Review
The FF part of the AA evolution is likely my favorite part of their overall transformation. This is the genuine article Fish Fry, and time and thought were clearly put into making it all it can be. It starts with the sheer variety of fish offered; it's all the usual suspects here: cod, lake perch, bluegill, walleye, and even shrimp (if you're into that sort of thing). All the freshwater options fall at $15 with the cod being significantly less. This was a bluegill Friday for me since I'd has the cod and walleye on recent visits.
$15 is on the low end price-wise for the famed freshwater fish and once I saw the portion I realized why. Only five fillets found their way to plate, which is sort of silly for bluegill. Usually you'll see at least 10, and I've even seen upwards of 14-16 for this price. Yes, you can add more for $2 each, but if you'd do that to get to the regular 10 or so it would be a $25 plate! And that's just crazy. Still the fish was really tasty, but obviously those are one bite each so it was gone in a flash. By and large it's good, but would easily fall into excellent territory had it been more plentiful.
While the fish came up a fin short the fries were abundant. The portion was more than reasonable and their spicy crunch nearly stole the show. These suckers are seasoned to the nines and just keep you coming back for more and more. Sure, they're probably full of MSG or something, but I could really care less. They're awesome.
One of the hallmarks of this Fry from day one has been the twin tartars - one traditional and one spicy. Those days were numbered apparently and the twins have gone their separate ways. What remains is a single cup of the traditional type. The spicy is now but a distant memory, but its absence really lets you focus on regular one (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). It's got some semblance of beer in it and as such it's not super thick, but still has some chunkiness to it. The little flat bread style biscuits have also been replaced by a plain white roll, which is well...plain.
The next tweak comes in from the slaw, and while it's still 100% made in house, they seem to have dialed back the spice quotient to some extent. Sure, it was still pungent, and different than you'll find anywhere else, but I didn't find myself reaching for my beer after each bite as I recall doing previously.
It took time, but once AA decided to compromise their beer-and-beer-only mentality the change was swift. Their Fish Fry instantly became one of the best around, and was incredibly accessible on Friday night leading us to say it was one of Madison's finest. As the months and years continue to roll by subtle changes are still being made though - mostly in the amount of food on the plate - and these last few tweaks haven't necessarily been for the better. The portions are smaller, the variety is lessened, and the heavy handed seasoning has been dialed back . Overall, we still recommend this Fish Fry, but not quite as highly as we once did.
AA always has a rotating special on Fridays (usually lake perch or bluegill), but this week we went for the every week cod, and think its easily the best thing they've done as far as FF is concerned. The cod goes for a mere $12 and is a steal when you consider the three big pieces on the plate...and if for some reason you're feeling even more glutinous, you can add additional pieces for a buck a pop - that's a $14 5-piece for those mathematicians in the audience.
For some reason the dungeonous brewery is never too busy on Friday nights so it's a prime spot if you have toddlers in tow...especially if those toddlers like fried fish - ours usually does, but wanted pizza (flatbread) this week (which they also have). The cod is home to a light and ultra-crunchy breading that has a decent amount of flavor thanks to the house-brew infused coating. The fish itself was plenty of flaky, but held together for the most part. It was easily better than either freshwater fish we've had previously, and what we'd recommend to newcomers.
The inmates in the kitchen don't get down with French fries, but the inordinate amount of Parmesan potato casserole they plop on the side more than make up for it. These suckers are rich and creamy and boast a crust that would make mom proud. I swear to god there was at least a half pound of them and while most people would have boxed a bunch of them, I didn't take home a single morsel.
Most places (and people) are comfortable with a single style of tartar with their fish, but not this Asylum. No, no! They trot out two varieties - one regular and one spicy...insanity! Both are one the thin side (which is probably due to the Unshadowed hefeweizen (beer) infusion), but the spicy was far too spicy this time - like hard to eat spicy, and the plain had a good balance to level tings off.
Batch Bakery has a great rep in town and it's nice to see them represented at this Fry, but the slab of French on the side was minuscule are best. Sure it was good, but literally, one bite...one. A very nice homemade slaw made up for it somewhat and capped things off without drawing much attention to itself.
The Ale Asylum in roughly in our neighborhood and we're sure glad it is. We spend a decent amount of time at their bar and have made their tasting room one of our favorite Friday fall backs. Overall, we highly recommend the cod FIsh Fry at Ale Asylum and think most people would enjoy it.
