We review Lenten fish frys around the St. Louis area and post reviews of the food, venue, people, overall experience. We also post photos of the menu, food, people, church hall, children, etc. Our goal is to provide the most comprehensive fish fry database with full reviews so people in the St. Louis area can read about the fish fry before they make plans to visit them. Time is precious to families with children, and knowing what to expect and when to expect it can help them plan accordingly. http://fishfryday.org Mon, 27 May 2013 17:15:41 +0000 Mon, 27 May 2013 17:15:41 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/05/27/st-simon-the-apostle-3292013 Mon, 27 May 2013 17:15:41 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/05/27/st-simon-the-apostle-3292013
We finished off the 2013 Fish Fry season at St. Simon the Apostle, my grade school alma mater.  I must say, the fried cod served is one of the best of the year.  Its top notch cod served with generous side dish portions and delicious desserts.  The hot food is kept hot until it is served.  In fact, it was the hottest meal we were served all year.  The homemade red sauce on the spaghetti was delicious, especially sprinkled with the grated parmesan they had available.  I recommend the homemade mac and cheese as well.  Everything was clearly marked and menus very clear.  They could use a sign or two outside the doors to the school for those who don’t know exactly where to go once you get into the parking lot.  There is plenty of space to sit, and two separate rooms that serve food (cafeteria and gymnasium).  The head honcho of the fish fry took some time to come pay us a visit and talk to us.  She said they take pride in keeping the food hot until it is served.  They also focus on the fellowship rather than the fundraisers and other activities during the fish fry.  I’ve always enjoyed the fish fry at St. Simon’s, but they have really improved the fried cod in recent years.  It is truly a great fish fry if you are looking for some great cod.  The beverage area could be revisited and upgraded to include some soda, but they did have a nice selection of teas and lemonades.  We’ll be sure to visit again on Good Friday next year!




VARIETY:  Fried Cod and Fried Shrimp.  Cheese Pizza for the kids.

TASTE:  The fried pacific cod was excellent, and definitely a step above most others.  It was hot, flaky, full of flavor, and just about everything you look for in a piece of fried fish.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it again.
 
VALUE:  $7 for an adult plate ($6 for seniors) which includes fish or shrimp, 2 sides, choice of bread, non-alcoholic drink, and dessert.  It is a great value for the amount of food served.  $2 gets you an extra piece of their delicious fish.  A la carte fish is sold for $3 each, 2-piece shrimp for $1, and 1 piece of pizza for $3.
 
CONDIMENTS:  Individual packets of ketchup, tartar sauce squeezable bottles, cocktail sauce scoop-able with a spoon, and parmesan cheese to sprinkle with a spoon….bonus.




VARIETY:  Mac & Cheese, Green Beans, Applesauce, French Fries, Spaghetti, and Cole Slaw.
 
TASTE:  The mac & cheese is excellent, the green beans are buttery, and the spaghetti has a delicious homemade red sauce.  All of the food was steaming hot, which is great to see.  Most fish frys don’t keep the food as hot as they should.

VALUE:  Portion sizes are as big as the plate allows but definitely not skimpy.  Extra sides were $1.50 each.




BEVERAGES:  Tea, Pink Lemonade, water, and coffee were complimentary with dinner.  They had the soft drinks pre-poured which was nice, although the tables were a little messy.  $2 for Bud Light or Bud Select, and $2 for a choice of red, white, or pink wine.  There were two areas that had beverages, but each area did not offer all of the beverage options.  I think this could be revisited to improve presentation and selection.

DESSERTS:  Included with dinner, the desserts looked delicious.  Mostly homemade, I once again opted for something chocolaty.  I had one of the most delicious fudge brownies I have ever tasted.  Way to go!  If it hadn’t been the second fish fry of the evening, I might have gone back to purchase another brownie!  Extra desserts are $1 each.




St. Simon’s is my grade school alma mater, and I have been going to this fish fry since I was a wee lad.  I’m a little biased to the atmosphere here since I attended school there for 8 years.  I always love going back to see what is new, how things have changed, see familiar faces, and taking a trip down memory lane.  Needless to say, my review in this category at St. Simon’s is a little biased.  The people working were very friendly.  The head honcho who runs the fish fry came out and talked to us for a while.  When we told her how we noticed that the food is served much hotter than most other fish frys, she said that she takes pride to make sure the food is hot and not merely room temperature or just warm.  Great job!  There wasn’t much fanfare or other activities at St. Simons (e.g. fundraisers, etc.) as they also like to focus on the fellowship aspect of the fish frys.  We certainly appreciate that as well.  The boy scouts were tasked with clearing plates and cleaning tables, which I love to see.




With a fish fry sign out on Mueller Road and plenty of menu signs inside, there weren’t many signs in the parking lot pointing the way.  One person we were with had never been there before and was unsure which door to go in, but the rest of us had been there before.  The flow of the line is great.  Each station follows one another in logical order after paying.  The wait was very short.  I wasn’t a big fan that some of the beverages were served in a completely different room.




]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/05/27/st-simon-the-apostle-3292013#comments 0 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/04/01/assumption-3292013 Mon, 01 Apr 2013 21:09:54 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/04/01/assumption-3292013
The Good Friday fish fry at Assumption was bittersweet as it marked the beginning of the final Fryday in 2013.  While the wait began outside and  far back in line, it moved extremely fast compared to its size.  The fried cod is average, but at the top of its class for a frozen patty.  I’d recommend the baked cod if you’re concerned with calories or fat.  It’s one of the best tasting baked pieces of fish I’ve tasted this year.  The pastas at Assumption really take a front seat in the department of sides.  The mac & cheese is extremely cheesy and delicious, and the pasta from Barolino’s is no slouch either.  I recommend both of them.  It was nice to see fruit salad as a size, and my friend Aaron said it was fresh fruit salad and not canned.  The dessert table is a little overwhelming due to its size.  There are a lot of choices to pick from.  There was no extra hullaballoo at this fish fry, just a large quantity of people getting their final fish fry fix of the season.  It was nice to see the Heggers at the fish fry as well.  We love to see good people and share a meal with them every fryday.




VARIETY:  Fried Cod, Baked Cod, Fried Catfish, and Fried Shrimp.  Cheese Pizza for the kids.

TASTE:  The fried cod was top notch for a frozen fish patty.  It was fried fish, but nothing special.  The baked cod is baked in a garlic butter lemon sauce and is the best I’ve tasted in 2013.  The portion size was generous, and it was very flavorful.  The fried shrimp was pretty standard.  I didn’t taste the catfish.

VALUE:  $8 for an adult plate which includes choice of fish, 2 sides, choice of bread, drink, and dessert.  Price is about average for the size and quantity of food relative to other fish frys.
 
CONDIMENTS:  Individual packets of ketchup, tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, lemon juice, butter, and parmesan cheese. 




VARIETY:  Mac & Cheese, Tossed Salad, Fruit Salad, Bartolino’s Pasta, French Fries, and Cole Slaw.
 
TASTE:  Do yourself a favor and order the mac & cheese.  It was extremely cheesy, and homemade.  The Bartolino’s pasta was also very good, although catered.  I believe one of the Bartolino’s family lives in the Assumption parish and provides it for the fish frys.  The cole slaw was pretty standard oil and vinegar based and seemed to come from a bulk container.  It was fine. 

VALUE:  Since the Styrofoam plates were sectioned off, the portion sizes were already determined, although they seemed to have a heavy spoon while dishing them out.




BEVERAGES:  Tea, lemonade, water, and coffee were complimentary with dinner.  $1 for Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite, and $2 for Bud Light and Bud Select.  Not too many choices here, but reasonable options.  The complimentary drinks were all very organized and labeled appropriately.  They were pre-poured so you didn't have to wait for someone to help you.  They were also in larger cups (16-22 oz)....Bonus.  I like big cups.

DESSERTS:  Included with dinner, the desserts looked tasty.  One of the biggest dessert tables I’ve seen at a fish fry, the choices were almost too many.  I had the red velvet cake which was yummy.  The choices looked mostly like cakes, cupcakes and brownies.  I think I saw some cookies, too.
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I haven’t been to Assumption since they have new facilities, including the gym.  The new facilities and Parish center are very nice.   I didn’t see too much going on in the way of music, raffles, etc.  The focus seemed to be on the food, keeping things moving, and the drinks/desserts.  They did recruit the Boy Scout Troop (which I like to see) to help with cleaning up and helping with trash duty.




