Fish Type: Cod Price: $9.50
Overall, I would recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Excellent Potato Score: Fair Tartar Score: Good Bread Score: Good Miscellaneous Score: Good |  |
Comment: Ive been to the Badger Bowl for fish a few times before, but this had to be the best visit of them all. The reason? The cod.
The no-frills Friday lunch special at the Badger Bowl is available as a 2 or 3-piece, and comes with all the standard accoutrements (plus a soda). Once our order reached the kitchen the food was ready in no time (the printer they use to transfer them from the bar to the kitchen jammed and it took a minute or two for them to realize what was going on and fix it). The cod was nice and hot, and much tastier than I remembered it being. It was light and flaky, but somewhat slick due to a little bit of grease. Thankfully, the entrapped oil wasnt gross, and didnt saturate the batter. The batter itself was golden brown and almost seemed to have a glow about it. It boasted a superb flavor that gave the snowy cod a real boost. It was flat-out delicious, and theres not much more that needs to be said (other than I wish I would have ordered a 3-piece).
Some Julienne-cut spuds came with the fish, but were clearly fried during the printer jam. They were lukewarm when they arrived and pretty much cold by the end of the meal. The portion was also incredibly small and left me unsatisfied.
The tartar was thick and tasty, but had a very strong relish overtone. It was potent, but fortunately the fish had some might of its own the spirited sauce wasnt able to take total control.
Rounding it all out was a fresh dinner roll, and some finely-chopped coleslaw. The roll was soft and fluffy, and torn-off to perfection. The slaw was homemade and kind of elegant (for slaw), and while I think it could use a little kick, it was inoffensive and pleasurable, and probably pleasing for the masses.
Fish is the one element that can make or break a Fish Fry, and in this case it totally made it. While the fries, tartar, coleslaw, and roll were all adequate, the cod is what really made the meal matter, and in the end that is just how its supposed to be. Overall, I recommend the Fish Fry at the Badger Bowl, and will come back any time I want good fish for a fair price or if I feel like bowling.
www.badgerbowl.com
506 E. Badger Road
Madison, WI 53713
(608_ 274-6662