The Asylum's Fry is of the "bluegill" persuasion and kind of foo-foo (as you might expect). For $15 three LARGE fillets dominate the plate and really make you wonder: "Is this even bluegill?" I don't think it is honestly, as I've never seen any quite this size before. The purported 'gill is bathed in a big beer batter that is pretty thick, but still surprisingly light. The Madtown Nut Brown imparts a really good flavor that offsets the ultra-fishy freshwater fillets finely. If they were indeed bluegill they were god damned record breakers, and while the musk of any pan fish suits my palate I can see how some might be put off by the strong stank.
Parmesan encrusted garlic mashed potatoes sat in for the typical French fries and were superb. A big old spoonful of the goopy goodness weighed down a good 1/3 of the plate and beckoned diners to dig deeper with each passing bite. They were rich and gooey, and better than mom could ever hope to make (sorry mom).
Two kinds of Unshawowed tartar sauce gave the 'gill a boost, each in their own unique way. The regular rendition was thin but gave the fish a nudge in the right direction while the ghost pepper guy added some heat that took things to a whole other level. We love the variety but would go spicy if forced to pick just one.
A nice thin slice of rosemary sourdough did its part without drawing much attention, which was actually good since the sassy house slaw demanded every bit of it. The irregular cuts of cabbage a carrot didn't look like anything special but the proof is in the pudding and this stuff had character.
This Fish Fry certainly isn't without its fleas, but by and large it passed the test. The bluegill designation was definitely dubious but everything else was the genuine article. Overall, we still recommend this Fish Fry, and will likely try it again at some point, if for no other reason than we love hanging out at the AA with a pint of Bedlam!. That stuff is as good as gold. The fish? Maybe Bronze.
In addition to the fries the Asylum now has cod, bluegill, lake perch, and walleye EVERY FRIDAY (they used to just have cod and a rotating freshwater fish). Over the course of two recent visits we've canoodled with the cod, and perused the perch, but shied away from the beer battered bluegill and walleye out of fear the batter would be too substantial. After seeing the beer battered cod I think those fears were misplaced and we'll go again soon to give them a whirl. The cod features a superbly seasoned light breading although they list it as beer batter, so whatever. This stuff has a ton of flavor and coats the grease-free fish perfectly. The cod itself is as flaky as can be and damn near perfect all things considered. The breaded perch wasn't quite as luminescent as the cod, but was still very good. For starters, it's the real deal yellow perch which is not always the case these days. The breading was wispy but somewhat muted compared to the super-seasoned beer batter. It was pretty middle of the road as far as perch goes, but that's a pretty glamorous road all things considered.
After all the time spent hoping for fries, we're happy to say it was worth the wait. Like the beer batter these suckers are seasoned to the nines (which is WAAAAAAAY over-seasoned for a 4 year old, fyi), and I loved every bite. The twin tartars still take hold with the spicy style working better with both types of fish. While the sauces are on the thin side texture-wise you'd expect that to be the case since there is Hefeweizen in them. It still slicks the surface of the fish admirably, and hell, you could just drink the stuff if it came down to it. It's that good.
With so much seasoning and beer infusion here and there the slaw was an afterthought, but it's still a good one. It is house-made for sure, and falls on the creamy side of the aisle. Some nice little flat breads filled the starch component and were a welcome change from a basic dinner roll.
When it comes to Friday Fish Fry there are places like Mint Mark that crush it right out of the chute, and there are places like the Dorf Haus that hone a craft over decades. Most places fall somewhere in between and slowly morph into their final form through trial and error. Some end up with greatness and some just end up with a Fish Fry. Ale Asylum is striving for greatness, hitting their stride, and I'm glad we're here to see and taste it. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry, and Madison has clearly already caught on...they've been slammed every Friday.
In addition to the fries the Asylum now has cod, bluegill, lake perch, and walleye EVERY FRIDAY (they used to just have cod and a rotating freshwater fish). Over the course of two recent visits we've canoodled with the cod, and perused the perch, but shied away from the beer battered bluegill and walleye out of fear the batter would be too substantial. After seeing the beer battered cod I think those fears were misplaced and we'll go again soon to give them a whirl. The cod features a superbly seasoned light breading although they list it as beer batter, so whatever. This stuff has a ton of flavor and coats the grease-free fish perfectly. The cod itself is as flaky as can be and damn near perfect all things considered. The breaded perch wasn't quite as luminescent as the cod, but was still very good. For starters, it's the real deal yellow perch which is not always the case these days. The breading was wispy but somewhat muted compared to the super-seasoned beer batter. It was pretty middle of the road as far as perch goes, but that's a pretty glamorous road all things considered.