With signs all way down Mattis near Tesson Ferry and plenty visible from Mattis Road, there was no doubt that Assumption was having a fish fry.  Signs on the door and in the parking lots pointed the way.  The line was already out the door at 5 pm which wasn’t surprising for a Good Friday fish fry.  Although the line seemed REALLY long, it moved extremely fast for its size.  The staff and planning committee at Assumption really knows how to keep things moving along.  They had plenty of seating, plenty of staff, and plenty of room to maneuver from station to station along the way.  I never felt rushed or crowded despite the large number of people everywhere.  They had menus to look at in line, and signs for beverages in various locations.  The signage was excellent.



]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/04/01/assumption-3292013#comments 0 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/26/st-agatha-3222013 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:24:52 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/26/st-agatha-3222013
St. Agatha isn’t a fish fry that caters to hundreds or thousands of people like some of the others.  Located just south of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, they have a small fish fry with a room that you must see.  This fish fry is all about the room, the company you keep while you are there, and the atmosphere you get to enjoy while eating dinner.  If you like foosball, you might be able to get a game or two in while you’re there.  They have a table in one area of the room.  As far as the food goes, the options are slim.  The fried Tilapia is good, the sides were average, and the dessert is to die for!  You must pay the extra to get the dessert no matter what you do.  The beverage choices were lacking, but maybe they will add some choices in the future.  St. Agatha is a very unique fish fry that is worth visiting.  Don’t expect a gourmet meal or a variety of choices, but you’ll be happy you went.  You might learn a thing or two about Poland while you’re there. 



VARIETY:  Fried Tilapia

TASTE:  The tilapia tasted good.  If you like tilapia, you’ll like the fried fish here.

VALUE:  $7 for an adult plate which includes 2 sides and a choice of bread.
 
CONDIMENTS:  Tartar Sauce (large container) and Ketchup. 




VARIETY:  Homemade Sauerkraut Slaw (I am making that name up, but that’s what it tastes like), Creamy Cole Slaw, Pasta with Red Sauce, French Fries.
 
TASTE:  The sides tasted OK.  If you like sauerkraut, you’ll love the sauerkraut slaw.  I wasn’t a big fan of it, though.  The pasta with red sauce could have used a little parmesan cheese to sprinkle on it.  They should add that to their condiment table, for sure.  The creamy cole slaw is good.  The French fries were pretty standard crinkle fries. 

VALUE:  Meal includes 2 sides that have average portions.  I didn’t see a menu for sides a la carte.



BEVERAGES:  (1 of 5) Coffee, Tea, Soda, or a Small Water Bottle for $1.  No beer or wine was available.  Also, the menu is in Polish! 

DESSERTS:  (5 of 5) $1 for Polish Dessert, but it might be one of the best desserts you ever have. This is totally worth the price, and I highly recommend trying the dessert. 




This fish fry is all about the quaintness of the room the fish fry is in.  I don’t usually describe rooms as cute, but this one was definitely cute.  With many decorations and items from Poland, the room is a sight to see.  Flags, pictures, maps, and more fill all of the walls.  The tables have heavy duty transparent plastic tablecloths on them with maps of Poland underneath to look at while you eat.  All the tables have flowers on them, and the chairs have cushions!  The nice ladies at the front of the line were very friendly, and seemed happy to have us there for a review.  They insisted on the dessert, and they were right!!  There wasn’t much else going on other than the fish fry meal, however, I did see a FOOSEBALL TABLE in one area of the room.  Bonus!!



St. Agatha has a sign out on the street at the corner, and then another sign pointing the way down the steps around back of the church.  The fish fry is in the church basement.  It seems a bit odd at first, but is totally worth the unusual path to the fish fry.  I didn’t see any menus available to look at to order from, which would have been nice to have.  The beverage and dessert menu was in Polish, so that was a little hard to read.  There was no line to pay or for food as this fish fry does not seem to cater to the masses. 



]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/26/st-agatha-3222013#comments 0 Fryguy Fryguy http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/26/st-pius-v-3222013 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:14:59 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/26/st-pius-v-3222013
With fantastic fried cod, a live band, and an extensive beverage menu, St. Pius has all of the ingredients of a fish fry that make you want to stick around all night. The top notch fried cod is one of my favorites of 2013 so far (if not #1). The atmosphere is great with Irish music to listen to while you eat. If you’re feeling lucky, you can enter the 50/50 drawing or fill out an attendance prize ticket. No need to be present to win either one! If you’re headed to St. Pius and don’t want to wait in a long line, I advise getting to St. Pius no later than 5:30 because that line sure can get long.




VARIETY:  Fried Cod, Baked Cod, Fried Catfish

TASTE:  The fried cod is a must have.  Its extremely delicious.  One of my favorites of 2013.  The baked cod tasted very healthy and lemony, just OK, in my opinion.

VALUE:  $8 for an adult plate which includes choice of fish 3 sides, dessert, and tea or water. $4 for a child plate which includes ½ portion of fish, 2 sides, dessert, and tea or water.  $4 for a fish sandwich.
 
CONDIMENTS:  Tartar Sauce (large bowl), Ketchup, Mustard, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Malt Vinegar, and Lemon Wedges. 




VARIETY:  Homemade Potato Salad, Homemade Cole Slaw, Homemade Mac & Cheese, Seasoned Green Beans, and Applesauce.
 
TASTE:  The sides tasted OK.  Highlights are the potato salad and the slaw, both tasting unique and homemade.  The mac & cheese was good also.  I don’t recommend the green beans.

VALUE:  Portions were above average sizes, and the meal included 3 sides, which is very unusual.  Most fish frys only include 2 or fewer.  The menu didn’t list the price for a la carte side dishes.




BEVERAGES:  Tea, Water, and Coffee is complementary including all of the accoutrements to add on its own separate table.  Sodas are $0.75 and include Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Diet 7up, Dr. Pepper, and Diet Dr. Pepper.  Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra are available for $2.  Schlafly Pale Ale and Guinness are available for $3.  Wine is available for $2 and includes Chardonay, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  They had a very nice beverage menu with choices and prices listed for each one.  I really like being able to see all of the choices so I don’t have to ask what is available and for how much.  Nice work!!

DESSERTS:  Dessert is included with the meal.  The staff at the dessert table was very friendly, but tucked in an inconvenient location on the side of the room.   I saw a sign that hinted at sugar free desserts being available, which is good for those sensitive to sugar.  That’s a nice option to provide.  The dessert table was stocked with homemade desserts which include mostly cakes and brownies.   I had a brownie, which was very tasty, but nothing special.



Live music is a big draw at St. Pius. The Jameson Clan played mostly Celtic music, which was appropriate since St. Patrick’s day was just 5 days earlier. I’m a big live music fan, so I think this is a top notch extra at a fish fry. Great job!! I think more fish frys should have live music.  Also available are 50/50 tickets for $1, and attendance prize tickets for everyone who buys food and dines in (I think).  Another bonus is real china plates, and silverware. No Styrofoam or plastic forks here!  Way to Go!!



I’ve always thought that the entrance in the side door down the steps was a little goofy, but it is definitely the right door to send the line out.  We arrived around 5:00 and there was no big line, but by the time we left at 6 pm, the line was out the door.  Once you get inside the door, you stand in a wind tunnel which can be quite cold if the outside temperature is cold.  While we waited, the line moved a little slower than average, but the company was good. There is plenty to look at, including menus to read while you wait.  If you’re lucky, the live band is on to entertain you, too.  Each station at the fish fry had a menu, and there was never a mystery where everything was.  Getting to the restroom is a little tricky past the band and through the dancing children.
 
You can see the fish fry sign from the street, but there is no sign on the side street where the entrance door is located.  This isn’t an issue when the line goes out the door, but if you’re early or late, you might not find it at first.  Look for the “Singler Hall” sign over the door.  The “to-go” door is separate from the dine-in door, and WAS well marked.




