Those of you who read my column Chew On This know that I’m eating at a different fish fry place every Friday this lent. In my recent column about Avenue Bar’s fish fry, I listed a bunch of fish fry places at which I vowed to eat. Well, so far I’ve eaten at exactly one of them – Brocach Irish Pub. That fish fry was better than Avenue Bar’s, but still relatively tasteless and un-exciting. It was the same with Dady-Oh’s the week after that. But last Friday, I ate at a restaurant that knocked my mediocre-fish fry train right off its tracks. 
QUIVEY’S GROVE!!!!!
6261 Nesbitt Road
Madison, WI 53719

Those exclamation points should be a real part of their address, just to convey how truly amazing the experience and food quality are at this restaurant. First of all, it’s built out of a 19th century stable built on the back end of this white-picket-fenced, bright green lawn. You go through a little white door and on the inside you’re greeted with knotty wood posts and floors, a high ceiling, and cute little stone walls. The place just screams cozy (or whispers it, I guess). Though there will undoubtedly be about an hour and a half wait, the food you get is so, so worth it.

This fish fry was hands-down the best fish fry I have ever tasted, or probably ever will taste. The outside of this beer battered fish was just the right combination of crispy and chewy, and the flavors that came out of it were exactly what you desire from fried foods: buttery, with just a hint of beer. The fish inside was soft and flaky and not dry at all. I apologize for the cliched language, but it really did just melt in your mouth.

The coleslaw, bread, fries and baked Parmesan hash browns that came with it were all pretty standard, but that FISH! I don’t care what your plans were for Friday night. You need to change them, because on Friday night you need to be eating fried fish from Quivey’s Grove.

I apologize for the picture quality of the fish. All I had with me was my phone. Trust me, it tastes like heaven.