Category Archives: ISO – fish fry

ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry: Bailiwick Market & Cafe

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I stumbled into this fish fry. I went to Bailiwick Market & Cafe because they’d advertised the grand opening of their sunflower walk in the field adjacent to the restaurant. It happened to be Friday and they happened to have fish fry specials that is a Friday only thingy.

Presentation: The fish dinner is served on a large white plate placed on a tray with plastic cups for the slaw and tartar sauce. It’s a huge piece of haddock, don’t you think? It’s like a foot long!

Taste: I ate everything on my plate. Fish was tender, the coleslaw incredibly fresh (cabbage and carrots in a mayo dressing) and as you can see from the picture, a small portion of fries.

I didn’t think it was salty until later. I feel thirsty right now just thinking about it. But that is not a dis. It tasted great!

Restaurant Experience: When we first arrived for the sunflower experience at Bailiwick Market & Cafe, we paid at the entrance to the cafe then decided to go in and look around. I noticed they had a fish fry special on Friday only so I said – oh, let’s get that after we take some pictures of the sunflowers.

When we returned, it seemed everyone had the same idea. The line to order was quite long and slow with only one register in operation. They hadn’t anticipated such a huge lunch crowd of sunflower patch visitors spilling over into the cafe. I guess I hadn’t either. But I patiently waited in line while my friend got a table for us.

I finally ordered, paid and received one of those buzzer thingys then headed to the table. The fish dinner was $14.99.

The food prep took a lot less time than the initial wait. I picked up my order at the kitchen window, collected utensils and ketchup, napkins, etc. at the little condiment station and finally sat down to eat.

Everyone was incredibly friendly. All customers very patient. I think we were all so happy to be there!

Location: Bailiwick Market & Cafe is located at 441 Route 5, Elbridge, NY 13060. I have passed it on my way to Auburn or Skaneateles many times – I’d always say to myself, I should investigate that place. It looks so cute!

The building has been in operation since 2016 or maybe it was renovated then. It is a spectacular place – a restaurant and cafe, a music venue, there is an ice cream station, and it operates as a store selling artisan goods.

I bought Pablo a fish-shaped cat nip toy for $8.00. He loves it!

Parking: There is an ample parking lot, although we arrived at around 11:30 AM when there were several available spaces and when we left the parking lot was full.

I highly recommend Bailiwick Market & Cafe. It is an absolutely lovely place.

Cafe Hours

Mon – Wed   7AM – 7PM

(Kitchen closes at 7pm)

Thurs – Sat  7AM – 9PM

(Kitchen closes at 8pm)

Sunday        7AM – 5PM

(Kitchen closes at 5pm)

fish fry, ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry – Harpoon Eddie’s

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Last night I found a fried haddock dinner at Harpoon Eddie’s in Sylvan Beach, New York. We were there to listen to the harmonies of SAMMY nominated Syracuse band Master Thieves. They do great versions of classic rock songs interspersed with originals.

They played indoors due to the inclement weather.

Presentation: This massive fried haddock dinner came served with lager fries, char-grilled Brussels sprout and homemade tartar sauce presented on an adorable aluminum fish plate.

I love how every time I go in search of fish fry I am delighted by the variety in presentation. This one is so fun!

There are several haddock choices on the menu – sandwich, bites, dinner – and several side items. Crinkle cut fries were available too or garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli in place of the sprouts. But no coleslaw.

Taste: I enjoyed the meal, especially the fries – they’d been recommended by the bartender. I liked the Brussels spout but flavor-wise I felt they competed with the fish and it seemed an odd choice. The fish tasted great – flaky and airy. I split the dinner with my friend. Half was really plenty meal. It was $23.00.

Restaurant Experience: I’m not going to lie – Harpoon Eddie’s is so much better on a beautiful summer night, as depicted in photographs on their web-site. My hair would agree with that assessment. It transforms into full gremlin when wet. But, you know, despite that – still fun. Sparsely attended yet everyone there was enjoying the band and their respective meals. The waitstaff appear to love their jobs. They are very helpful and friendly, and smiley.

