Best Fried Fish or Fried Fish Sandwich in Cincinnati (Toledo: credit, restaurant)

[Sarah Perry]

The price creeps up, but the Big Boy is pretty much what it's always been. The only thing I eat at Frisch's, but when I do, I always enjoy it. Better if you ask them to skip the middle slice of bread.

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by goyguy

Has anybody sampled the wares of the new "Bayou Fish House" in Price Hill - I mean, the Incline District?

Just went. The place is colorful, clean and cute and the gentleman minding the store was friendly and courteous. Service was fast--we were the only ones there. Pretty much underwhelmed with the food. The whiting pieces were very small, thin, so too bready--and there wasn't a lot of it. Not as good and quite a bit more pricy than Alabama Fish the last time I had it, but that was a while ago. The fries are battered, though, and very good. But that does not make the place worth a trip.

I was eager to try the Thursday special fish tacos, which were fine although nothing I can't duplicate easily at home. The sauce is basically a mixture of Chinese chili sauce and mayo. Last time I tried making an "authentic" fish taco sauce, it was a ton of work.

Short answer: meh.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Sarah Perry

Just went. The place is colorful, clean and cute and the gentleman minding the store was friendly and courteous. Service was fast--we were the only ones there. Pretty much underwhelmed with the food. The whiting pieces were very small, thin, so too bready--and there wasn't a lot of it. Not as good and quite a bit more pricy than Alabama Fish the last time I had it, but that was a while ago. The fries are battered, though, and very good. But that does not make the place worth a trip.

I was eager to try the Thursday special fish tacos, which were fine although nothing I can't duplicate easily at home. The sauce is basically a mixture of Chinese chili sauce and mayo. Last time I tried making an "authentic" fish taco sauce, it was a ton of work.

Short answer: meh.

My sentiments exactly Meh. Too many places today seem to warrant this appraisal. When I get on this forum and knock one of my lifelong stalwarts, Frisch's, then I know the times they are a changing. But why is it so difficult to understand that maintaining quality is what it is all about? If food costs, etc. are increasing then raise the price. Eventually it may get so high the item will disappear by itself. The other alternative is just remove it from the menu completely, site rising food costs as the reason. But to go along, put out an inferior product, and then respond when questioned nothing has changed, you insult the intelligence of your cusomers. And once your customers are insulted, you will be by lost sales.

Wilson... Your citing of 1965 as being when the Filet-of-Sole Fish sandwich served by Frisch's was the king of the hill rings sound with me. My recollection goes back a few more years, when as a high school student in the mid-50s I went to Lawrenceburg Indiana to work in my Aunt & Uncles Big Boy on US 50 between Lawrenceburg and Aurora. I was a fill-in employee as their regulars took summer vacation. I remember when the supplies came in and the fish was a whole slab cut in the local store. I remember my uncle saying he would cull out some which other stores might serve but he knew it was too strong. Even though they were franchise owners, they know what was the best for their long term business.

When I realize I cannot uphold the integrity of a virtually lifelong corporate entity it saddens me deeply.

This past week, I attended a luncheon involving a group of people who worked at my former company. The person in charge selected Flipdaddy's on Mason Montgomery Rd in a former Bob Evans building. We had a group of about 20 show up. I ended up with one of their burgers and a 14 oz draft. Total bill, including the mandatory graduity, $16.95. Sorry people, the burger was not all that great, and with a 14 oz draft = $16.95. If anyone suggests going back here, we will kick you out of the club.

[Gibaschitz]

Does anyone know a place that serves well-prepared fried lemon sole (not any old less expensive whitefish served or prepared with lemon, but actual lemon sole)? It would be fairly expensive, but I’d be more than willing to pay a reasonable price.

[Ohioan58]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

But why is it so difficult to understand that maintaining quality is what it is all about? If food costs, etc. are increasing then raise the price. Eventually it may get so high the item will disappear by itself. The other alternative is just remove it from the menu completely, site rising food costs as the reason. But to go along, put out an inferior product, and then respond when questioned nothing has changed, you insult the intelligence of your cusomers. And once your customers are insulted, you will be by lost sales.

It's like I said. Today all businesses are financial plays. Read "The E-Myth" for a perspective from the business owner's point of view.

Raw materials + manpower IN, profits OUT. The fish sandwich menu item is something that 95% of their customers probably accept as adequate and don't question, and it's offbeat enough that customer dissatisfaction will not be significant. Suppose 2 out of 3 fish customers sent the sandwich back. Frisch's would probably NOT try to find a better source for the filets. They'd probably just drop fish. A more expensive cut would not fit the profile of their customer base so it would create inventory management problems (I'm guessing, never ran a restaurant.) So it's either serve the cheap thing that fits their business model or don't carry it.