After all the time spent hoping for fries, we're happy to say it was worth the wait. Like the beer batter these suckers are seasoned to the nines (which is WAAAAAAAY over-seasoned for a 4 year old, fyi), and I loved every bite. The twin tartars still take hold with the spicy style working better with both types of fish. While the sauces are on the thin side texture-wise you'd expect that to be the case since there is Hefeweizen in them. It still slicks the surface of the fish admirably, and hell, you could just drink the stuff if it came down to it. It's that good.
With so much seasoning and beer infusion here and there the slaw was an afterthought, but it's still a good one. It is house-made for sure, and falls on the creamy side of the aisle. Some nice little flat breads filled the starch component and were a welcome change from a basic dinner roll.
When it comes to Friday Fish Fry there are places like Mint Mark that crush it right out of the chute, and there are places like the Dorf Haus that hone a craft over decades. Most places fall somewhere in between and slowly morph into their final form through trial and error. Some end up with greatness and some just end up with a Fish Fry. Ale Asylum is striving for greatness, hitting their stride, and I'm glad we're here to see and taste it. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry, and Madison has clearly already caught on...they've been slammed every Friday.
We were very early this Friday and things were sloooooow in the Asylum. Very few inmates were in their cells at 4:30 which basically gave us free reign of the place and we took full advantage of that fact. AA used to just have cod and a rotating cast of characters on Fridays, but they recently expanded the menu and now have cod, lake perch, bluegill, and walleye each and every Friday! We've sampled them all on previous visits except for the walleye; so I bet you can guess what we did this time around...
The walleye goes for $15 which, if you eat walleye often, you know is incredibly cheap for the lord of the lake. Fittingly, the fillet is relatively petite, which is still more than fair for that price. The 6-8 ounce chunk was 100% boneless and layered with the heavily-seasoned yet light and crispy breading that has become the AA's calling card. It was really superb, with the only downside being that there wasn't another 6 ounces to love.
Like the fish, the fries at the nut house are nutty good, and share an equally insane amount of seasoning. I'm have no idea what is in the mix of spices, but by god, it's crazy good. It hits every flavor receptor known to man and makes a basic French fry ballistic.
Further enhancement is found in the form of two uniquely different kinds of beer-infused tartar sauces. That's right..two kinds! The first is the spicy, which seemed less spicy than it has in the past, and the second is the regular, which seemed slightly less regular that it has in the past. Regardless, they were both scrumptious, and we were dipping anything and everything in them, draining both cups in the process.
AA still gives you some bread with their fish (thank god), and while the two teeny flat breads were just so-so at least they were there. The hefeweizen slaw was also there, and nowhere near as runny as we remembered. It had an excellent sweet/zippy dichotomy going on which fell in line with the rest of the flavors from the fish to the fries and the tartars.
If this first Fish Fry is any indication, 2019 is going to be one hell of a year. Everything about this one was top notch and you can see exactly what they've done to make it so. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and are finding it harder and harder to justify going elsewhere when the Ale Asylum is so good and so close to home.
Great beer does not always equal great Fish Fry. Hard to believe, I know, but it’s true. While it would be nice if that was a 1:1 correlation the fact of the matter is that it’s not. Of course, if that were the case the Ale Asylum would have some of the best Fish Fry known to man, but as it stands they are still learning the ropes.
The AA never even had a FF until a couple months ago and dipped their toe in the water with a ”bluegill” Fish Fry that wasn’t even real bluegill. We reviewed it as such and perhaps based on that, or perhaps not, they’ve changed their ways. They are now doing the standard cod Fish Fry every Friday (smart move) along with a rotating cast of characters weekly. This week the rotator was lake perch and we jumped at the chance to sample it.
Whereas the cod has the same beer batter that came with the “bluegill” the perch is dry battered with dry being the operative word. This batter was as coarse as they come, although excessively seasoned. It was hard to tell exactly what was going on with it, but the crunchy breading definitely crushed the delicate fish (which was the real deal yellow lake perch, btw). While I liked the direction they are taking with it they could probably shake some of the coating off before it takes the plunge. As it stands, it’s okay, but a far cry from the moist flaky bits you can find just across the road. The plate runs $15 and they’ll let you tack on additional fillets for $2 for apiece (which is super handy if you have little ones with you).
If you seek asylum in fried potatoes the AA isn’t the pace for you as you won’t find fries anywhere on the menu. A nice pile from a cheesy hash brown casserole sits in their stead and is large and in charge. This lavish loaf definitely takes precedence over the plate and wows with its creamy innards and crisp crust. For our money it’s the best part of the deal and an above average spud option.
