since a lot of times when menus just say “Perch” it’s Zander or Pike-perch…There are no imposters to be found is these waters. What’s more, this perch was just the way I like it - lightly breaded, totally grease-free, with a perfect crunch. Outstanding. There were also seven sizable fillets instead of the typical five which fell right in line with the “larger than average portions” found across the menu.
There are a number of sides to choose from and I stuck with the traditional fries and slaw, both of which were thoughtfully prepared and enjoyable. The fries were standard freezer-to-fryer fare, but the slaw was clearly made in-house and had a nice little pop of cider vinegar. There wasn’t any bread with the otherwise comprehensive Fry, but with the app and so much else going on I easily overlooked it.
To say the WST was a welcomed surprise would be an understatement. Both the wife and I loved our food and the restaurant itself. It had a great cozy vibe and seemingly fits somewhere between a true supper club and a modern speakeasy. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and can hardly wait to dive in again.waterstreettavernstoughton.com
324 S Water St
Stoughton, WI 53589
(608) 480-4001