Location: Harpoon Eddie’s is on the beach overlooking Oneida Lake, located at 611 Park Street, Sylvan Beach, New York 13157.

OPEN MON-TUE 4-10 PM, WED-THU 12-10 PM, FRI-SAT 12-1130 PM AND SUN 12-9 PM

Parking: Parking is tight in the small parking lot. There are more spaces across the street, as well as a larger parking lot within walking distance that services other businesses and the amusement park.

fish fry, ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry – Cafe Jarosz

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I took a trip to The Yard in Manlius, New York and discovered Cafe Jarosz. Fried haddock was on the menu!

Presentation: I received my order from the food truck and it was presented as a tower of fish – I think there were three pieces in the bun propped on a bed of crinkle cut fries. Coleslaw had been placed in a small container. The meal came with tartar sauce and ketchup. It was $15.

Taste: The fish batter had a Kentucky Fried Chicken flavor. Crispy and tender and so fun to eat. The coleslaw tasted traditional and the fries too. Everything felt very much, like, familiar.

I’m not a huge fan of food trucks – that whole temporary thing weirds me out or maybe it is because it’s a road vehicle that combines moving around the region with cooking that doesn’t seem sanitary. But, with that said, this meal is probably up there in the Karen Tash local fish fry Hall of Fame, which has not yet been established but sounds like high praise so I will allow it and thank my past self when the time comes to reveal it. Yes, it was really that good!

Restaurant Experience: I guess The Yard had that fun “let’s explore this place” factor, which lead from the bar to the cafe to the food truck and the outdoor seating area, and that adventure was lovely. It was a beautiful day and I wondered how the businesses faired in poorer climate conditions.

I imagined becoming a vendor to sell my art and jewelry but in that daydream, it would always need to be a gorgeous seventy-eight degree weather day and I would need more variety in the menu choices of Cafe Jarosz, because haddock is a Friday only special (and very if-fy on Saturdays)

Location: The Yard is located at 604 E Seneca St, Manlius, NY 13104. Cafe Jarosz is a small eat-in restaurant with a food truck parked in the rear that exists within The Yard compound, which includes a mall style shopping experience paired with artisan shops housed in old shipping containers and an outdoor space with a fully stocked bar/brewery.

Parking: There is a long row of parking spaces to the left of the property with handicapped parking in the middle. It wasn’t that busy at 3;30 PM on Saturday because they didn’t have any live music scheduled at that time, but I believe it gets more traffic in the evenings.

art teacher, fish fry, ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry – Yards Grille

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Yesterday, we held our final Chittenango Art department faculty meeting for the year (my final ever meeting) at Yards Grille (at Green Lakes State Park, Fayetteville, New York). I was the only one in search of fish fry. There’s a variety of sandwiches, salads and other entrees on the menu. We all chose different meals.

Presentation: This is their fish sandwich. It comes with french fries or potato chips but no coleslaw. Instead the fish is served tartared and laden with pickles on a brioche bun.

Taste: It was delish! I loved every bite. The fries had an air fryer look to them – very seasoned, which made me covet them. I don’t eat like this every day – it probably seems like it, lol, but I mainly eat a very bland plant based diet – so when I have something salty I think it tricks my mind into wanting more times infinity. And that it not to say that I regret eating them. Because I don’t regret a thing.

Restaurant Experience: The restaurant overlooks the golf course and the lake at Green Lakes State Park. If you’ve never been there, you must make a plan to go because the view is spectacular!

We had planned this excursion a week in advance. On Thursday night when I checked the weather report, it declared Friday a rainy day. I thought we were going to end up eating inside – well…it turned out to be a magnificent weather day. Perfect, in fact. Seventy-eight degrees and sunny. We were able to dine on the outdoor deck. We sat in the shade and enjoyed the view while reminiscing, evaluating the school year and sharing plans for summer vacation and beyond.

