Review
The polite and punctual waitress appeared moments after everyone was seated, and relayed the fish special. She left promptly with orders for more drinks, and some of Graze's special vodka battered cheese curds. When she reappeared more instructions were issued, this time in the form of $15 walleye, and $20 hamburgers. She buzzed away to make our desires known, returning shortly after with our bounty of thickly battered curds. The creamy goodness of the curds quickly vanished into the hungry bellies situated around the table, and tamed the savage beasts for a brief moment. Curds conquered, we waited for the walleye which wafted tableward within 15 minutes of its initial inquiry, fresh from the deep fryer.
On our previous endeavor at Graze the walleye was stricken with a supremely thick and doughy cornmeal batter which totally sublimated the fish. This time around we were met with a changeup as the walleye was coated in the same vodka based concoction that graced the more than capable curds. We found it to be much more enjoyable, as one could actually taste the fish as it struggled to make its voice heard from under a dense batter sheath. The batter was still the dominant force, but by and large the fish-batter combo worked, even though the fish was definitely the submissive in this relationship. The biggest detractor however was the fact that for your $15 you only get two small, relatively thin pieces of fish which doesn't necessarily complement the Wisconsin appetite, if ya catch my drift.
Pairing well with the abundantly battered fish was a non-traditional, but tasty, tartar with a thin ranch-like base. Usually we are not huge fans of the runnier sauces, but this tartar actually worked well with the rich fish, so we won't complain too much. We also can't complain about the phenomenal fries (or frites, if you must) that accompanied the girls to the ball. These pleasant potato partitions were clearly made in-house, and slathered with salt, which I enjoyed, but others found to be a bit much. They were easily some of the best you are going to find in our fair city, and are certainly on par with the likes of The Coopers Tavern, Capital Tap Haus, Buck & Honey's or jacs (we have also heard the frites at Brasserie V are also to die for, but have never had the pleasure of sampling them).
Conversely, I found the homemade slaw to be fairly average, but most everyone else really liked it. It was composed of long thin cabbage and carrot slices with a slightly creamy sauce that had a little zest to it. Unfortunately, the slaw was missing its partner in crime and there wasn't any bread to be found, which is a game changer in our book.
After a second visit to Graze there were certainly some signs of improvement, but we can't quite give them the full-fledged MFF seal of approval. Overall, the food is good, and clearly of the utmost quality, however, the fish was merely acceptable as the batter was improved, but still left a little something to be desired. In addition, the fact that you don't get much bang for your buck doesn't really help matters. The standout fries were a very welcome addition, and the tartar and slaw did what they could, but in the end this is a case of portion versus price, and at $15 you should really get a little more than what Graze is pandering. While I fully expect to pony up the dough for walleye I also expect to be stuffed when leave, and unfortunately for yours truly, this hasn't been the case at Graze.
Of course, since it's a Miller, there is going to be some flexibility when it comes to the specials and on Friday there is a rotating cast of characters. This week the fish du jour was catfish which is about as hit-and-miss as a Fish Fry fish can be. We've had cornmeal crusted, superbly seasoned catfish that was as savory as any fish you'll find, but we've also has sloppy, less-than-firm catfish that brought the term "bottom-feeder" to the forefront of our minds. The Graze rendition fell into the prior tier and was simply done right. Three meaty pieces made up $18 portion, and were home to a light breading that didn't appear to be any sort of beer batter (they quote beer batter on the menu). While catfish does have a tendency to be mushy this was about as clean and flaky as you'll ever find. There were no brown or slimy parts (which means it was well-trimmed) and it held together remarkably well. We absolutely loved it and think it's undoubtedly some of the best catfish we've had...FROM. THE. BOTTOM. TO. THE. TOP.
You're not going to see bags full of pre-cut fries in Graze's freezer and for good reason. Their fresh-cut fries are the bee's knees and there were plenty to go around. These spuds were perfectly fried, adequately salted and taken over the top by the horseradish aioli. YUM. Speaking of the aioli it had a buddy in the house tartar which was zippy and smooth, and paired admirably with the crisp catfish. Between the fish, fries, and sauces we were mixin' and matchin' and dippin' and dunkin' and loving every minute of the mayhem...FLAVOR. CITY.
