Fish Type: Lake Perch Price: $10.25
Overall, I would recommend this fish fry.
| Fish Score: Excellent French Fry Score: Good Tartar Score: Good Bread Score: Good Miscellaneous Score: Good |  |
Long ago when I lived on Old University we frequented the Blue Moon. In fact, the day I graduated from college we took my whole family there for a celebratory lunch. I always enjoyed their daily menu, but for one reason or another found their Fish Fry to be underwhelming. Since I was on campus and flying solo, I decided to that the Moon was a good option. I showed up around 11:30, noted the whiteboard special, and looked over the SPECIAL FRIDAY MENU from my barstool. The menu abounds with cod and walleye options, but what really grabbed my attention was the lake perch special listed on the whiteboard. While the bartender said it was available every Friday, I was perplexed as to why it wasn’t on the actual menu, but went ahead and ordered it anyway.
My order went in, and the fish came out in about 3 minutes. It was seriously that fast. For $10.25 you are treated to 7-8 fillets of lightly battered perch, with all the trimmings. The fish was actually really good, and much better than the beer battered cod I have had in the past. It was incredibly moist while still being tender and flaky. The breading aided the fish, and while it didn’t have a ton of flavor it was crumbly and light. It almost looked like the fillets were pre-battered due to how consistent the coating was, but it was so good it that must have homemade.
The crinkle cut fries were not homemade however, but were still very good. The plentiful potatoes were as hot as the fish when served and maintained the Fish Fry standard. The tartar sauce was also really good, and while it may well have been from Sysco my Solo cup was 100% empty by the end. It was composed of a thick mayo base with an ideal amount of relish. While the portion was fair, the thirsty perch almost drank it all. Luckily a Fish Fry master, such as myself, knew the situation and allotted it perfectly.
Rounding out the Fry was some homemade slaw and a packaged dinner roll. The slaw was nice and creamy, but didn’t really have much zip. The white bun was average, but actually kind of stale which made it a little less desirable. By and large they were adequate, and certainly much better than going without.
Overall, this was a really good Fish Fry and a complete one-eighty from my previous experiences at the Moon. While the cod has been lacking in the past, the perch really stood out. In addition, the bartenders and waitresses were doing a great job of keeping the food flowing and the patrons satisfied. I am really glad I bit the bullet and decided to give the Blue Moon another chance, and maybe on my next visit I will give the walleye dinner a whirl since, at ten bucks, it is seriously cheap. As it stands, the perch I had this trip is a definite winner and easily recommendable. Forget the cows and chickens when you hit Westside of campus and head over to the Blue Moon for some lake perch, you won’t be disappointed. I wasn’t.
www.bluemoonbar.com
2535 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53705
(608) 233-0441
