Review
The Blue Moon Bar & Grill is winding their way through the Potosi Fish Fry bracket so I figured now was as good a time as any to hit them up...it's been about four years since my last FFF on Old University.
While the Friday special isn't a lot different from the one in my memory that's not a bad thing - I liked it then and I still like it now. The pieces of cod are on the small side but since the whole plate is only $13 you'd expect them to be. These fillets are clearly the good stuff - I looked closely and didn't see any of the translucency that is a sign of the cheap crap. They were nice and flaky with a light breading that let the fish do its thing. It paired perfectly with the zesty and ultra-creamy tartar.
The tartar was so good in fact that I got a second cup and went to town on it with the standard issue crinkle-cuts. The slaw was anything but ordinary, and while it doesn't look all that appealing, it was absolutely delicious. The roll was a step up from grandma's, especially when accompanied by the room temp butter. Easy spreading matters...
I typically don't go for chowders (the fish is usually enough), but when I hear "famous" I feel obligated, and this chowder had "it." While I'm no connoisseur, it was very good and I'd get it again in a heartbeat.
This was my second "Madison Institution" of the day which makes this one hell of a good day. While the pieces of cod were on the small side, the full meal was more than sufficient. If anything, I'd propose a 5-piece offering for a few bucks more...I for one would jump at it. That said, this Fish Fry is still easily recommendable and I could 100% see them in the Final Four. Count it!Reese and I arrived at the Blue Moon just after 11 and ushered in the lunch rush. Our waitress greeted us at the door and came over to our table just as we got comfortable. We both went for the $11.25 lake perch plate with a side of fries.
Since we were the very first order to hit the kitchen the fish was ready in a flash. Each of our plates consisted of 6-7 pieces of lightly crusted lake perch, an abundant amount of crinkle cut fries, a standard sized cup of homemade tartar, an above average roll, and a unique coleslaw.
The perch was plentiful and virtually covered the bevy fries beneath them. The flaky fillets were thin, but moist, and had a light, crumbly breading which let the subtle taste of the perch come through. I would have said it was pretty darn solid, but when I saw Reese's eyes get wide, I knew he was an even bigger fan than I.
The crinkle fries were abundant, but very plain. They were just a tad under fried and could have benefited from another minute or two in the fryer. Both fries and fish were perked up slightly by the Blue Moon's homemade tartar. The secret sauce was almost straight mayo with just the tiniest bit of relish and what appeared to be some red pepper thrown in.
A unique homemade looking slaw and an above average white roll rounded out the lineup. The slaw was a strange zesty/creamy blend and finished with a definitive vinegar bite. It wasn't bad, but I didn't finish it off, if that tells you anything.
Overall, this Fish Fry was very solid, and easy to recommend. The food was all above average, and the quick service helped us get in and out in just over a half-hour. Not bad, Blue Moon Not bad at all.
The lake perch has followed inflation trends and sits at $13 in 2019. Since I was skeptical that a plate of perch could be that cheap I asked the waitress if it was the real deal. "What do you mean?" was her response. "The box says lake perch on it, so if it's not I guess it's false advertising." That follow up was good enough for me, and true to the box's word these were real yellow perch fillets. Six come to an order and have a light breading that is just there to cover the fish. It was essentially flavorless, and while the lack of seasoning really allows the perch taste to come through, I'm really more of a overly spicy kinda guy.
Crinkle cut fries are the name of the game at the Moon and give me the blues. Sure they are the standard side, but with so many other places doing house-cut fries, specialty hash browns, or at the least skin-on freezer fries, they just sort of pale in comparison. A dill laden tartar and an extremely dilly slaw were both surprisingly decent, while dill pickles also come as a side with the kid's grilled cheese. I guess the Blue Moon really knowns the dill...
A dense football-shaped roll rounded things into formation and was crusty enough to set it apart texturally, but really not an improvement over a soft potato roll.
With so many great Fish Frys around town it is tough to get them all in, and some get forgotten about from time to time. However, 7 years is really too long to forget about this one and we regret that it's taken this long. The Blue Moon is what it's always been and they aren't showing signs of changing any time soon and we like that. Overall, we recommend this Fish Fry and will try to not let it go seven years before we get over there again.
Long ago when I lived on Old University we frequented the Blue Moon. In fact, the day I graduated from college we took my whole family there for a celebratory lunch. I always enjoyed their daily menu, but for one reason or another found their Fish Fry to be underwhelming. Since I was on campus and flying solo, I decided to that the Moon was a good option. I showed up around 11:30, noted the whiteboard special, and looked over the SPECIAL FRIDAY MENU from my barstool. The menu abounds with cod and walleye options, but what really grabbed my attention was the lake perch special listed on the whiteboard. While the bartender said it was available every Friday, I was perplexed as to why it wasn't on the actual menu, but went ahead and ordered it anyway.
My order went in, and the fish came out in about 3 minutes. It was seriously that fast. For $10.25 you are treated to 7-8 fillets of lightly battered perch, with all the trimmings. The fish was actually really good, and much better than the beer battered cod I have had in the past. It was incredibly moist while still being tender and flaky. The breading aided the fish, and while it didn't have a ton of flavor it was crumbly and light. It almost looked like the fillets were pre-battered due to how consistent the coating was, but it was so good it that must have homemade.
The crinkle cut fries were not homemade however, but were still very good. The plentiful potatoes were as hot as the fish when served and maintained the Fish Fry standard. The tartar sauce was also really good, and while it may well have been from Sysco my Solo cup was 100% empty by the end. It was composed of a thick mayo base with an ideal amount of relish. While the portion was fair, the thirsty perch almost drank it all. Luckily a Fish Fry master, such as myself, knew the situation and allotted it perfectly.
Rounding out the Fry was some homemade slaw and a packaged dinner roll. The slaw was nice and creamy, but didn't really have much zip. The white bun was average, but actually kind of stale which made it a little less desirable. By and large they were adequate, and certainly much better than going without.
Overall, this was a really good Fish Fry and a complete one-eighty from my previous experiences at the Moon. While the cod has been lacking in the past, the perch really stood out. In addition, the bartenders and waitresses were doing a great job of keeping the food flowing and the patrons satisfied. I am really glad I bit the bullet and decided to give the Blue Moon another chance, and maybe on my next visit I will give the walleye dinner a whirl since, at ten bucks, it is seriously cheap. As it stands, the perch I had this trip is a definite winner and easily recommendable. Forget the cows and chickens when you hit Westside of campus and head over to the Blue Moon for some lake perch, you won't be disappointed. I wasn't.