I'm not really all that surprised, but there was no bread with the Fish Fry, which sucks, but a very good and plentiful cup of house-made slaw sort of made up for it. This blend was smooth and creamy without any overly influential flavors. It had a good balance, but man, we wish we could have scooped a spoonful onto a little slice of rye...PARADISE. LOST.
Graze has been a great restaurant since day one, and it speaks volumes to see them continuing to improve. From the double smash burger, to some other recent additions we've heard nothing but good things about the updates. Of course, for us the fact that they've dedicated to the Fish Fry puts them on a whole new level and we're thrilled to have finally made it back to sample something new. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and can hardly wait to see what they have up their sleeve for when we come back next. NEXT. FISH. UP.
We arrived to find a bustling crowd and an hour-plus wait, but being the committed connoisseurs we are, we grabbed some drinks at the crowded bar and stood our ground. A couple $2.50 High Lifes, and 45 minutes later, our steadfastness paid off and we were shown to a corner table with a spectacular view of the Capitol. Things were looking up, at least for the time being.
Our waitress came over shortly thereafter and since we had ample time to wait, we were ready for her. We gave her our orders, and she sped off to drop them by the kitchen as she grabbed us another round of drinks on her way through. The Friday Fish Fry at Graze is unique every week, and this time around they were serving a "Lake Erie Walleye" with a price tag of $15 (actually not too bad for an upscale, downtown establishment, I thought). We enjoyed the view, and each other's company for a few more minutes and before too long the food made its grand entrance. As soon as I saw the darkly battered fish I knew I was in for a unique experience, and it most certainly was.
I of course, wasted no time and went for one of my two tiny the walleye pieces first. I was immediately struck by the hefty batter, which was incredibly thick and actually reminded me of the coating you find on a corndog. While it wasn't bad per se, it really masked the delicate, flaky fish that housed it, rendering the walleye powerless. I quickly polished off the petite portion regardless of the funkiness of the batter, but mostly because there wasn't much there to polish off.
Like the less than copious walleye, the Graze fries were also hard to come by. However, they were clearly homemade and very well fried so all was not lost. A scant amount of tartar flowed in the same vein as fish and fries, and the thin ranch-like mix barely made it through two small pieces of fish.
If there is any element of a Fish Fry that I would rather not have in abundance it would have to be coleslaw. Unfortunately for yours truly, a disproportionate amount of their homemade orangey goo found its way onto the plate. Much like the other items in this Fish Fry the slaw really didn't stand out as it lacked any zest, and just didn't keep me coming back for more.
To top it all off there was no bread served which seems like it should be a no-brainer, but apparently is not in this day and age. Blech. C'mon Graze...
If there is one thing Graze has going for it, it is their great service. I guess you kind of come to expect better service at finer dining establishments, but our waitress was on top if it from the get go. She was at our table numerous times and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the entire meal. I chalk it up to the fact that the dining room was well organized and they seem to know how many tables a waitress can actually handle, and still keep customers satisfied. Truly top notch.
Overall, this is just not a recommendable Fish Fry as far as Fish Frys go. Granted, Graze is not the kind of place you think of when you think of a great Fish Fry, and it is nice that they are trying to make the Wisconsin tradition a priority, but the walleye just didn't quite cut it. While the batter was unique, it was just a little too much and unfortunately the tartar was not there to lend any support. Good, fries and a mass of slaw are good, but not game changers, and when you take into account the total lack of bread there just isn't enough there to add up. Graze, all I can say is, thanks for trying, unfortunately we just can't give your walleye the MFF seal of approval.
The Fish Fry from Graze onsists of 5 oz of high quality cod, more fries than any one human should probably consume in a single sitting (but of course I still finished them), delectable house tartar and mayo for dipping, and some Asian inspired slaw.
The price tag is a steep one at $20, but the quality of the ingredients and thoughtfulness of the preparation help to justify it to some extent.