Review
Since I wasn’t in Madison I didn’t have the normal Fish Fry crew and I tried to drum up some interest but didn’t find any takes for the trip to the river. Eventually I got sick of trying and decided to enjoy the solo drive and eat what I heard was some great fish by myself. When I arrived I was hoping the barkeep would just let me chill at the bar and enjoy my fish in peace, but was dismayed when he said I had to eat in the dining room. Apparently “When it is busy (like this) I like to keep the bar open” even when there are 10-15 open seats around the bar. Regardless I rolled with it and he at least put me on the list while I waited.
My corner table was ready for me about 15 minutes later and the hostess led me too it. I was happy to see my lone paper placemat chockfull of games for the kids of which I certainly would have time to partake in. The waitress showed up soon after, took my order and grabbed me another beer. The only Fish Fry option at Rocky’s is the “Batterfried Fish” which is actually cod as you might expect. It is also All You Can Eat which I’m not sure was even listed on the menu. As I waited for the AYCE I enjoyed a “cool” tasting coleslaw and a cold roll which was nothing spectacular but just fine.
As I finished the slaw the fish and fries made their appearance. The plate was covered with three generous cod filets and a mountain of crinkle cut fries. As I chomped into my first piece of cod and tarter I was greeted by pure heat. These things were straight out of the fryer and not kidding around. I swigged my beer to quench the fire and proceeded to let me next bite cool before attempting that feat again. I could actually taste the next bite and it was phenomenal. It was so light and flaky it almost floated. The cod was perfectly white and smooth and when combined with light, crumbly batter created a divine taste. The creamy blend of tarter worked in perfect conjunction with the fish to create a taste which was greater than the sum of its parts.
One element of this Fish Fry that left me wanting more were the crinkle cut fries. They were slightly overcooked but were still pretty good, although I bet they could have been outstanding if delivered on the money. The waitress did deliver and came at least twice to ask if I had all I could eat. She also brought everything lickety-split and was very pleasant to the one loner in the restaurant.
Overall, this was a great Fish Fry and definitely highly recommendable. The fish was above reproach especially when paired with the tarter. The fries could have been better but the service more than made up for it even if the bartender could have been more accommodating (seeing as when I paid my bill those same 10-15 seats were open). If you are ever in the La Crosse area make sure to give Rocky’s a whirl, and maybe give their “Bleufish” a try. I didn’t but I heard a lot of folks ordering it and it certainly sounds interesting.
Rocky's is a true blue supper club and as such a relish tray comes to the table before any of the fried stuff. This was a proper tray with plenty of carrots, radishes, pickles, and peppers to please a diversity of diners. A big old basket of rolls, cups of supper club standard coleslaw, and a dish full of pre-portioned tartar cups also arrived at the same time and set the stage for the curds and the fish which was soon to come.
Let's start with the curds and get that out of the way. While obviously not part of a typical Fish Fry, the curds at Rocky's are apparently "world famous" and they tout them all over the Coulee Region. They are definitely good ones, but what really set them off was the shrimp sauce that came with. I love horseradish. The curds seemingly share the same beer batter as the cod, which is really light and crunchy, but not as otherworldly as the airy cod of my memory. This cod had a little grease leakage here and there and not a ton of flavor. It was still very good, but since it's not AYCE it does lose some luster.
The fries were just regular crinkles and easily the lowlight of the entire meal. I mean, there just really isn't all that much you can do to make them great. Conversely, the tartar was sweet and zippy, and about as thick as you'll find anywhere. It was a supper club popper and really made the competent fish look much smarter.
There was a day when places simply had to be AYCE just to get people in the door, but as the price of cod rises, and the alternatives just aren't that attractive (I'm looking at you Pollock), these places aren't given much choice...it's go 3-piece, go high (priced), or go home. I think restaurants like Rocky's are doing it right - keep things around $13, give people 3 big pieces of quality fish, and add a few perks like a relish tray to make them feel like they are getting more than just some fish-n-chips. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and will keep coming back any time we are back in the Driftless.