]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/26/st-pius-v-3222013#comments 0 Fryguy Fryguy http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/22/send-us-your-suggesetions Fri, 22 Mar 2013 09:00:36 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/22/send-us-your-suggesetions
]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/22/send-us-your-suggesetions#comments 0 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/19/little-flower-3152013 Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:10:21 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/19/little-flower-3152013
Grilled Salmon and Fried Mac & Cheese balls are the name of the game at Little Flower.  A sidestep from typical fish fry fare, Little Flower's Grilled Salmon is a must have.  Its served with a honey BBQ sauce over a bed of rice pilaf.  While you wait in line or while enjoying your meal at one of the tables, you are served homemade fried mac & cheese hush puppies.  You must try these!  The only bad news is that we went to their last fish fry of the season so you'll have to wait until next year to have a taste.  All of the side dishes were good, especially the French fries, which were also a bit different than most other places.  A wide variety of beverages are available along with the table of homemade desserts.  I really enjoyed the fish fry at Little Flower, and will make it a point to visit again in the future.  I'm surprised that more people aren't talking about this one because its food is top notch!!



VARIETY:  Hand-Breaded Fried Cod, Grilled Salmon.

TASTE:  The grilled salmon is outstanding!  Served with a honey bbq sauce over a bed of rice pilaf, the grilled salmon is a must have!  The fried cod was tasty as well, but didn’t hold a candle to the salmon.  I whole-heartedly recommend the salmon.  It has a nice smoky flavor, too.

VALUE:  $9 for the grilled salmon dinner, $8 for 2-piece cod, and $6 for 1-piece cod dinner.  Each meal includes 2 sides, bread, and dessert. 
 
CONDIMENTS:  Tartar Sauce, Ketchup, and Malt Vinegar in squeezable containers with small cups to take back to your table. 




VARIETY:  Green Beans, Cole Slaw, French Fries, and Homemade Mac & Cheese.

TASTE:  I’m not usually big on the French fries, but they were recommended to me, and they were right!  The French fries were really good.  They had some sort of battered seasoning on them.  The oil & venegar-based cole slaw was also good.  The green beans have some sort of minced onions in them giving them a great flavor, and the homemade mac & cheese was also amazing.

VALUE:  Portions are about average but you get an extra side of rice pilaf if you order the salmon.  The menu didn’t indicate that sides were sold individually.




BEVERAGES:  Sodas are $1 and include Coke, Diet Coke, 7up, Diet 7up, Dr. Pepper, and Diet Dr. Pepper, if my memory serves correctly.  Budweiser and Bud Light are available on tap, and they have a selection of wines (chardonnay, white zinfandel, and cabernet sauvignon) available for purchase as well.  I didn’t see a menu for the beverages, so I’m not sure how much the beer and wine was selling for.  A sign or menu at the beverage stand would have been nice.

DESSERTS:  The staff at the dessert table was very friendly.  Dessert is included with dinner and looks mostly homemade including cupcakes, cakes, Rice Krispy treats, brownies, and cookies.  I had a brownie that had some sort of chocolate heath bar or something in the middle.  It was delicious.




Held in the school gym, Little Flower has a classic fish fry atmosphere.  Everyone is in good spirits, kids are running around, and there are people of all ages waiting in line for a taste of that delicious fish.  There is a playground outside for the kids to play on.  Some of the men were out back grilling up the salmon on an open flame.
 
One thing that really stood out for me was the “hush puppies” that they serve to you while in line, at your table, or wherever.  These hush puppies were more like homemade deep fried mac & cheese balls, and were so delicious.  I think I ate about 4 or 5 of them throughout the entire visit to Little Flower.  Make sure you get yourself one or two of those.
 
I noticed that in one area of the gym they are selling flower bulbs as a fundraiser.  Selling flowers at little flower?  I love it!!  “Flower Power Bulb Sale” they were calling it.




I never really saw a sign that pointed the way to the fish fry, but followed some other people which eventually led me to the right place.  I’m not sure there were too many other places to go, however, a sign with an arrow wouldn’t have led me around the building.  The line was a little long around 5:45-6:00, but the homemade mac & cheese balls tamed my hunger a little bit.  By the time we got near the front of the line we realized that we were supposed to pay before getting in line.  We came in the back so we never passed the cashier.  Luckily we had 4 people with us to save spots while each of us went to pay.  I think moving the cashier inside the gym to pay while you wait in line is a good idea, along with having menus to look at while you wait.  I also think having a menu of beverages at the beverage stand would be beneficial, too.




]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/19/little-flower-3152013#comments 0 Aaron Aaron http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/17/st-gabriels-332013 Sun, 17 Mar 2013 22:18:14 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/17/st-gabriels-332013
]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/17/st-gabriels-332013#comments 0 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/12/st-gabriels-382013 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:55:54 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/12/st-gabriels-382013
St. Gabriel’s has a very popular fish fry in one of my favorite parts of town.  Having worked at Ted Drewes for 7 years, I’m a little biased of St. Louis Hills.  When you find the line, and if you can afford the wait, you won’t be disappointed.  You might even be paid a visit from the beer fairy while waiting. 
 
The main dish selections, including grilled cheese and cheese pizza, ought to appease almost anyone, even the kids.  The cod is definitely top notch.  If you go to St. Gabriel’s, do yourself a favor and order the cod.  There is a variety of side dishes to choose from.  While not spectacular, all the side dishes tasted well above average and are served in very generous portions.  All dinners include a full meal, without having to pay extra for any portion of it, unless you want to upgrade your beverage.  The complimentary beverage service was quite nice, with plenty of other beverages to upgrade to, including soda, beer, and wine.
 
The friendliness of the staff sets the bar very high, especially when working with a line out the door and halfway to the corner.  Expect a quality meal with real dishes, real silverware, and a full belly when you leave.  Thanks to St. Gabriel’s for a great fish fry.  I’m glad you’re not too far away! 




VARIETY:  Hand-Breaded Fried Cod, Baked Cod, Fried Catfish Fillet, Jack Salmon Fillet, and Fried Shrimp.  Grilled Cheese and Cheese Pizza are available for children/seniors.  I’d bet you could get in on this as an adult, too, if you played your cards right.

TASTE:  The fried cod is outstanding!  The breading is very flavorful, and the cod is hot and flaky.  This is definitely top tier cod.  I recommend it whole-heartedly.  The fried shrimp tastes good but tastes like standard fried shrimp… nothing special here.  I did not taste any of the other main dishes.

VALUE:  $9 per adult dinner (any type of fish) includes two sides, white or wheat bread, dessert, and a drink.  For $1 extra you can make it the “Pastor’s Platter” (VERY clever and catchy) which also includes two fried shrimp.  This is what I ordered, and it was worth it.  $6 for a half-portion of the fish and $5 for the cheese pizza, both include the same add-ons as the adult dinners. 
 
All main dish items are also sold a la carte - $5.50 for cod, $4.50 for Jack Salmon, $2 for Grilled Cheese, and $2 for Cheese Pizza.  They also sell the fried or baked cod for $12 per pound, and 12 fried shrimp for $10

CONDIMENTS:  Tartar Sauce, Cocktail sauce, and ketchup in individual packets, plus it looked like cocktail sauce in a large squeezable container.   




VARIETY:  Green Beans, Applesauce, Rotini Mac & Cheese, Rotini with Red Sauce, Rotini Buttered Pasta, Cole Slaw, French Fries.

TASTE:  St. Gabriel’s fixed us a plate of all of their sides, minus the applesauce, which seemed pretty standard.  I have to say the slaw was a little on the peppery side.  My friend Christine could hardly handle the spiciness.  The green beans and French fries were pretty standard.  The rotini pasta came in 3 flavors and all tasted above average.  I am a big fan of rotini noodles, which seem to retain a lot of flavor.



BEVERAGES:  The beverage table is staffed with an energetic bunch of young ladies who are very friendly.  Tea, Lemonade, Hawaiian Punch, Water, and Coffee are complimentary, and are pre-poured so you don’t have to wait.  Sodas are $1 and include Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite.  Beers are $2 and include Budweiser, Bud Light, and Bud Select.  Wine is $3 and includes Chardonnay, Merlot, and I’m not sure what else.  I had a combination of the lemonade and Hawaiian punch which was quite tasty.

DESSERTS:  Included with dinner, the dessert table includes homemade desserts, which seemed mostly like cakes, cookies, and brownies.  The red velvet cake I tasted was delicious.  The staff in the dessert booth are quite a delight as well.




Let me say that the atmosphere at St. Gabriel’s was extremely friendly, and the staff was high spirits and seemed happy to be there.  This is always a treat.  Real silverware, real dishes, and trays are an added bonus, as was the extra fried shrimp and sides they were generous to let us sample.
 
