Review
The owner of Legend’s posted a message on our Facebook page telling us he was open and had a Fish Fry that we had to try. Since I go by the “If you build it, they will come” philosophy, when I hear a claims about Fish Fry I need to check them out for myself. I arrived at Legend’s a little after 1pm and grabbed a seat at the wide open bar.
I put in my order for a Spotted Cow and a 10 dollar Fish Fry and was pleasantly surprised to learn the fish of choice was Haddock. Haddock may not be “traditional” according to some people (see ClassicWisconsin) but, is top quality fish and delicious when fried. The bartender took my order to the kitchen and grabbed my beer and some slaw. The slaw was just plain Sysco style but the Cow was icy cold and delicious.
As I finished the last of the slaw that I was going to eat the fish arrived. It was fairly hot but, could have been a tad warmer. It had a decent batter although it was a little too thick which made the fish taste a little creamy. The fish itself was good but not as flaky as I expected it to be. Overall it was pretty good and the three filets were plenty for a dinner portion and almost a little too much for lunch.
Accompanying the fish was an army of seasoned straight cut fries. They were well fried and complimented the fish very well. What didn’t seem to compliment the fish was the dilly-ass tartar. While it had a good amount of mayo the dill was far too prevalent for my tastes and didn’t do it for me.
A lot of times you get the bread and slaw before the fish, Legend’s keeps you in suspense and serves their bread with the main course. It is some sort of cinnamon roll looking thing complete with a glazing, or syrup, if you will. It was actually really good and quite filling in itself.
Legend’s is a very crisp looking place due to the fact it is brand new. The service was fast and very friendly, just what you expect from a nicer sports bar like this. Overall the Fish Fry at Legend’s is certainly recommendable. The fish was good as were the fries and the roll. While it was not exactly what I was hoping for, it is a welcome addition to the West Side Fish Fry scene and I think with a few minor adjustments Legend’s has a chance to become Legendary.
Gabe and I rolled into the Grand Canyon Drive eatery just before noon and parked ourselves in one of the many, many open booths. We were seated by an "angelic" waitress who immediately took our orders and went to grab me a beer. We both went for the fish special, with Gabe opting for the garlic mashed potatoes with a salad, and me choosing the French fries and a cup of clam chowder. The beer, salad and chowder came post haste and we wasted no time in diving in.
MFF likes clam chowder, but usually doesn't opt for it unless it is included with the meal, we are glad this stuff was. At first taste it was clear; this chowder is homemade and a definite upgrade over a standard style coleslaw. While it wasn't overflowing with clam, it was nice and thick and was loaded with all sorts of interesting ingredients. Gabe's salad also looked nice and fresh although it certainly wasn't unique in any way. Advantage - chowder.
I polished off the soup in no time and a few minutes later the Fish Fry appeared, and man, did it look scrumptious. A year ago the fish was haddock, and while there is a chance this fish was too, I am betting on a change to cod. It was served as three nice sized fillets with a tasty beer batter that was not too thick. The fish itself was nice and light (not greasy), but for some reason was not incredibly flaky. The overall taste sensation was really good, and bordering on excellence.
The French fries came on a separate plate (supper club style) and were scalding hot when served. The Julienne cut beauties were perfectly fried and while the flavor wasn't out of this world it was vastly superior to a standard crinkle cut. The tartar sauce was also vastly superior to what I was expecting since on our first visit we were greeted by a dilly mess. The updated sauce of today was much more in line with what I expect at a Fry - a rich mayo blend with a hefty portion of relish. This stuff really gave the fish some zest, maybe even a little too much (skimpy on the relish, they were not, but I ain't complainin').
Putting the finishing touches on this luscious lunch was some corn on the cob (no sh*t) and some kind of maple syrup toast. The toast was a bit of a regression from the fancy bread they served last time, but the corn was a great addition. It was nice and sweet and the half-ear was a perfect amount when added to the meal. It was a satisfying bonus and certainly garners a little love from us.
There is nothing like a full-fledged Fish Fry served lightning quick by an attentive server. In fact our waitress came back at least five times to check and see how we were doing (although at least two of the visits were to clarify soup/salad and fried/baked), but I still give her credit. Overall, this is an easy Fish Fry to recommend and with all the little perks I would almost say highly so. They certainly have made a lot of changes (almost all for the better) and are really offering a crowd pleaser at this point. Our last trip, we mentioned that a few minor changes could make this Fish Fry renowned and I think they may have achieved that goal. We'll be back for some legendary fish at Legend's before long, bet on that.