They would never carry hand breaded cod for the same reason that Frisch's doesn't serve prime rib or lobster.

It's all about the law of averages, plus momentum and inertia. Frischs' is as hardwired into the fabric of Cincinnati as LaRosa's and Skyline. They aren't going down until radioactive cockroaches are visiting Costco on Fields-Ertel to buy their post apocalypse summer gear.

Thanks for the tip about FlipDaddy's, I was wondering about that joint. It looked too pretty to have good food.

"The Cooker" that was in that stretch back in the 90s was pretty good.

[kjbrill]

Went to my second lenten fish fry today for carryout suppers. Have to say both of them were way below par compared to previous years. Don't know whether it is the cost of the fish and they are trying to control their prices, but the fish, both supposedly cod, was far below grade. The first one was a church operated fish fry to benefit their athletic program. Today's was a firehouse auxiliary. I have had product from both of them previously and was well satisfied. But this year, no way. Unfortunately the word will get around and the volunteers will be staring at each other with no customers.

I thought well maybe it is just a lousy year for fish. But I recently have purchased cod at Kroger, granted at $7 per pound. but it has been nice, firm and meaty, and when I took it home, hand breaded and fried it, served it on rye bread slathered with Frisch's tarter sauce plus shredded lettuce, made some very good sandwiches. So what is going on? Anyone else finding less than enthusiastic results with the lenten fish fries around town?

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

...Anyone else finding less than enthusiastic results with the lenten fish fries around town?

Other than commercial ventures, I think the area's gold standard is probably St. Paul parish in Florence. If memory serves, they have someone involved who has an extensive background in food service. They offer some cool things like lobster pizza that you don't find anywhere else. A couple years ago hubby and I went and stood in the line for an hour and a half, eventually to be seated in the midst of what I can only describe as mayhem. It was kind of fun in a "can you believe we're actually doing anything this insane?" way. But it wasn't an experience I want to repeat.

If I were personally involved in an organization for which it's a fundraiser I might support it. As it is, it kind of reminds me of the current state of Girl Scout cookies, where you basically make a donation and in exchange they give you a little thank-you token of a few dry cookies.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Ohioan58

They would never carry hand breaded cod for the same reason that Frisch's doesn't serve prime rib or lobster.

The fact is, in the 50s & 60s it was cut into serving piece size, hand breaded, and fried in the store. I used to watch my uncle cut the fish and cull out the vein portions he thought would be too strong. Back when the Catholic Church still had meatless Fridays Dave Frisch knew exactly why he offered the fish. It outsold everything else hands down. And it was the best fish sandwich in town, bar none. Dave knew he needed a drawing card on Fridays for the Catholic population of Cincinnati, and he offered one. The parent Bob's Big Boy in California (LA) did not have it. Of course Dave's signature tarter sauce was a natural with the fish.

I don't expect prime rib or lobster at Frisch's, but I damn well do expect a world class fish sandwich in keeping with a 60 plus year tradition. If they can't provide one then put an insert in the menu saying due to circumstances beyond our control we will no longer be offering a fish sandwich. But do not dishonor a tradition Dave Frisch built with an inferior product.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

The fact is, in the 50s & 60s it was cut into serving piece size, hand breaded, and fried in the store. I used to watch my uncle cut the fish and cull out the vein portions he thought would be too strong. Back when the Catholic Church still had meatless Fridays Dave Frisch knew exactly why he offered the fish. It outsold everything else hands down. And it was the best fish sandwich in town, bar none. Dave knew he needed a drawing card on Fridays for the Catholic population of Cincinnati, and he offered one. The parent Bob's Big Boy in California (LA) did not have it. Of course Dave's signature tarter sauce was a natural with the fish.

I don't expect prime rib or lobster at Frisch's, but I damn well do expect a world class fish sandwich in keeping with a 60 plus year tradition. If they can't provide one then put an insert in the menu saying due to circumstances beyond our control we will no longer be offering a fish sandwich. But do not dishonor a tradition Dave Frisch built with an inferior product.

They resurrected the halibut sandwich at that place in Kenwood, Annettes, that became Prime and Wine and then burned down.

[kjbrill]

As another side note. Back in the 50s and 60s Dave Frisch recognized the importance of the fish sandwich to his overall business. So he entered into annual contracts with fishing companies in Portland Oregon to purchase what they caught and have it flown to Cincinnati. It was fresh fish. Another example was the strawberry pie, where he entered into agreements with growers in southern California to supply berries and fly them to Cincinnati. He might have been a fanchisee of a Big Boy Concept started in California, but in his own right he was an innovator.

Just think of the mincemeat pie, the pumpkin pie, the apple cider, and all the rest they served in their restaurants. What other fast food operator came close to that? The man needs to be recognized not only for what he brought to Cincinnati, but to the restaurant industry as a whole.