Katy and I arrived together. We approached the hostess and she brought us to our table. Madison had already arrived. Allison and Gina appeared quickly after. The waitress and the manager asked us how everything was – they really pampered us.

If you have never been to this restaurant, I highly recommend you head there on a beautiful day to enjoy the ambiance. Yards Grille is only open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, I believe, and is open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM every day during that period.

Location:

Green Lakes State Park
5648 Green Lakes Park Dr
Fayetteville, NY 13066

Parking: There is a huge parking lot in front of the restaurant. When we arrived at noon yesterday, the parking lot was full of cars but the restaurant was not filled to capacity because the parking lot doubles as parking for golfers. There is plenty of space.

If you drive into Green Lakes from Route 5, you do not have to pay to go through the park – the entrance gate to the park does not include the restaurant.

fish fry, ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry – Craftsman Wood Grille & Tap House

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Last night my friend and I decided to go in search of fish fry. I had a list of places in the area. We decided to investigate The Craftsman Wood Grille & Tap House. There is an open grill kitchen with four chefs working together. They are known for their meats and their pizzas, mainly, and a fun bacon flight thing with bacon cured in a variety of flavors. Still, fish and chips is on the menu – not sure if it is a Friday only thing or not.

Presentation: The plate – OMG, such a beautiful presentation. The fish looked like a giant corn dog laying in a bed of the tiniest sweet potato fries with parchment paper underneath to absorb lingering oils from the fryer. Four stainless steel condiment cups held ketchup, maple butter, coleslaw and tartar sauce. The chef included a grilled lemon.

I do love when the waiter delivers a lovely looking meal.

Taste: I tasted a bit of mustard in the coleslaw or maybe I thought I did because it appeared yellow. The combination of maple butter with sweet potato fries is always a yes! So delish. This was a substitution and we both went for it in lieu of regular french fries.

I didn’t love the fish but, you know, I certainly didn’t hate it. I had to “fish” for it under all that batter – I didn’t eat that part because it tasted soft, not crunchy – basically pancake batter-y. Overall, I think the portions were just right and it left room for us to share a slice of cake for dessert, since this was a pre-birthday meal for me. (Thank you, Bobbi!)

Restaurant Experience: I love this restaurant. It has a gorgeous ambiance. We arrived before 5:00 PM without a reservation. No one was eating yet and we were seated in a booth by the window – I believe it was referred to as table 1. The other tables filled quickly after, and by the time we were ready to leave, the restaurant was at full capacity including the bar area.

Stickley furniture prevails. The whole place is a Stickley-gasm. There was a party going on in the conference room that I wanted to crash, maybe a rehearsal dinner or wedding reception with people dressed in suits and gowns.

It’s all so pretty – I didn’t really want to leave.

They also have an outdoor space – a roof, a bar area, seating, heat lamps and a fireplace. On Thursdays they do live music in that space – so fun!

Location: The Craftsman is located at 7300 East Genesee Street (Route 5), Fayetteville, New York 13066

Hours of operation:

Sunday 4:00-9:00 PM, Monday-Thursday 4:00 – 10:00 PM, Friday-Saturday 4:00 – 11:00 PM

Call for more information: (315) 637-9999

Or visit their website, which includes a menu with prices.

Parking: They have an ample parking lot for the restaurant and the adjacent hotel – The Craftsman Inn. If you haven’t been, it is a mission-style lover’s paradise – filled with Stickley furniture.

fish fry, ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry – Fish Cove on Route 11

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What a beautiful day! Janine and I met for lunch at Fish Cove on Route 11 (otherwise known as Main Street) in North Syracuse, New York.

Presentation: The fish is packaged in brown paper. I purchased the fried fish (broiled is also an option), french fries, coleslaw and tartar sauce. Janine had the fish sandwich.

