Review
The Fish Fry at St. Pete's is still one of the best AYCEs around (when it's offered - see their website for details) and I like to get over there once during Lent every year if I can. Your $12 experience usually begins with a line of people out the door, and some cheap beers while you wait in the hallway. Don't be discouraged though, the line moves quickly and once you reach the end (the basement) you are seated and eat immediately. Everything in the basement is served family style (including the seating) so get ready for some fellowship with strangers.
Everything basically hits the table at once, shepherded by students from the school. Any good Christian knows the drill - grab some fish and pass it to your neighbor, grab some fries and do the same. The fish is good, although a bit of a mixed bag. Since there are thin cuts and thick cuts entering the fryer at the same time, the thin pieces have a tendency to get over-fried. The move here is to stick to the thicker pieces if you have the option as those have a tendency to remain juicier. While the breading seemed to have less seasoning than that in our memory, it still held strong to the meat and harbored no grease.
St. Pete's used to go straight crinkle fry, but the game has changed since last we communed. The new fries are a testament to their willingness to adapt to the times and feature a big battered crunch. Once the bowl is drained the kids keep 'em coming and I must have eaten 80 of the sticks if not more.
The tartar on the table is still a little thin and lacks punch, but still slathers the heck out of those cod loins. Some finely-chopped coleslaw had a basic vinegar base and a pleasant pop. It was a great addition and a nice departure from the creamy concoction we remember. Oh yeah, there is corn too...bonus! Rounding things out are some factory white bread slices which are nothing fancy, but thank the Lord are still there, and milk or coffee for those who want something other than cheap beer.
If there is one thing I remember from the Sundays of my youth (aside from the Packers stinking) it was the whole forgiveness of sins part. We all make mistakes and it's up to us to make things right and I hope I've done that to some extent. Like I say, the whole goal of these reviews is to share information about amazing Fish Frys and St. Pete's has one of the best around. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and think they rise to the occasion each end every time.
Being a good shepherd I put word out to my Fish Fry flock and let them know that they should join us as we partook in the goodness that is St. Pete's. In these troubled times, with the go-go-rush-rush of modern day life, only the ever loyal Jeremiah and the benevolent Mr. Bina saw the light of The Fry. We met at the church right at 5 o'clock hoping the Fish Fry gods would smile on us and favor us with a quick turnaround. Praise be to the loyal followers, the Lord smiles upon thee.
Since we arrived right at the start (they serve from 5-8pm) we were able to cruise through the hallway relatively quickly. 30 minutes, and two MGD's later, we were downstairs and in the thick of it. We hit Table 8 with our temporary family and within a couple minutes the homemade bread, corn, and coleslaw revealed themselves. We all dove right in and grabbed a generous portion of each.
The bread was billed as homemade and the plain white slices clearly were. The excessively finely chopped slaw was also likely homemade and suited my palate just fine, although it wasn't very zesty. The corn was just corn, but was a nice addition to the lineup and worth some extra credit. After clearing our plates of these forerunners we were assured the fish would be right out.
A couple minutes later the scalding hot cod made its appearance. I pulled three off the top and instantly went to work. This fish is ungodly good. While it is difficult to put your finger on exactly what makes the fish so good it is not difficult to eat a ridiculous amount of it. Both the batter and the fish were light and flaky resulting in almost perfectly tender filets that practically fall apart in your mouth. Our table got at least three full plates of fish delivered, each being hotter than the one that preceded it. Simply divine.
While the fish is out of this world, the fries and tartar are good but certainly not on that level. The crinkle cut fries are served all you can eat, and were equally as hot as the fish, but there is really nothing special about them. The tartar was probably a little bit better than the fries but was very thin and really spread out on the plate rather than piling high. It is homemade and I suspect this thin mix is due to the addition of Ranch dressing which makes it tasty, but runny.
After eating as much fish as I could eat I wasn't sure I would have room for the desert which was to follow, however, when the plate of homemade cakes made its appearance I quickly found space. The delicious cake, all the pints of milk you can drink, and the great service from parents and students alike help to round out this truly great Fish Fry.
Overall, I highly recommend you check out St. Pete's website and attend one of their upcoming events. When you take it all in, this is simply a fantastic deal. For $11 (tip included) you get all the fish, fries, corn, coleslaw and tartar you can eat, all the milk and coffee you can drink and a piece of cake to top it all off. This was yet another divine experience at St. Peter, I only wish we could have shared it with more followers of the Fish Fry.
St. Pete's which art in Ashton,
Hallowed be thy Fry.
Thy Friday come.
Thy will eat fish,
In Madison as we do in Ashton.
Give us this Friday our weekly Fish Fry,
And forgive us our overeating,
As we forgive those who don't come to your Fish Fry with us,
And lead us not into Filet-O-Fish,
But deliver us from servers who make cheesy jokes.
