Fish Type: Cod Price: $6.00
Overall, I would not recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Fair Potato Score: Good Tartar Score: Poor Bread Score: Good Miscellaneous Score: Good |
Comment: A few things were immediately apparent with this Fish Fry. Obviously, being Copps, take-out is going to be your only option. Whether you choose to sit in your car in the parking lot or try to race home, time is not your friend when Styrofoam containers are involved with Fish Fry. Needless to say the fish isnt going to be freshly fried to begin with (unless you get extremely lucky), but the added time in transit only hinders it further. By the time I got mine home lukewarm would have been a luxury.
Sure, I could have heated it up some, but I was hungry and decided to bite the bullet. Though it was less than fresh the $6.00 2-piece cod actually tasted good, at least as good as cold-ish fish can. While flakiness was and afterthought at this point a light breading still lent the cod a notable flavor. It was also virtually grease-free which was impressive considering the circumstances. The floppy fish was hard to hold, and a little tricky to dip, but was really about as good as you can expect all things considered.
Since its basically just a meal from Copps deli case the side options with the Fish Fry were plentiful. Being a stickler for tradition I bucked the onion rings, and played off the macaroni salad, opting instead for the classic wedge fries and a side of coleslaw. The wedges travelled better than the cod and were presumably fried after its friend. The plump spuds were zesty and satisfying, and we wouldnt hesitate to get them again. The coleslaw was also good with a Wilsons-like creaminess, but a much tastier finish.
Commercial tartar might be fine for the masses, and who knows, maybe fish sticks with Heinz tartar are the bees knees? I couldnt tell ya, but it still isnt what I want with my Fish Fry, and while the two packets of sauce sufficed, it certainly didnt help the fish, which really could have used the boost that homemade tartar usually provides.
A slice of marble rye did all it could, but suffice it to say a dry little piece of bread simply couldnt make up the ground lost by the unoriginal tartar and the tepid fish.
So, this is a tough one. On one hand, this Fish Fry is a great deal, and tastes pretty good. But on the other hand, it isnt made to order which means it isnt going to be scalding hot the way we like it. It is a bit of a double-edge sword and while wed really love to give Copps the benefit of the doubt, when the fish isnt hot the Fish Fry aint cool. Overall, we dont recommend this Fish Fry right based on this experience, but thats not to say we wont ever be back in hopes of finding hotter fish. Well just have to make sure we pre-heat the oven next time.
www.copps.com
2502 Shopko Drive
Madison, WI 53704
(608) 243-1000
