Review
Prime examples of this species abound throughout the hamlet of Viroqua. One particularly active butterfly is of the sub-species, Bill Day. This creature gets around more than most, and if you make a drive into town you are almost guaranteed to happen upon it. This lovely Lepidoptera is a shining example of the species, and has the ability to bring smiles to peoples faces, and arouse genuine laughter with its various witticisms. We ran into the Bill Day at the local Agri-Center and it whispered sweet nothings about Fish Fry in our ears. It told tales of new bars in the area serving the Friday treat, and spoke optimistically of our previous Kwik Trip review. As quickly as it had come, it fluttered away to spread its musings amongst the rest of the small community.
The next day was a Friday, and we made the trip to town again. This time it was not nuts and bolts that filled our thoughts, but a delicious Fish Fry from the North Side Kwik Trip. We phoned ahead, and were told our fish would be netted within 20 minutes. Upon arriving at the counter ten minutes later we were startled, but not surprised, when the Bill Day snuck up behind us, its full grin ablaze. We had a feeling it would be here today. The silken winged one was enjoying a fish sandwich all its own, and spreading tales of Fish Fry lore. We exchanged pleasantries with the prize specimen, and before long had fish and hand. We sped out the door, leaving the butterfly behind; free to spread its wings and impart joy on the townspeople.
Like the butterfly, our fish practically flew home. The black bullet ushered the fried deliciousness up Main Street and into the county. Within 5 minutes the Styrofoam containers were on the kitchen table and ready for consumption. Since there was a slight delay due to the butterfly and a couple stop lights, the fish was not as scalding hot when we opened it as it was on our first visit. It was still very good however.
For a mere $4.19 you get three fairly decent sized pieces of cod. Often times when fish sits in a container, as ours did, it gets very greasy and loses a lot of its luster. The KT fish was a major exception. Even though it spent at least 5 minutes out of the fryer, no grease accumulated and it still tasted great. I assume this was due to the light batter and quality fish that allows any grease to drip off and stay in the fryer where it belongs. That said, the pieces were a little limp, but the tasty batter and flaky cod still did their job.
When you place your order they give you three potato options: regular fries, baked potato or wedges. Since we had a few orders we opted for wedges in one and were pleased we did. While the normal fries were very good, and in a much larger portion than last time, the wedge fries were outstanding. They were perfectly fried which made the inside soft and the spicy coating firm. They almost tasted like curly fries, but were just great being what they were. Next time, and every time after that, we will be getting the wedges.
Both the fish and fries were aided by the tartar which was right on the money. The solo cup was filled to the brim and just enough for the three-piece fish. The rolls were also abundant as each order came with two of them, but like my last visit, no slaw was served. We would certainly have asked about the slaw discrepancy, but the butterfly had our ear, as it normally does, and we totally forgot. That butterfly is one engrossing little bugger.
Overall, this is an easy Fish Fry to recommend especially when you consider all you get for four bucks. The fact that there is no tipping necessary, and that you can phone in an order, making turnaround a snap, only enhances its brilliance. As we finished our lunch and sat back, we thought about our friend the butterfly. He is the essence of this small town. He keeps things moving and spread cheer to all he meets. The good natured tales flow like water as it spreads the word of the day across its territory. It was only a matter of time before the majestic creature caught wind of the Kwik Trip Fish Fry. Now, take to the skies to spread the word my friend. There is big value in this small town.
When a friend told me that the North Side Kwik Trip was the best place to get Fish Fry anywhere around my hometown I was skeptical to say the least. Since I take all recommendations on Fish Fry seriously, I knew I had to give her favorite spot its day in the sun. It turned out that Robson was right on the money and I was soon eating my words along with a delicious gas station Fish Fry.
I showed up right at noon and noticed the parking lot was even busier than it normally is. I wasted no time and headed directly to the back of the store and found a trio of ladies manning the "kitchen". I asked for the Fish Fry, they asked how many pieces I wanted, and after waiting a measly 5 minutes I was out the door with a $3.29 2-piece in hand (yeah, you heard right, $3.29). The Fish Fry at Kwik Trip is basically a take out affair which could certainly be an issue if you live a long way out of town, luckily for me I didn't have too far to go and my fish was still practically scalding hot when I popped the container open.