While the line was long, they had one very energetic young man handing out beers to those of age that were waiting in line.  While I wasn’t partaking, this seemed like a good way to take your mind off of the long line that was piled outside.  This is a good idea, and many people had mentioned this to me when talking about this particular fish fry.  Sure enough, it was true.
 
They also had a television on the stage at one end of the cafeteria.  I’d imagine this comes in quite handy during the NCAA basketball tournament time.  This is a BIG bonus if you are craving fish fry and still want to watch the basketball tournament.  The friendly staff was bussing tables and clearing trays as we were finishing our meal.  That’s always a plus in my book.




When we arrived, the line was way out the door.  (See Photos)  Lucky for us our friends were already in line.  We had been there before so we knew where to go, but some of our friends didn’t find the correct door at first.  You enter behind the church which can be seen from Tamm Avenue.  The line moved slowly, but there were menus to look at in line, so we knew what we wanted when we got to the front.  There was definitely a bottleneck around the turn between the fish server and the table nearby, which is where we ultimately sat for dinner.  Now I know why no one was sitting there! 

Carry out is also available, and had a different door (with signs indicating which way to go to find it) to enter than the one with the giant line.




]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/12/st-gabriels-382013#comments 0 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/11/epiphany-of-our-lord-382013 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 22:38:13 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/11/epiphany-of-our-lord-382013
We had a great time at Epiphany’s fish fry.  Everything is sold individually, which results in a fantastic value!  It was the best value so far this year (out of 10 different fish frys). You can pick and choose what you would like, without having to choose from pre-selected dinner options.  The beverage selection is great.  There are plenty of beer and soda options, plus complimentary tea and coffee.  The selection of sides is way above average, and the macaroni is delicious!  I liked the real dishes, silverware, and trays. 

I would recommend ordering the hand-breaded catfish or shrimp as the jack salmon has bones in it, and the piece cod that I had just wasn’t up to par.   Desserts seemed average for a fish fry, but they did have Jell-o!  Girl Scout Cookies were also for sale at a side table.  The people at Epiphany were extremely friendly and seemed all smiles.  I would definitely return to Epiphany for the overall value and variety of sides.  Hopefully their bowling alley has open bowling next time!



VARIETY:  Cod Fillet, Hand-Breaded Catfish, Hand-Breaded Jack Salmon, and Fried Shrimp

TASTE:  I tasted the cod fillet, and it looked a lot better than it tasted.  The piece I had wasn’t very hot and it seemed dry and overcooked.  I could barely cut it with my fork.  Aaron said his piece was hot and tenderer than mine.  The menu mentioned that the jack salmon had some bones in it, which didn’t seem appealing to me.  It must be good if it gets ordered with bones in it!

VALUE:  Everything is sold a la carte.  Cod filets are $2.75, Jack Salmon for $3.25, Catfish for $4.25, and Fried Shrimp for $1 each.  GOOD VALUE!! White, Wheat, and Rye Bread is available for $0.15 per slice, and they have French Bread for $0.40

CONDIMENTS:  Tartar Sauce, Cocktail sauce, and Ketchup in large squeezable containers plus Frank’s Hot sauce.




VARIETY:  Green Beans, Corn, Spaghetti, Creamy Slaw, Oil & Vinegar Slaw, Three Bean Salad, Macaroni & Cheese, and Pickled Beets
 
TASTE:  The macaroni & cheese is outstanding!  Apparently people come in just for large containers of the macaroni & cheese.  I suggest you order the mac & cheese if you go.  The pickled beets are very tasty and an unusual fish fry menu side.  The corn and green beans taste like standard cafeteria fare, and the oil and vinegar cole slaw is good.

VALUE:  Everything is sold a la carte.  Very generous portions of mac & cheese ($1.25), green beans ($0.75) & corn ($0.75).  The three bean salad ($0.75), both kinds of slaw ($0.75), and the pickled beets ($0.75) come in a small side dish container, and are average portions.  I didn’t see the spaghetti ($0.75), but they do have fruit cups available for $0.75.




BEVERAGES:  Iced Tea and Coffee are complimentary, with lemons, sugar, and the whole bit to add.  Sodas are available for $0.75 each, and include Coke, Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, Mr. Pibb, Sprite, Root Beer, and Orange Crush.  Beers are available for $2 each and include Budweiser, Bud Light, Bud Select, Busch, and Miller Lite.  (Miller Lite… really?  This is St. Louis!!)

DESSERTS:  Everything is sold a la carte.  Desserts are $0.75 each, and include cobblers, cakes, Jell-o, muffins, cupcakes, etc.  I had a chocolate cheesecake that was tasty but a little dry.  I tasted Aaron’s cherry cobbler, and it was quite delicious.




The atmosphere at Epiphany is classic for a fish fry.  Held in the school gym, there are plenty of volunteers among the food line, beverage area, cashier, tables selling raffle tickets, students accepting donations for school charities, and a table selling GIRL SCOUT COOKIES.  Aaron cashed in on some of those.  People of all ages were enjoying the fish fry.  There were several people monitoring tables and cleaning up.
 
Everything on the menu is sold a la carte, that is, individually.  I ordered a cod fillet, 3 side dishes (including the mac & cheese), dessert, and a soda, and my total was only $6.70!!  BEST VALUE yet this year, and I’d be surprised if it gets matched anywhere else.
 
Epiphany uses real dishes and real silverware….a definite bonus at any fish fry, with plenty of volunteers near the trash cans washing the dishes and cleaning the trays.  Monica and Father Tom came over to say hello while we were there.  One of my favorite parts of visiting fish frys is getting to talk to all the nice people, including those at Epiphany.  Thanks for the hospitality!!
 
 
Although it doesn’t really fit into the fish fry review, it is certainly worth mentioning in this section.  Epiphany has an 8-lane bowling alley included in their school facilities.  I took some pictures and they should show up below.  My camera switched settings on me, so some of the photos turned out a little blurry.  That’s a blurry photo, not your eyes!!




Plenty of signs indicate that the fish fry is in the gym, but I still managed to try to go in the locked door that goes into the school.  Perhaps an arrow on the sign would have helped me find it quicker.  It was still early, so there was no evident crowd to follow.
 
The line hadn’t yet grown since we arrived around 4:45, and there were plenty of signs indicating what was available along the way through the food line.  They even had an old school (literally!) menu with movable letters that have the menu items on it.  Love it!!  They also have pocket-sized menues with the schedule on it for your wallet, fridge, or other handy place to keep a petite menu.
 
The perimeter of the gym pretty much has all the stops along the way.  The dessert table was first, which was a little goofy, but who says dessert has to be last, right!?




]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/11/epiphany-of-our-lord-382013#comments 0 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/05/mary-queen-of-peace-312013 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:21:29 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/05/mary-queen-of-peace-312013
With several Fish Frys under our belt, there are things you start to look for, starting with where to go and how to get in the building.  This proved to be the most difficult part of the evening at Mary Queen of Peace.   We semi-circumnavigated the building in the snow and wound our way through several hallways only to find ourselves just inside the front door that was locked.  Catered by Russo’s Gourmet Catering, this fish fry had some good-looking dishes; however, part of the charm of these fish frys, in my opinion is cooking the food in-house.  If you like Russo’s, you’ll probably love this fish fry.  If you like a noisy atmosphere and a good selection of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, you’ve come to the right place.  If you’re looking for a place to stop in and quickly grab some fish on a Fish Fryday, I’d think again.  Don’t even think about getting an extra side dish a la carte because it isn’t allowed.  The fish fry did bring together many people who seemed to be enjoying themselves, especially the children, and that’s all part of a successful fish fry.



VARIETY:  Salmon, Shrimp, Cod, but

TASTE:  The Cod was above average, but not outstanding.  It was hot, flaky, and the breading had a lot of flavor.  The salmon looked to be baked and looked pretty good, but I didn’t taste it.

VALUE:  I’d imagine with the event being catered that prices would be slightly inflated, and it seemed true.  $10 for a Salmon or Shrimp Dinner, $9 for a 2-piece Cod dinner, and $8 for a 1-piece cod dinner.  Children’s Meal is $4 but I have no idea what that includes since it’s not listed on the menu.  I assume cheese pizza that I eventually saw going thru line.  All dinners include dessert.