Two variations of Unshadowed tartar come with every Fry and are both appealing in thie ron right. The spicy style definitely brings the heat and the plain offers a welcome respite for those who can’t handle the heat. While they are both on the thin end of the spectrum they are both welcome additions, especially when you consider the drenching necessitated by the breading.
A nice slab of rosemary sourdough bread as well as some homemade slaw round out the plate and got destroyed by yours truly. The bread was different than most any you will find and the homemade slaw is definitely a crowd-pleaser.
It takes years for some places to find their stride where Fish Fry is concerned and it can be a bumpy ride in getting there. For most, incremental improvement is key and that’s exactly what the Ale Asylum has going for it. Sure, this Fish Fry still didn’t blow our socks off, but we liked it more than the one we had previously and think our next visit will be even better (we’ve heard good things about the cod). Overall, we still barely recommend this Fish Fry but can see it taking a huge leap with a few subtle changes. The beer is obviously already highly recommendable.
Obviously after sitting at AA for 4 hours I was feeling no pain, and when dinner time came around it was easiest to order the cod instead of over-thinking things. In retrospect I should have taken a longer look at the menu, since due to the Great Lake Perch Shortage of 2020 they supplemented smelt, and I love smelt. Oh well, the cod was fantastic regardless and I left a happy camper.
I think I've sampled all the fish that AA has to offer at this point and I feel like their well-seasoned batter works best with the thick and juicy cod loins. The fish is fall apart flaky and plays a perfect host to the sweet and spicy seasoning. It's a keeper for sure.
The fries are home to the same spicy mixture and which makes them every bit as tasty as the fish. They also come in mammoth portions so if you are thinking you'd like a side of them you'd better bring a friend.
The days of the Asylum offering both a spicy and regular tartar have gone by, and while the remaining regular is a little runny it also has a bright flavor that offsets the cod really nicely. A slice of white bread has also taken the place of the little biscuit bread thing which is not a bad thing either. The one constant here is the slaw, which has some serious cojones and presumably always will.
MFF is just one man with a healthy appetite and when he eats two Fish Frys almost every Friday getting them reviewed in short order just isn't possible. It's a fact of life, but like the Ale Asylum Fish Fry it could be a lot worse. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry, and think Ale Asylum has found a formula that works. Now, if only I could do the same...
In addition to the fries the Asylum now has cod, bluegill, lake perch, and walleye EVERY FRIDAY (they used to just have cod and a rotating freshwater fish). Over the course of two recent visits we've canoodled with the cod, and perused the perch, but shied away from the beer battered bluegill and walleye out of fear the batter would be too substantial. After seeing the beer battered cod I think those fears were misplaced and we'll go again soon to give them a whirl. The cod features a superbly seasoned light breading although they list it as beer batter, so whatever. This stuff has a ton of flavor and coats the grease-free fish perfectly. The cod itself is as flaky as can be and damn near perfect all things considered. The breaded perch wasn't quite as luminescent as the cod, but was still very good. For starters, it's the real deal yellow perch which is not always the case these days. The breading was wispy but somewhat muted compared to the super-seasoned beer batter. It was pretty middle of the road as far as perch goes, but that's a pretty glamorous road all things considered.
After all the time spent hoping for fries, we're happy to say it was worth the wait. Like the beer batter these suckers are seasoned to the nines (which is WAAAAAAAY over-seasoned for a 4 year old, fyi), and I loved every bite. The twin tartars still take hold with the spicy style working better with both types of fish. While the sauces are on the thin side texture-wise you'd expect that to be the case since there is Hefeweizen in them. It still slicks the surface of the fish admirably, and hell, you could just drink the stuff if it came down to it. It's that good.
With so much seasoning and beer infusion here and there the slaw was an afterthought, but it's still a good one. It is house-made for sure, and falls on the creamy side of the aisle. Some nice little flat breads filled the starch component and were a welcome change from a basic dinner roll.
When it comes to Friday Fish Fry there are places like Mint Mark that crush it right out of the chute, and there are places like the Dorf Haus that hone a craft over decades. Most places fall somewhere in between and slowly morph into their final form through trial and error. Some end up with greatness and some just end up with a Fish Fry. Ale Asylum is striving for greatness, hitting their stride, and I'm glad we're here to see and taste it. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry, and Madison has clearly already caught on...they've been slammed every Friday.