I was starving so I immediately cracked into my first piece. The cod was clearly hand battered and was surprisingly good. The batter was light and flaky and simply tasted great. The pieces were rather tiny which made me wish I would have gotten (at least) a 3-piece, but the 2-piece sufficed for lunch. As for the fish itself, it seemed to be high quality and was fairly flaky although it did accumulate the tiniest bit of grease in a couple spots thanks to the short time spent in transit. By and large it was very good and a total stunner in my opinion.
The French fries were also very good but I got so few of them they, like the fish, were gone instantly. They were straight cut classic fries which were perfectly fried to a crisp golden brown. The tartar on the other hand was in heavy abundance when compared to it's comrades and could not be finished with fish nor fry. The solo cup was filled to the brim with the thick and creamy concoction. While it looked homemade it could easily have been Sysco or some other supplier brand. Either way it was delicious, and complimented the fish perfectly. Since I half expected it to be a packet of Hellmann's mayo or Kraft tartar sauce, whatever it was, was very welcome.
On the side I got two standard looking rolls but, to my dismay, no coleslaw. I wonder if this was just an oversight or if they really stiff you on the slaw every time? Regardless, a one for one trade is certainly in order and when I go back again I will certainly ask.
Overall, I was very impressed with my first gas station Fish Fry. The fish was good and well above my expectations as were the fries and the tartar. Were any of them the best out there? Certainly not. Collectively, were they all above average and a fantastic value? You bet your ass. I really can't imagine how you could get a better deal than this. True, you don't get huge portions for $3.29 and they don't have the overhead of a sit down restaurant but that price seems like barely enough cut a profit. I'm sure I will be back soon, next time I will order a 5 piece and do what the locals seemed to smart enough to do, call 5 minutes ahead.
If the is one thing I have come to expect from the Fish Fry at the North Side Kwik Trip in Viroqua, WI, it's a good deal. For less than four bucks you can procure a complete meal which is every bit as tasty as the fish most places sell for $8 or more. Since I was in a hurry and knew that a dinner Fish Fry was not in the cards this week, I made yet another visit to the KT my first visit to their *new* location). I whipped into their massive parking lot right at 11am, and put in my order for a 5-piece. I moseyed around the store, grabbed a twelver of The Cow for the party I was attending that evening, and waited a few minutes for the fish to fry. As soon as it was up, I bolted for the door and was on my way to my folk's house to eat.
Exactly six minutes after exiting KT I dove into my bounty at the kitchen table. My five pieces were crammed tightly into their Styrofoam coffin and were nice and hot, but not steaming after their short jaunt south. The hand battered fillets were as tasty as I have come to expect, and surprisingly meaty, although a little of their flakiness was lost in transit. I ran through them at breakneck speed, leaving their once proud collection in shambles - they were no match for my appetite this day.
Accompanying the five fried warriors was a squadron of wedge fries which were grabbed straight from the warming tray. Due to their lack of freshness they were less than spectacular, but were still plentiful and somewhat tasty. Unfortunately, since they came from under a heat lamp, they were totally lacking any crispiness. The tartar sauce was also a little off as the humungous cup was based on a thick mayo, but was over-saturated with relish, which totally dominated any and all other tastes.
In the past I have been less than pleased with the lack of slaw provided with this Fish Fry. Either word has gotten around, or enough people have spoken their mind on the topic, but for whatever reason they now give you a big ol' cup of the stuff- although after trying it, maybe they shouldn't. I'm not sure where this slaw came from (it didn't look homemade), but wherever it is they should probably send it back. The creamy mix was just flat-out not good. It was really bland and looked a little goopy. After trying to stomach a few bites I found myself wishing for the second dinner roll of yore. Speaking of the rolls, while the one provided wasn't anything fancy, it was soft and fresh, and right on the money. It was easily superior to the slaw, and really made the subpar concoction stick in my craw a bit.
Overall, this Fish Fry is still easily recommendable, especially at its price point. Nowhere else are you going to find a 5-piece Fish Fry for less than six bucks, and if somehow you do, there is no way it will be this good. The fish is above average, the fries are good (even if they weren't fresh) and the tartar is acceptable. Their slaw experiment seems to have failed, but who knows, maybe they are working on it? When all was said and done, I was as full as can be, and more than ready for a weekend with good friends in the countryside of Southwestern Wisconsin. This is one Fish Fry that is will exceed your expectations.