CONDIMENTS:  Tartar Sauce and Cocktail sauce in large containers, served to you by a volunteer, Ketchup and Mustard Packets, Malt Vinegar, and Parmesan Cheese….bonus!!




VARIETY:  Green Beans, Applesauce, Shells & Cheese, Spaghetti with Red Sauce, and Rice Pilaf

TASTE:  I love rice pilaf, and this was no disappointment.  The green beans looked amazing, but seemed undercooked.  Once you finally got your fork in them,  the seasonings tasted good.  I expected better green beans from a caterer.

VALUE:  Portions were average at best, but forget about paying for an extra helping.  We were told that wasn’t allowed.




BEVERAGES:  Lemonade and Coffee are complimentary and include a small souvenir cup.  $1 for sodas out of 2-liter bottles including Diet Pepsi, Orange Crush, Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, and didn’t notice anything else.  $3 for Fat Tire and wine (Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Savignon, and Pinot Grigio), and $2 for Budweiser, Bud Light, or Bud Select.  $1 for bottled water.  All beverages required a different colored ticket.  Aaron wanted a Fat Tire, but they had run out by 6:30 pmand had Schlafly Pale Ale instead.

DESSERTS:  Included with dinner, the dessert table include homemade desserts, which seemed mostly like cake and cookies.  Some of the desserts appear to be catered by Russo’s including a raspberry and blueberry parfait.  The parfait was delicious, and it was a nice change from the usual fish fry selection.  The overall variety of desserts was relatively small.




The first sign we saw when entering the fish fry was “Please supervise your children at the fish fry.”  If only this were enforced.  Don’t get me wrong…I embrace the family aspect of fish frys and enjoy some ruckus, but this time it seemed like a little too much.  At times it seemed like more children than parents.  However, I did notice a few well-behaved children.
 
The decorations in the cafeteria are nice with large, painted murals on some walls and decorated ceiling tiles.  Our table was dirty, as well as the floor next to it.  I might suggest recruiting some of the children/students to help wipe the tables down and help with the fish fry tasks.
 
We did run into one of our friends, Lisa, at the fish fry.  It was nice seeing her there.  It’s always great seeing people you know and getting a chance to talk to them




This is usually where the fish fry experience starts.  I didn’t see any signs pointing the way out on Lockwood or near the front of the church/school.  The front doors were locked and we walked all the way around the building (in the snow) and snaked through a couple of hallways only to find ourselves just inside the locked doors we couldn’t enter through. 
 
It would have been nice to have read the menu while in line, but you could only see the menu when it was your turn to pay.  The line for food went two ways, and backed up right in front of the door to enter the cafeteria.  I felt like I was constantly in the way of in/out traffic and the volunteers walking back and forth stocking food and such
 
The menu needs improvement.  It was not very descriptive and doesn’t really tell you what is included with the meal, or what types of side dish or beverage choices there are.  Half of the menu is beverages and images of the tickets required to obtain said beverages.




]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/05/mary-queen-of-peace-312013#comments 0 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/02/st-mary-magdalen-brentwood-312013 Sat, 02 Mar 2013 14:52:55 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/02/st-mary-magdalen-brentwood-312013
Great people, Great food, and a well-thought out fish fry just about sums up my experience at St. Mary Magdalen’s Fish Fry in Brentwood. From the hand-breaded cod fish taco with ranch salsa, to the variety of delicious sides, topped with desserts to die for, they certainly take pride in hosting a top tier fish fry. They have a reasonable selection of beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), plenty of seating, and homemade desserts. Parking can be tough during the fish fry rush hour, but they have added drive-thru service for those who are just picking it up to go. Nice touch! The fish fry was very clean, and had plenty of menus and signs indicating the options, and which way to go.  I would definitely visit again. 



VARIETY:  Fried Cod, Baked Icelandic Salmon Fillet, Jumbo Fried Shrimp, Papa John’s Cheese Pizza.  You can order meals by number.  See the photo of the menu for more details.  I am not a huge fan of the meal served in a “to-go” box if I’m not taking it home.  It’s a little bulky for my taste.

TASTE:  The hand-breaded cod fish taco is delicious, served on a tortilla with ranch salsa.  I highly recommend ordering it.  The fried shrimp contains a lot of shrimp and isn’t mostly breading.  I didn’t try the Jack salmon, but it looked like it was baked and is served with a creamy dill sauce on the side.  I would have tried it, but the portion looked too generous to order a la carte.

VALUE:   $6 for the fish taco plus one side (VERY reasonable),  $5 for the fish and chips (no side other than homemade parmesan chips).  $8 for (2) 4 oz. fried cod fillets (2 sides), $11 for (6) fried shrimp (2 sides), and $12 for “Father Jack’s Salmon” (2 sides).  $4 Kids Meals include Cheese Pizza or pasta with red sauce, applesauce, and dessert.  Extra cod fillet or 3 jumbo shrimp for $3.  All means include a homemade dessert.

CONDIMENTS:  Tartar Sauce, Cocktail Sauce, and Ketchup…all in packets, Malt Vinegar, and dill pickles!!  They also had dispensers for their utensils.




VARIETY:  Green Beans, Shell Pasta with Red Sauce, Creamy Cole Slaw, 3-Bean Salad, Homemade Parmesan Potato Chips and Spiced Apples.

TASTE:  I was lucky enough to try 4 of the 5 side dishes.  The green beans are delicious, seasoned and buttered just right.  Shell pasta is always good, and the red sauce tastes fine.  The 3-bean salad have a tangy vinagarette sauce, and was a unique side dish for a fish fry….good job!!  The spiced apples are warm and delicious, and I’m usually not a spiced apple kind of guy.

VALUE:  $2 for an extra side dish.  Pasta serving sizes were enormous, the others were averaged sized.




BEVERAGES:  Water and Coffee are complimentary.  Soft drinks are $1, and include iced tea, Coke, Diet Coke, Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew (bonus!), Orange Crush, Grape Crush, and Sprite.  Schlafly Pale Ale, Budweiser, Bud Light, Bud Select Beer and Wine are available just inside the front door.

DESSERTS:  All meals include desserts, and no ticket is required.  The homemade dessert table is definitely stacked, and have some great options including cake, brownies, pie (including pumpkin), and more.  I had something I had never tried before.  The smore-like dessert with a brownie bottom, marshmallow middle, and graham cracker top tasted like heaven.  I reluctantly insisted that Aaron have a bite, and he thought it was amazing as well.  Hopefully someone reading this knows the recipe and sends it to us so I can have that again!!  Send it to:  info@fishfryday.org.




DRIVE THRU for those who want to pick it up on the way home.  Held in the school gym, this fish fry was friendly from the start.  All of the staff members were wearing bright yellow “God’s Cod” T-shirts so they were easily identifiable to everyone there.  Molly came over and chatted with us for a while.  Such nice people!!  Everyone’s spirit was up, and you could tell they take pride in their fish fry by the cleanliness of the tables, floors, and everything around.  Even the students were helping keep the gym clean!
 
Schlafly Beer and wine are a nice touch to a fish fry.  They had an area selling raffle tickets and auction tickets for some extracurricular events as well.  Also, I consider the fish taco an extra, as most fish frys do not offer this option.
 
Payment with credit cards is accepted.



There were plenty of signs directing traffic for the drive thru and signs pointing the way inside.  There is someone who hands out laminated, reusable menus to peruse while you wait in line, along with menus hanging on the wall, some with photos of the food.  Signs direct you all the way from beginning to end, too.  The flow was a little goofy going in one door, and snaking out through the cafeteria line, but the wait was short.  Also, you might get stuck in a little bit of parking lot traffic during the fish fry rush hour. 




]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/03/02/st-mary-magdalen-brentwood-312013#comments 4 Fryguy Fryguy Maplewood-Brentwood Patch.com, AND  today's http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/25/fish-fryday-review-on-patch-com Mon, 25 Feb 2013 10:51:17 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/25/fish-fryday-review-on-patch-com Maplewood-Brentwood Patch.com, AND  today's Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch.com.  Check it out!

]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/25/fish-fryday-review-on-patch-com#comments 0 Aaron Aaron
One of the more organized frys, with quick and friendly service and fantastic fish.  I sampled the cod, catfish, and baked tilapia - all of which were hand-breaded, and ​delicious.  I had the green beans - [...]]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/24/st-gerard-majella Sun, 24 Feb 2013 20:44:04 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/24/st-gerard-majella
From the signage approaching the church to the desserts, this one has it all - even a drive thru!

