The Friday Fish Fry
Across the 320, it’s not hard to find a Friday Fish Fry during Lent or year round. Technically most of them are fish specials as a fish fry is an event, but lets not mince words. You get to eat fish, really good fish during Lent, so enjoy. Over the next few weeks we’ll share a few of our favorites, adding one restaurant to this article each week. So just like an all you can eat special, plan on more than one trip.
D Michael B’s in Alexandria
They say the sign of a good restaurant is a full parking lot. And the parking lot of D Michael B’s was definitely full on the Friday night we stopped in. We had a chance to try their Fish Special which was very simple and very good.
The Fish Special at D Michael B’s consists of two thick pieces of Cod, a baked potato, Biscuits and Cole Slaw. It’s comes with a slice of lemon and some tartar sauce. But do not mistake simple for boring. This meal was anything but. The Fish had an incredible flavor that left me wanting more. Do know that this is not an all you can eat meal. What you see is what you get. The price is fair and you definitely don’t walk away hungry. The biscuit was a fun surprise. It was loaded with cheese and served warm. Overall, as a Friday Fish Fry, it was totally worth the trip.
Where: D Michael B’s in the Viking Plaza at 3015 MN-29 Ste 4065, Alexandria, MN 56308
Online: www.dmichaelbs.com
Phone: 320 762-2697
Sidewalks Bar and Grill in West Union
This week we take a quick detour to a little known corner of the 320, West Union. West Union is just off I94 between Sauk Centre and Osakis. It’s mostly a bedroom community boasting 117 residence, a church, a park and Sidewalks Bar and Grill. The restaurant is a treasure, especially on a Friday!
The Friday Fish Special is year round and has a LOT to offer. You start with a trip to the salad bar that definitely has more than just the standard lettuce and dressings you expect. There’s potato salad, pasta salads, cucumber salads and perhaps the best crab salad we’ve ever tasted. In addition, there are two soups that are included.
Then we move on to the main event. It’s your choice of All You Can Eat Shrimp OR All You Can Eat Fish. You can’t mix and match. So we simply ordered one of each.
The fish is Pollack. Big slabs of fish that are breaded and fried. The shrimp are large Fan Tail Breaded Shrimp. Both are served with potato. This is where things get complicated though. Get ready to make decisions because you have your choice of: Cheesy Hash Browns, Baked Potato, Tater Tots, Potato Wedges (pictured with shrimp,) French Fries or Waffle Fries (pictured with fish.) It’s pretty likely that we missed a couple additional options. It was hard to hear anything after the words waffle fries were uttered.
Oh, we almost forgot, the salad bar also includes a dessert section. This is also included with the meal. Better wear those pants with the elastic waste band. This is a lot to eat.
The owner, Deb, has owned Sidewalks for about 5 years now and she really goes out of her way to make you feel comfortable. During the summer you can enjoy these specials on the new outdoor patio. But for this Lenten season you’ll have to settle for the indoor version of an amazing fish special from Sidewalks Bar and Grill in West Union.
Where: Sidewalks Bar and Grill at 51 Main St, West Union, MN 56389
Online: Facebook
Phone: 320 352-0123
Travelers Inn – Alexandria
Travelers Inn is an easy call to make. We visited this restaurant that has been offering a fish special every Friday for three generations. As you can imagine, over these fifty years, the Sieve Family at the Travelers Inn in Alexandria, has it down pat.
The special is all you can eat fish. Breaded Cod served with your choice of potato, toast and a trip to their amazing salad bar. We opted for the traditional Fish and Chips approach with french fries.
Because this was all you can eat, we were pretty impressed by how quick the waitress showed up asking if we wanted more. And then offered us a third round of fish which we politely declined. Hey, stop judging. This is just the first Friday Fish Fry and there’s a lot of fish left to consume this Lenten season, we have to pace ourselves.
Where: The Travelers Inn at 511 Broadway St, Alexandria, MN 56308
Online: www.travelersinncafe.com
Phone: 320 763-4000
