(4 out of 4 Fishes)
Big yellow sign out by road made the fish fry hard to miss. Once parked, there was multiple building and no clear hierarchy, but following the crowd was easy. Ordering was easy - fill out a slip of paper with choice of entree and two sides. Pay first. Line was efficient. No wait at 5:30 even though cafeteria was packed. Styrofoam plates, but stadium style condiment area with large containers cut down on condiment waste. Recycling for cans.
Big changes! No more styrofoam plates! If you ate in, you got real plates (actually trays) and silverware. Carryout was still styrofoam. Wayfinding also improved. Lots of perimeter signs and signs guiding drivers through the drive-thru. Inside, a big ordering display of photos of food choices helped make ordering easier. Moved up from three to four fishes.
Food:
One of the best Cod for 2009! Cod was great. Great texture and breading and it was hot from the fryer. Any place where the fryers wear aprons with the logo 'Semper Fry', must take their Cod seriously. Side were simple, be well done. Crispy and salty french fries. Additional seasoning on the green beans. Other sides included cole slaw, mac and cheese, and applesauce. Other entrees were catfish and baked cod. Desserts were another bonus - homemade! I had a cookie type cheesecake that just melted with taste. Also, rolls instead of bread.
Cod is still excellent. Perfect temperature and fried to perfection. Breading didn't have a lot of kick, so if you are looking for a spicy breading, this isn't it. Another highlight is the baked fish (tilapia). Other entree choice was shrimp. The breading on the baked fish almost made it taste like a "fried" fish. Very good. Good choice of desserts.
Value:
$8 for adults with two sides and dessert included. $5 kids plate. $2 pizza. Portions were large. Cod was a good serving, but I could have eaten more. No drinks included. $1 soda, bottled water. $2 beer. $3 wine. $0.25 milk.
Good value. $9 for adults with two sides and dessert. Water available. $6 kids plate. $2 pizza. $4 for craft beer and $3 for domestics, $1 soda. $3 Ted Drewes.
Atmosphere:
Projection TV was showing NCAA basketball games. Loud and lively buzz. Alot of volunteers had their names on their shirts or aprons. Only downside, the cafeteria tables made me feel like I was back in the 5th grade.
New parish/school center with round tables, real chairs, and stone accents. Nice! Good flow. One of the most organized and efficient fish fries. Although it was crowded, we only waited 5 or 10 minutes. Lots of friendly volunteers taking your tray and helping you find your food.
Overall:
3.5 out of 4. A very good fish fry. You know anyplace with monogrammed aprons will put on a good fish fry. Cod and desserts were outstanding and rank very high. Plus, the 3rd Friday of each month the Magic House has free admission, so another reason to swing by Kirkwood (although Magic House was packed!).
With the improvements in greening and wayfinding and the new cafeteria/parish center, an already good fish fry has become even better! Almost a perfect fish fry! (Just missing some entertainment and maybe some tea/lemonade included with the dinners).
Reviewed 3/20/09
Reviewed 3/17/17
Other Reviews and Fun Links for St. Gerard Majella:
If you know of other reviews or links, please share via the comment section below!
Reviews
2012 - Ladue News Review
My husband and I go to several different fish frys during lent and we love this one the most! They are great at keeping the lines moving, everyone is so friendly, and they even have a separate room for those people who don't especially enjoy the noisy cafeteria. The cod is definitely the best around! DR
ReplyDelete