One of the more organized frys, with quick and friendly service and fantastic fish.  I sampled the cod, catfish, and baked tilapia - all of which were hand-breaded, and ​delicious.  I had the green beans - which were just OK, and the applesauce.  Though the sides were just average, the beverage selection (beer, wine, soda, water, sports drink) and the desserts were outstanding.

I also liked that there was an option to sit at a round table or a long rectangular table.  I'm not sure why, but I prefer the long rectangular tables.  Maybe it reminds me of elementary school lunches.

Anyway, if you I had to recommend a fry to attend, so far, this one takes the cake.

]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/24/st-gerard-majella#comments 0 Aaron Aaron
We were greeted by a friendly staff and variety of sodas and beers. [...]]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/24/immaculate-conception-maplewood Sun, 24 Feb 2013 20:33:50 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/24/immaculate-conception-maplewood
Nathan and I were excited to return to Immaculate Conception, where just a year ago I attended my first ever fish fry.  This fry was much better than I remembered.  The choices of fish included baked cod and jack salmon in addition to the traditional fried cod.

We were greeted by a friendly staff and variety of sodas and beers.  I sampled the baked cod, which I found a bit bland, and the fried cod.  The fried cod was the typical square, however it was tastier than your average square.  The sides were tasty, and the beverages were provided in a souvenir cup.  To top it off, the dessert selection was amazing, and there were even sugar free options.

This one falls into the above average category, but I might be biased. :-)

]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/24/immaculate-conception-maplewood#comments 0 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/22/st-gerard-majella-2222013 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 23:16:24 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/22/st-gerard-majella-2222013
St. Gerard Majella in Kirkwood knows how to host a terrific fish fry.  The welcoming committee is only a piece of the kindness offered throughout the evening.  The photo display board explaining what your meal includes is very impressive.  If you have any questions, it means you aren’t paying attention or are busy texting.  The delicious hand-breaded cod is the highlight of the meal.  This is top tier cod.  The variety and portion of sides served on a sectioned tray allow everything to stay in its place.  You won’t have green bean juice soaking into the fish, or cole slaw invading the pasta.  The relish area is a nice touch, and the selection of beverages is very diverse.  The fish fry is held in their new facility, which is neat, clean, organized and ready for a large crowd.  Soft pretzels, cheese pizza, Girls Scout Cookies, and Ted Drewes Frozen Custard are also available.  In addition to the dine-in choice, they also offer carry out and a drive-thru, which helps with the parking situation outside.  We even had a visit from Fr. Thomas Molini, one of the hand-breaders - Mr. Joe Buthe, and the man running the show, Mr. Chris Hogg.  Thanks to St. Gerard for fantastic hospitality and a terrific fish fry from top to bottom!!



VARIETY:  Fried Cod (8 oz), Fried Tilapia (8 oz), Fried Catfish (7 oz), Fried Shrimp (8), and Baked Tilapia.  Pizza (Domino’s, I believe) was available  in a different part of the hall for the non-fish eaters.

TASTE:  The fried cod is hand-breaded and DELICIOUS….definitely top notch.  Luckily, we were able to sample all of the fried fish there, thanks to the fish fry master bringing out a sampler platter for us.  The fried catfish and fried tilapia are both generous portions, and each was hot, tender, and flaky.  Personally, I’m not a huge fan of either, but they both taste top notch in quality.  The fried shrimp seem pretty standard.

VALUE:  Adult dinners cost $9 and include 2 sides, a roll, and dessert.  Child dinners cost $6 and include 2 sides, a roll, and dessert.  Extra fish a la carte cost $6 for an adult, and $3 for a child.

CONDIMENTS:  Large pump containers of ketchup, tartar sauce, and cocktail sauce, plus the option of individually packaged tartar sauce tubs.  A relish area includes dill pickles, banana peppers, and green olives…..bonus.




VARIETY:  Cole Slaw, Green Beans, Mac & Cheese, Bowtie Pasta with Red Sauce, French Fries, Applesauce

TASTE:  The cole slaw is creamy, tasty, and in an extremely generous portion.  The green beans have sun-dried tomatoes in them and tasted good.  The French fries were nothing special, but I’m not big on French fries.  I didn’t get to taste the other sides.

VALUE:  Extra sides are $3 for two servings.  The portions were very generous.
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BEVERAGES:  I didn’t see an area with complimentary drinks, which would have been nice, but the beverage selection was quite extensive.  Soft drinks are $1 and your choices include Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Sunkist Orange, Powerade, and bottled water.  Budweiser, Bud Light, and Bud Select beers are $3 or 2 for $5, and Chardonnay or Cabernet Savignon wine are available for $3 per glass.  All beverages (minus some of the wine) are kept ice cold in tubs.

DESSERTS:  The staff at the dessert table looked like they were having a good time helping everyone.  The lovely ladies working here were very friendly. I sampled pecan pie and a cookie cake brownie type of dessert which were both amazing, and seemed homemade.




St. Gerard’s fish fry epitomizes the fish fry atmosphere.  Clearly people are not there only to eat.  The kids were running around having fun, the adults sat and spent quality time after they finished eating, and it seemed everyone was enjoying themselves.  Everyone that worked there was incredibly friendly, personable, and a treat to speak to, even the guys in the back hand-breading the fish!
 
Extras that St. Gerard offers include soft pretzels for $1 chocolate, strawberry or vanilla Ted Drewes mini concretes for $3 (sold by the Boy Scouts), 2 different choices of wine, a relish selection (olives, pickles, and banana peppers), pizza for the non-fish eaters, and a drive-thru service.  The sampler platter we received was a nice extra, too.
 
The tray the food was served on was a sectioned tray, with a separate section for all of your various stops along the way.  You had one for the fish, one for each side, on for the roll, one for the relishes, and a spot for the silverware.  This was a very nice touch.  More fish frys should have this.




Many signs were visible from the road, and there were plenty of signs directing the drive-thru.  If you didn’t know which way to go, you just weren’t paying attention.  They had an enormous sign over the entrance (See photos) that directed you to the fish fry, if you nose couldn’t lead you there.
 
The display board inside the doors was very impressive.  Someone put a lot of time, thought, and care into creating a colorful display board explaining all of the options for entrees, side dishes, and desserts.  Forms were on the table in front of the board to fill out and the cashiers were next to pay.  They were also the welcoming committee, and they certainly made us feel welcome. 
 
Not having been to St. Gerard before, it seemed like walking into a room of chaos once you got downstairs.  It took a second or two to realize where to go and what the deal was with the line.  At first, it seemed the line was moving in the wrong direction, but ultimately it made sense.  Everything else flowed fine after you paid and were downstairs.  The food line was short and moved quickly.  The “To Go” area was another line you could wait in that seemed to be shorter as the evening progressed.  There was a separate area for condiments near the “To Go” as well.




]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/22/st-gerard-majella-2222013#comments 1 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/22/immaculate-conception-2222013 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 22:05:00 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/22/immaculate-conception-2222013
Immaculate Conception in Maplewood hosts a fish fry with a lot of options and friendly atmosphere.  They have a variety of fried fish, and a baked cod dish for lighter fare.  The cod was an average square fillet, but it was very tasty. They had a variety of sides; however, none of them knocked my socks off.  I was impressed with the beverage area.  They offered many soft drink options served with ice in a souvenir cup, and had 2 draft beer options.  The desserts I tasted were excellent.  If you have young children, there were several high chairs to use which was the first fish fry that I've seen to offer that.  Thanks to the staff for an overall good experience.



VARIETY:  Fried Cod, Baked Cod, Fried Catfish, Fried Jack Salmon, Fried Shrimp (8)

TASTE:  The fried cod was breaded and square, and tasted pretty good.  It didn’t seem hand-breaded, but it was good.  The baked cod was a small portion, and definitely was on the lighter side.  Perhaps they held back on the seasoning in case people wanted something much lighter.

VALUE:  Dinner included 2 sides and white or wheat bread, but not a beverage (besides water) nor a dessert.  Cost was $8 ($5 for half) for 2 fried cod fillets, 2 fried catfish fillets, or 2 fried jack salmon fillets, $9 ($6 for half) for 2 baked cod fillets, and $10.50 ($6.50 for half) for 8 fried shrimp.  Total dinner with a beverage and a dessert was at least $10 per plate.  That seemed tad on the high side in comparison to others.

