Fish Type: Haddock Price: $13.00
Overall, I would highly recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Excellent Potato Score: Excellent Tartar Score: Excellent Bread Score: Excellent Miscellaneous Score: Excellent |  |
Comment: Not many places take reservations on Friday nights in Wisconsin, that's just the way it is. The Friday rush can be more than a lot of places can handle and adding the promise of seating people at a specific time could become unbearable (especially under an AYCE scenario). Of course, there are some exceptions to that rule and Fish Tales is one of them. Fish Tales will take you reservation but it's more of a "soft hold" in my opinion. We made ours for 6:30 and got in around 6:45 which on a Friday I'd say is fair. Plus, it gave us plenty of time to have a cocktail...or two (actually three) since we got there a little before that even.
Once we got all squared away things ran like clockwork. Our waiter, Bennett, stopped by immediately, grabbed our orders (since we'd had plenty of time to figure out what we wanted prior to sitting down), and came back in flash with a nice warm basket of pre-cut French bread slices. Warm bread is always a huge bonus and these fluffers played perfectly with the simply superb clam chowder (added for an up-charge). This chowdah had it all, and thick and creamy base with plenty of potato and just enough clam bits to floating near the bottom to let you know they're there. It set the stage perfectly for the main event which came shortly thereafter.
FTs has quite a few fish to choose from including lake perch and bluegill, but I stuck to my guns and ordered the "Friday Fish Fry" which is a 3-piece haddock. While I knew from previous experience the bluegill was great the haddock might have been even better. The 3-pieces were just the right size, and just the right fry. They were home to a golden breading that had a noticeable amount of seasoning and stayed light and grease-free. The fat and flaky planks of meat peeled apart effortlessly when desired, but held together under the weight of the breading. This stuff practically floated on air and my only qualm was that there wasn't an AYCE options, because I guarantee you I would have put down a minimum of seven pieces. This is the good stuff.
While the haddock easily held its own it was even more appealing when slathered with the Tales' homemade tartar sauce. This stuff was simply superb with a tangy sweetness any other sauce would envy. It really made the haddock something more and clung to it with reckless abandon. I could eat this stuff solo with a spoon...not even joking.
Fish Tales has lots of potato options to choose from and the potato pancakes were a wise move. While saying it plural was a misnomer, the one big cake necessitated its own side plate and came with a 4 oz cup of apple sauce perched right on its savory belly. Syrup was also an option, but also an additional up-charge, and I felt good with apple sauce side. The pancake itself had a great flavor with just enough onion essence and all other elements in balance. While it was a gigantic disc I could easily have eaten at least one more. Perhaps you are sensing a theme here...
Last on the list was some homemade slaw which was creamy and tasty but took a third row seat to the fish, cakes, and sauce. I'm sorry I can't remember more about it, but when the Big 3 is this good it's easy to overlook even the best of slaws.
All in all this has to be one of the best Fish Frys we've had in a long long time, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention our boy Bennett one more time. His service was simply spectacular and delivered in a cool and casual demeanor despite the Friday crush he was dealing with. Well done, young man, well done. Overall, we highly highly recommend this Fish Fry and think you'd be wise to make your own reservation at Fish Tales as soon as possible.
www.fishtalesrestaurant.com/
W12690 State Road 188
Lodi, WI 53555
(608) 592-4266
