Review
The Friday Fish Fry at the Dane is somewhat pricy at $14 but about what you expect for the ambiance of a downtown establishment. The Beer Battered Lake Perch tasted good but the batter was incredibly thick and rich and slightly over the top. When it arrived I wondered if the three “butterflies” would be enough, it turned out with the thick batter it was more than enough. It reminded me of the batter they switched to at the Orpheum recently. It is good, but a bit much, and really doesn’t leave much room for the taste of the fish.
If there was one thing I expected it is that the French fries would be good, and they were. The Dane’s fries are thick and straight cut with just the right amount of salt. In fact when we ordered the Fish Fry I don’t think there was even a potato option or if there was our waiter assumed were we all getting fries and didn’t even ask. The tartar sauce was fine but was definitely unique. There was some red onion in it was well as some dill and/or parsley, but none of them dominated the flavor.
Last week I was shocked when we went for fish and we didn’t get any sort of bread with the Fish Fry. Apparently the Dane follows this same model and does not serve bread standard with the Fish Fry. I was informed by my fellow diners that the have very good “beer bread” at the Dane and they probably don’t give you any with your fish since they figure you will be buying some of it anyway. I think a Fish Fry should be served with bread regardless of whether there is other good bread on the menu or not. Just throw me a bone and slap a piece of bread on there, whatever it is.
The portion of coleslaw served with each Fish Fry dinner was immense although it did not really taste very good. It is clear that they use high quality ingredients but it just did not come together well which is kind of how I felt about this Fish Fry overall. The Fish was good, but the batter was overdone. The tartar was good but could have been simplified. This seems to be a case of trying to “class up” the Fish Fry which hasn’t fully worked. When it comes to Fish Fry the K.I.S.S. method seems to be the best philosophy. Just keep it simple.
It turned out that the rehearsal plans were pretty informal, simply involving a reservation at the Downtown Great Dane's lovely outdoor patio. What's more, in their desire to keep it simple, the gracious couple allowed us to order whatever we wanted off the regular menu rather than limiting our options to a few selected dishes. And guess what the "regular" menu consists of on Friday? That's right, Fish Fry! On Friday the Dane's everyday fish-n-chips is usurped by a full-fledged Fish Fry which has a few different options, among them a common cod and couple different preparations of walleye. I thought it over briefly, but settled on the "Walleye Fry".
Initially I had my worries that our large group would lead to soggy fish since coordinating that many entrees can be difficult (a fate we have previously succumb to at the Dane). Thankfully we were spared, and the two walleye fillets were freshly fried and clearly didn't sit under any heat lamps. They were nice and hot, and LOOKED fantastic. Their appearance was bolstered by what appeared to be a heavily-seasoned batter and the fact that you get two small fillets in lieu of one massive one. The walleye was high quality, featuring a flaky texture and mild flavor. Unfortunately, the thick batter just didn't deliver. While the creamy coating looked spicy it came off bland and held in grease like a wet rag. The resulting fish was totally edible, but underwhelming to say the least.
While we divorced ourselves from the fish we had no problem entering into a long-term relationship with the Dane's Pub Fries. The super spuds were thick and perfectly cooked. They kept things interesting with a little season salt here and there, and took a lot of the focus of the woeful walleye. The tartar was also marrying material as the thick sauce housed a real zip to go along with the other miscellaneous stuff in it.
We didn't enter into any sort of binding contract with the coleslaw and it's a good thing we didn't. While we didn't end up loathing the creamy concoction, our lifestyle simply wasn't compatible with it. When it comes to slaw we need a spark - something to keep us interested, and any initial attraction quickly wore off.
If there is one thing that can end a marriage it is when your spouse pays more attention to your buddies that they do to you. For some reason the Walleye Fry was forced to endure this exact shoddy treatment. While its pan-fried pal comes complete with a dinner roll, the deep-fried dish gets the shaft and receives no bread whatsoever. It is a real kick in the junk, and pretty much the straw that breaks the camel's back when it comes to the Walleye Fry. At this point we filed papers.
While Gabe's marriage is sure to endure all that life can dish out, the same cannot be said of the Dane's Fish Fry. While the good times (the fries and the tartar) were very good, the bad times (no bread with the fish and too much batter on the fish) were too much to bear. Overall, we don't recommend the Fish Fry at the Dane even when served on their scrumptious outdoor patio. On the other hand, Gabe and his lovely bride easily garner the MFF seal of approval and we have nothing but the best wishes for our friends as they trek into uncharted waters.