CONDIMENTS:  Large pump containers of ketchup, tartar sauce, and cocktail sauce, plus hot sauce, and large shakers of parmesan cheese.  Parmesan cheese = bonus.




VARIETY:  Mac & Cheese, Spaghetti, French Fries, Green Beans,  Cole Slaw, and Salad

TASTE:  The cole slaw was vinegar and oil based, and was tasty.  It tasted good, and went well with the fish.  The green beans were good, especially with a little parmesan sprinkled on top.  The volunteers insisted that we taste the mac & cheese, so we obliged.  The mac & cheese was good…not the best, but it was nice and cheesy.

VALUE:  The portions were above average-sized, and some were served in separate dishes to allow more quantity, such as the salad.  Extra sides ranged from $1 to $2 each.  See the photos for a picture of the menu.




BEVERAGES:  Water was complimentary.  $1 for soda, iced tea, and bottled water, and $2 for beer.  They had an elaborate selection of sodas: Coke, Diet Coke, 7up, Diet 7up, Dr. Pepper, Diet Dr. Pepper, Sunkist Orange, Sunkist Grape, and A&W Root Beer.  The sodas came in cans, warm, but served with a small plastic souvenir cup with ice.  I thought that was a nice touch.  They had fresh lemon and sugar and sweetener for the iced tea.  I didn’t catch what types of beer they had, but they had two types on draft.  Last year when we went they had Bud Light and Busch on tap.

DESSERTS:  The dessert table looked inviting, and the lovely ladies explained some of the choices.  The desserts were homemade and included red velvet cake, chocolate brownies, cupcakes, muffins, and large slices of apple pie.  I tasted the red velvet cake and chocolate brownies and both were amazing.  Desserts varied in price from $0.75 to $1, and coffee was $1.




We arrived shortly before 4:30, so we caught the beginning of dinner.  The newly renovated gym was good, and despite the accumulated snow there were a lot of friendly people there early.  The first thing I noticed when we came in was a collection of high chairs for families to use.  I thought that was a great idea, and was even suggested by a mom at the second fish fry we attended later that day.  Good job!!  I also noticed a quilt raffle for charity when you first came in the door.
 
The beverages were served in small souvenir cups, which was neat.  A recycling bin was located next to the beverage area.
 
Trays were at the beginning of the food line, allowing you to set your food on them.  I like trays.  Trays are key in holding all the goodies you accumulate in line.
 
The people were very friendly, and came over to talk to us for a bit.  They even cleared our plates.  Thanks for the hospitality!




The signage, flow and line were just about as good as it gets at a fish fry.  Beverages first (to enjoy in line), food next, cashier, condiments, and dessert, in that order.  The line and flow kept going in one direction, and each station in line was right after the other.  There was no form to fill out.  There were plenty of menus posted on the doors and walls on the way in to read as you entered, or as you waited in line.  The short line did move a little slow for its size.




]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/22/immaculate-conception-2222013#comments 0 Fryguy Fryguy calendar to find out where we're going!! [...]]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/19/calendar-set-through-3813 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:24:34 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/19/calendar-set-through-3813 calendar to find out where we're going!!

]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/19/calendar-set-through-3813#comments 0 Aaron Aaron
On to my short review!  The food here was average, but Imo's pizza was offered in addition to the traditional fish.  I was rather [...]]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/18/church-of-the-immacolata Mon, 18 Feb 2013 22:54:00 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/18/church-of-the-immacolata
We kicked off the season today at Immaculate Heart of Mary's fish fry, and it was a great start.  You'll likely find my reviews a bit different than Nathan's, but hopefully still useful.

On to my short review!  The food here was average, but Imo's pizza was offered in addition to the traditional fish.  I was rather impressed with the fish, however less impressed with the offering of sides.   We arrived early, to an almost empty cafeteria, which I must say detracts from the experience, however were greeted by an enthusiastic team of workers ready for the throngs of visitors that would surely follow in our footsteps.

This fry was a great start to our 2013 fish fry tour, and I give it a rating of 3 on a scale of 5.

]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/18/church-of-the-immacolata#comments 0 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/16/immaculate-heart-of-mary-2152013 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 02:24:00 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/16/immaculate-heart-of-mary-2152013
Immaculate Heart of Mary was our second stop on Friday after a very stimulating experience at St. Cecilia's.  We arrived relatively late as far as fish frys are concerned (6:30 pm).  The crowd had thinned out, but there was still food to eat.  So far this year, Immaculate Heart of Mary, hands down, has the best tasting fish fry food I have had yet this year.  I highly recommend getting over there to try their fish and their sides.  It was DELICIOUS!  They also have drive thru service and delivery service from 5 to 7 pm.



VARIETY:  Fried Cod, Baked Tilapia, Fried Shrimp, and Baked Salmon on Special.   Served with French bread.  It looked like one of the specials had sold out before we got there.

TASTE:  The cod was absolutely delicious!  Lightly battered and crispy on the outside, and tender, flaky, and hot on the inside. The piece of fish was a very generous size, too.

VALUE:  $8.50 for Cod, $9 for Baked Tilapia or Baked Salmon.  Each dinner includes 2 sides, a drink, and a dessert (while they last).  Kids meals for $4 include 1 side and a drink and a choice of Mac & Cheese, Grilled Cheese, or Nachos.

CONDIMENTS:  Ketchup, Tartar, Cocktail, Sriracha, and Malt Vinegar.  Most were served in larger containers.  Tartar sauce was very tasty.




VARIETY:  Green Beans, Pasta con Broccoli, Mac & Cheese Shells, Applesauce, French Fries, Cole Slaw. 

TASTE:  All homemade side dishes that rotate in and out each week.  The green beans were delicious.  The homemade pasta con broccoli was amazing, too.  The Mac & Cheese consisted of large shell noodles. 

VALUE:  Average-sized portions.  $1.50 for an extra side dish.




BEVERAGES:  Lemonade, iced tea, and coffee were complimentary.  The iced tea was empty when we got there, though.  Sodas for $1.  Bud, Bud Light, Bud Select, or Busch cans for $2.   The lemonade was fantastic!  Best lemonade I’ve had in a while.

DESSERTS:  Desserts were sparse by the time we arrived, but I did try a peanut butter cookie that was very good.  Everything appeared homemade.




Held in the school cafeteria, there wasn’t much else going on besides a delicious fish dinner.  The walls were decorated with artwork from the students.  The people at IHM are really focused more on the quality of the fish dinner than anything else.  The staff was very friendly, and even came over to talk to us after we had been sitting a while.




The cafeteria was marked with a sign outside, and there was a giant dry-erase board with the entire menu listed.  We didn’t wait to pay, but even though it was 6:30, there was still a tiny bit of a food line.  We moved through it pretty quickly.






]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/16/immaculate-heart-of-mary-2152013#comments 2 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/16/st-cecilias-2152013 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 02:23:25 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/16/st-cecilias-2152013
Definitely a memorable fish fry.  From live music, to dancers, to raffles, a Mexican prop photo booth, a line with snack and beverage service, and Mexican food on the menu, St. Cecilia's fish fry experience is quite unique. The fish, sides, and desserts all tasted average, but the Mexican food was pretty good.  The overall atmosphere was extremely enjoyable, and we had a great time.  We did see a Fox 2 News crew there as well.  I wouldn't go to St. Cecilia's to get some quality fish fry food, but its a great place to meet friends and get a taste of Mexico during Lent.



VARIETY: Cod Fillet, Jack Salmon, Shrimp (6), Chile Relleno, Bean Tostada, and Fried Cheese Quesadilla. Served with one piece of bread.

TASTE: The cod was breaded and square, and tasted like a square fish fillet. The chile relleno is a large cheese-stuffed chile, battered, fried, and smothered in sauce. It was delicious, but it was a lot of cheese, and no fish. The fried cheese quesadilla was sprinkled with tomato and onion and was pretty much fried cheese in a fried tortilla. Lots of cheese. I was hoping for the fish to be Mexified somehow, so I was disappointed.

VALUE: $11 dinner inclues 2 main dishes, 2 side dishes, and lemonade. Seems a little steep for a fish fry. $4.50 for an a la carte entrée. No kids menu was listed.

CONDIMENTS: Individual packets of ketchup, tartar, and cocktail. They also served the meal with a HOT green chile sauce on the side. It was very spicy.




