Review
The bluegill spent a minute too long in fryer and was a tad tougher than I'd like but the bartender was a nice young fella so I didn't give him any crap about it...his first time frying bluegill he said. The hand-cut fries were spot-on and the big bold tartar covered up any flaws in the firm fish.
The slaw was great, and the pre-buttered slice of rye is an awesome addition to the lunch plate especially considering a lot of places don't even give you a slice with dinner anymore.
Overall, this was another fine visit to Kurniki's and was exactly what I needed before skipping town with the little man for the weekend. $15 well spent IMO.Kurniki's was an easy choice this Friday when I didn't have a ton of time, but knew dinner was off the table. I bellied up to the bar just after 11am and had my 2.5-piece cod about 10 minutes later...and yes, you read that right - two AND A HALF piece.
The standard lunch is actually an only a 1.5 piece (don't ask me why) but the bartender/cook didn't bat an eye when I asked if I could add another (I assume I'm not the first to ask). The fish fried in a flash and looked mighty fine in its light (in color and in texture) batter. The fish itself was pure white and fall-apart flaky while the batter did just enough to hold it together despite the fact it was a little slick to the touch. The thick and tangy tartar complimented it well and even though I had a couple bites sans-sauce I still drained the entire cup.
Whereas the fish portion is on the small side the house-cut fries came in droves and were nothing short of superb. The slaw was the cool and creamy style and the marble rye is always a welcome sight (especially at lunch when a lot of places skew fish-n-chips style).
For most people (myself excluded) Fish Fry doesn't scream romance, especially on the most romantic of holidays. In the interest of self-preservation I made the choice to eschew a dinner fry in favor of fine dining and get my fix at lunch. Time will tell if that was a wise move but my gut tells me it was. Speaking of the gut, it's full of a tasty basket of fish from Kurniki's. Love it.The $15 bluegill fried in a flash (despite the crowd) and at first sight it looked just right. The diminutive divers were fantastically fried - light and crisp, but still juicy with a little snap. They paired perfectly with the super thick and creamy tartar which could have easily overwhelmed the delicate fillets if applied too liberally...old pros like me know the drill though and I kept it all in balance.
The house-cut fries were also elite and the kind that always make me say "why doesn't every place just do it like this?" Yum. A pre-buttered slice of rye came along for the ride (and made me smile) and a cup of cool and creamy coleslaw was literally lip-smacking.
When Morgan's closed I wasn't sure what would become of their Fish Fry, but it looks like Kurniki's just picked up the ball and ran with it. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and will be back a bunch of times I bet.Kurniki's is waaaay west, but west nonetheless...all I really care about is that I can get there in less than 15 minutes after a late hockey practice. We rolled in around 7:45 (15 before the live music started) and had an old fashioned and plate of bluegill faster than you can say Conway Twitty.
I've had good 'gill at the Pine Bluff pub a few times, but this batch had to be the best. The fillets were plump and juicy, and fried to perfection - the young bartender/cook is dialing it in. Each tender morsel was on the money and bolstered by a thick and tantalizing tartar.
Kurniki's also slings a solid slaw and a keeps it traditional with a slice of marble rye that's pre-buttered, cut in half, and slapped together face-2-face. Idyllic. They also go above and beyond with hand-cut fries which are a favorite of mine, but didn't endear themselves to my crinkle-cut loving kid. His loss...
Kurniki's has really come into their own in a relatively short time. Hell, the Wisco Dive Bar guy was just there and gave them 10 PBRs out of 10! As for the FFF, I don't know that it's 10 out of 10, but it's pretty damn good. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and think it's one of the best in the west.A crazy good deal. Freaky fast.
Happy Halloween Happy Hour!
The lunch special at KurNiki's is as straight forward as it gets. $10 for fish, fries, and tartar. That's it. The cod came as three small pieces each of which is flaky as all get out. The tiny chunks are kissed by a lightweight, but heavily seasoned breading that is really tasty. It pairs perfectly with their devilishly-thick and zesty tartar. The house-cut fries are also stellar and boast an even saltier sensation than the fish. Booyah!
The menu states marble rye and slaw come with the Fish Fry, but those might just be part of the dinner (menu which has a few more alluring options). As for the lunch, I was satisfied with my "Big 3" but will definitely come back after 4pm one of these days.