For thine has the cod, the fries and the tartar,
That we would like to eat forever and ever.
Amen.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Adeste_Fidelis.ogg
O come, all ye fishful,
Hungry and impatient!
O come ye, O come ye to holy Ashton;
Come and behold it
A Fish Fry fit for Angels:
O come, let us gorge on cod,
O come, let us feast on fries,
O come, let us taste tartar,
It's All You Can Eat!
King of cod,
Lightness of breading,
Lo, it abhors not flakiness or subtle hints of spice;
Heavenly cod,
A gift of the creator:
O come, let us share white bread,
O come, let us pass coleslaw,
O come, let us make new friends,
Family-style friends!
Fry, crinkle-cut fries,
Thin but tasty tartar,
Consume, all ye citizens of Dane County!
Glory to cod
And its complements:
Yea, fish, we eat thee,
Engorged this happy evening;
Cupcakes, to thee be given!
Lord of the Fish Fry,
St. Pete's!
Please, be seated...
My friends, what we witness here is no small feat. It is an act of community, of charity, of Fish Fry. Where else do neighbors enjoy the fellowship of Fish Frys as they do in Ashton? For only $11 it almost seems unscrupulous, but this is the way they want it - who are we to argue? We simply give thanks.
Let us pray to St. Pete's...
For the homemade white bread, and crisp, fresh coleslaw which awaited our arrival at the table, we give thanks. These items displayed your compassion, as you didn't want us longing and coveting the slaw of our neighbors. Your wisdom is evident.
The fish arrived only seconds later, again showing your benevolent nature - your servants wanted for us not to wait; we took our share, but didn't overindulge until everyone had a chance to enjoy your bounty - these, lessons you taught us. The fish was delicious as you would have it no other way. We enjoyed each and every one of the eight pieces you blessed us with, and had no qualms about baptizing them in your thin, but ample tartar. We give thanks for you generosity and sense for spices.
Of course, we cannot overlook the abundance of crinkle-cut fries thou hath provided. Their numbers filled our bellies with good nature, and filled the void between rounds of your cod. We thank you for your staunchness with the starches and appreciate the baked potato option thou hath graced us with even if we doth not eat it.
Your followers carry out your work with jovial diligence and it is clear why they do it - the deliciousness of your fish compels them. We fall on our knees and give thanks to all the servants who volunteer their time to make your meal such a fantastic value. Blessed be the fryers.
We pray all these things in the name of St. Pete's Fish Fry. Amen.
Saint Pete’s only serves from 5pm until 8pm so if you are used to eating late it can be a bit of a challenge to get there. We showed up about 7:30 figuring the line would be short and we’d slip right it. Think again. The line was practically out the door, which if you know the layout of the place, is really long. We grabbed a couple beers and headed to the back of the line to wait. Yes you heard right, you get to drink beer in the hallway of the Catholic school while you wait in line for fish. Now, that is Wisconsin right there.
A few MGD’s and about 40 minutes later we had seen all the kid’s artwork we could stand and exited the hallway for the glory of the basement. This is no ordinary basement however, it is a Mecca of Fish Fry and merely entering gave me a good feeling. We were actually lucky, since it was just the two of us we got in at least 15 minutes quicker than if we would have came with a big group.
As soon as we hit the seats the food hit the table. The first course was slaw, white bread and corn, all served family style and more than plentiful. We enjoyed our food with our temporary “family” and waited for the cod to make its appearance.
The fish came out and was served ungodly hot. I grabbed three pieces up right away and went after them. It was fresh tasting, and delicious, fried just perfectly with a unique batter that was nothing short of phenomenal. The batter and fish were both tender and flaky and fell apart with little effort. After putting away the three good sized chunks I was only able to handle a couple smaller pieces on the next round which was alright because I knew dessert was coming and I wanted to have a little room.
The crinkle cut fries are also served AYCE and are just what you expect to see at a Fish Fry. They aren’t going to blow you away but they are tasty. The tartar sauce comes in a big bottle but is straight forward and delicious, although passing it around the table does get to be a bit of a hassle. What is somewhat surprising is how well this Fish Fry is coordinated. Everything flows in and of the kitchen and dishes seem to be cleared as soon as they are used up. It is well worth the $11 price tag when you consider that you get: AYCE fish, fries, corn, milk, and a cupcake at the end (unfortunately mine was coconut). Not to mention there is no “waitress” to tip.
We were lucky to get in when we did as I heard that about 20 people got turned away and missed their Fish Fry at St. Pete’s this Good Friday. I bet those folks show up earlier next year. Overall, this is truly one of the best places to get Fish Fry in Madison. It is well worth the short drive out the Ashton and the long wait with two dollar beers. I'm sure even Jesus would be pleased.