VARIETY:  Mac & Cheese, French Fries, Cole Slaw, Rice, and Refried Beans. 

TASTE:  The cole slaw was creamy and tasted average.  The rice was spanish, and tasted plain.  It was nothing special, but went well with the other parts of the mexican meal.  The refried beans tasted good, and were a thin consistency.

VALUE:  Average-sized portions.  $1.50 for an extra side dish.




BEVERAGES:  Lemonade was complimentary.  Coke AND Pepsi product cans product cans for $1. Corona, Tecate, and Modela cans for $1.  I also saw pitchers of beer floating around, but I didn’t see how much.  Beverages were served in line while you waited.

DESSERTS:  Seemed pretty plain.  Diana’s Bakery provided many of the desserts.  They seemed like they were Mexican.  I didn’t see too much chocolate on the table




If there is one fish fry that really knows how to entertain and give you all the extras, its St. Cecilia’s.  The atmosphere is one of the best I’ve ever been to, but with the excitement also comes a LOT of people.  In addition to the Mexican twist on the fish fry they had a mariachi band, raffles, T-shirts for sale, a cart of tamales roaming around selling to everyone, news cameras, chips and salsa for sale in line, sea bass ceviche for sale, beverage service in line while you wait, a Mexican photo-op area with props (photo booth-like).  Some of the additional seating rooms were tough to get to through narrow hallways with tons of people.  They had plenty of friendly volunteers sporting some pretty snazy red shirts.  The food was delivered to our table, and our dirty dishes were cleared for us.



We must have taken the back way but eventually found the fish fry.  No outside line when we arrived at 5 pm, but it wound all the way around the entire gymnasium.  They know how to handle a large crowd at this fish fry.  Many people stationed along the way to help move people about.  The entertainment and overall excitement of this fish fry made the wait in line seem smaller than it probably was.  One thing that seemed odd is that the condiments, knives, forks, napkins, lemonde and desserts were all in one of the additional seating rooms, which wasn’t very easy to find at first.  It seemed oddly placed.




]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/16/st-cecilias-2152013#comments 1 Nathan Nathan http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/16/st-michael-the-archangel-2132013 Sat, 16 Feb 2013 00:45:59 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/16/st-michael-the-archangel-2132013
St. Michael the Archangel was our second stop on Ash Wednesday.  We decided to visit this one on Ash Wednesday since its the only day they have a Fish Fry.  They certainly had a crowd for the size of hall they were using.  The taste of the food was average.  The highlight of my meal was definitely the macaroni and cheese.  There's not too much else to highlight.  We ran into some friends, so it was good atmosphere to catch up while their children were occupied by some of the toys they had there.  Among all of the folks in attendance, we did see one of Shrewsbury's finest enjoying some fish.



VARIETY:  Fried Cod, Fried Tilapia, Fried Fantail Shrimp (6). Cheese Pizza for the kids. They eventually ran out of shrimp.  White or wheat bread.

TASTE:  I tried the cod and the tilapia. Each tasted ok, but a little over-fried. Tartar sauce helped.

VALUE:  $8 for Cod and Tilapia, $9 for Shrimp. Includes a choice of bread, 2 side dishes, coffee or lemonade, and a dessert.  Kid's meals included beverage dessert and the choices were $6 for a 9" cheese pizza, $3 for a half pizza, or $6 for Mac & Cheese.

CONDIMENTS:  All served in larger containers with ladels....Ketchup, Tartar, Hot Sauce, Cocktail Sauce, and PICKLES!!



VARIETY:  Mostaccioli, Cole Slaw, Mac & Cheese, & Tossed Salad.

TASTE:  The Mac & Cheese was outstanding! It was extremely cheesy and tasted baked. The cole slaw was creamy, and tasted like standard tub cole slaw. The tossed salad was just that with the dressing already on it....tasted like French.  It was nothing special, but it tasted good.

VALUE:  Very generous portions of sides.  $2 for an extra side dish.




BEVERAGES:  Coffee and lemonade were complimentary. Coke product cans for $1. Bud or Bud Light cans for 1$.

DESSERTS:  Standard homemade brownies, cookies, cupcakes, etc.



Small school cafeteria, slighly crowded. The staff was friendly, but it seemed like they could have used a few more volunteers.  They had an area with some toys for the kids to play with and a playground outside the hall.




The gymnasium entrance that read "St. Michael's" was deceiving as the entrance to the fish fry.  Eventually you realized where to go in.  Once you found it, the flow was fine.  We were able to look at a menu while we waited to pay.  There was a small line after paying the cashier which moved a little slow for its size.   Each stop along the way (fish, sides, condiments, beverages, and desserts) followed in that order, which is logical and appreciated.



]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/16/st-michael-the-archangel-2132013#comments 1 Nathan Barger Nathan Barger http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/13/the-church-of-the-immacolata-2132013 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:25:00 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/13/the-church-of-the-immacolata-2132013
The Fish Fry at Immacolata was a pleasant experience. It doesn't flaunt an elaborate menu, or have a large selection of sides, but if you're looking for some tasty cod, its worth the trip. Sodas were out of 2-liters, and the dessert table was extensive. We missed out on much of the atmosphere that is a fish fry with a large crowd of people interacting, so we didn't experience that part of the meal. There is a pretty elaborate playground in back for the kids to play on, if they an outlet for the kids to exert some energy while you enjoy a meal with your friends or family.



VARIETY:  Fried Cod, Fried Shrimp (6), Served with a wheat roll.   They were also serving up IMO's cheese pizza for the non-fish eaters.....bonus.

TASTE:  The fried cod was very tasty. The outside wasn't extremely crispy, and the inside was white, flaky, and tender. Good Cod!  The fried shrimp seemed pretty average, tasting better with some cocktail sauce.

VALUE:  $8 for an adult dinner includes choice of fish, 2 side dishes, a dessert, and a beverage, soda included.  $3 for a kids plate, which seems pretty reasonable.

CONDIMENTS:  Tartar Sauce, Ketchup, Cocktail Sauce, and SHREDDED PARMESAN CHEESE!!



VARIETY:  Mostoccioli, Cole Slaw, and Applesauce.  Fewer than expected choices to compliment the meal.

TASTE:  The creamy cole slaw was good, nothing over the top, but a fine, creamy cole slaw. The mostoccioli was hot, had a tasty sauce, and you had the option of sprinkling shredded parmesan cheese on top....which is much better tham the grated cheese in the shaker, if you ask me.

VALUE:  Portions were average, and there was no indication of the cost of an extra side.



BEVERAGES:  Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and Diet Dr. Pepper from 2-liter bottles, and water were included with the meal.   The boy scouts were manning the table.  It was good to see the students taking some responsibility and helping out.  I did not see an area to purchase beer.

DESSERTS:  The dessert table was quite a site to see. Perhaps it was just a little bit early, but there was a large selection of desserts. I chose a chocolate fudge pound cake that was very rich and moist. I couldn't finish the whole thing, but it was amazing. I also tried a chocolate brownie (with nuts...not a fan of nuts in brownies) and a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie. Neither could hold a candle to the pound cake. All desserts looked homemade, and were neatly presented on a very long table.



The fish fry was held in the school cafeteria with student artwork hung on the walls.  Blue tablecloths had been put on each table, which was a nice touch.  There wasn't too much going on since it was so early, but we enjoyed the friendly atmosphere while we were there.  Someone even came over and cleared our plates for us.  I felt that the IMO's pizza and the shredded parmesan cheese were some pretty good extras that you don't see at every fish fry.



Since we arrived so early, there was NO LINE, and it wasn't immediately obvious where to pay, or what the menu included.  After finding the cashier on the opposite side of the room as the entrance, we saw a handwritten sign that only indicated the price of the dinner, and not a typical menu of options.



]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/13/the-church-of-the-immacolata-2132013#comments 1 fishfrydaystl@gmail.com fishfrydaystl@gmail.com here  for the map! [...]]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/12/frymap Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:32:49 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/12/frymap here  for the map!

]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/12/frymap#comments 2 fishfrydaystl@gmail.com fishfrydaystl@gmail.com http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/02/fish-fryday-review-founded Sat, 02 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000 http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/02/fish-fryday-review-founded
]]> http://fishfryday.org/blog/2013/02/02/fish-fryday-review-founded#comments 0