Taste: I inhaled the light and tender fish, although I did have trouble separating pieces with the plastic fork. I loved the fries – perfectly crisp. The cold coleslaw was refreshing. All and all, a delicious little picnic!

Restaurant Experience: Fish Cove in North Syracuse has picnic tables out front, otherwise it is not an eat-in place, much like the Atlantic Seafood Company in Baldwinsville. The Eastwood Fish Cove is much bigger in comparison and has a more orderly check-out system.

There were five employees working on this Friday morning at 11:00 AM: two girls at the register on the right, a man doing fish sandwiches on the left and two men in back operating the fish and french fry fryers. The sides and drinks are housed in two refrigerators. The idea is to gather your items at the register and pay. This cannot be done in advance because the fish is priced by weight.

Janine and I sat outside and ate at one of the tables – they all have shade umbrellas attached. Thanks, Janine! It is always so much fun spending time with you.

They are open until 8:30 PM on Fridays.

Hours: 

Friday8:30 AM–8:30 PM
Saturday11 AM–7 PM
SundayClosed
Monday(Memorial Day)Closed
Tuesday11 AM–7 PM
Wednesday10 AM–7 PM
Thursday10 AM–7 PM

Location:

Address: 456 S Main St #1, North Syracuse, NY 13212

Phone: (315) 458-5251

Parking: There is ample parking adjacent to and behind the building. This not a stand alone restaurant. They share space with a hair salon.

fish fry, ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry – Bistro 1926

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Bistro 1926 has weekly specials. Yesterday was Fish Friday! I went to dinner with Mom and Kathy. We all had the broiled fish.

Presentation: The presentation was superb. This is the first fish dinner in all of the ISO fish fry locations that provided a dollop of ketchup on the side in its own cute dish on the plate! We all had identical dishes – I love the blue one, don’t you? Perfection!

Taste: We all were, like, we are not even hungry, why are we here? Then – OMG – the fish just melts in your mouth. Mom kept saying it was so tender. It was delicious! The fries were too salty. I should have said something before we ordered (like, maybe, hold off on the salt, IDK) so, my fault. The coleslaw was not particularly flavorful. Kathy loved it. But the fish was incredible. So good!

Restaurant Experience: We arrived at around 5:30 PM. There were a lot of cars in the parking lot. I dropped Mom and Kathy at the door and parked the car. I was hoping it wouldn’t be a long wait to get a table without a reservation. When I arrived inside, there were only two other dining groups. Lucky break!!! The rest of the people were gathered around the bar area. When we’d finished, all the dining tables had been occupied.

The waitress was lovely. She took our orders right away. We didn’t need to look at menus. She brought drinks then the food arrived in less than fifteen minutes. All three plates at the same time. It was just a perfect experience and a wonderful way to do an early Mother’s Day thingy. I mean, we were missing our fourth, but Sophie was busy last night.

Location: Bistro 1926 is the restaurant at Drumlins Country Club, 800 Nottingham Road, Syracuse, New York 13224. In the ’80s, Dad was the banquet chef at Drumlins, so this spot holds a special place in our hearts.

Hours of Operation

Monday4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Tuesday – Friday11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
SaturdayBrunch 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Dinner 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
SundayBrunch 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Call (315) 446-4555 for more information.

Parking: There is a large parking lot at the country club where members can golf, swim, play tennis, hang out at the bistro or host events in the banquet hall. The restaurant is open to the public.

fish fry, ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry – Dave’s Diner at Common Grounds

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Today is Orthodox Good Friday. Mom and I went out to get haddock for lunch. We discovered the Haddock-Ma-Jig at Dave’s Diner. Wow! Or as Mom said, Wow-ie!!!

Presentation: The Haddock-Ma-Jig sandwich is fried haddock in a grilled cheese. The Italian bread is heavily buttered and toasted. It is served with a little mini fryer basket full of peppered french fries and a small bowl of mayonnaise-laden coleslaw all presented on an aluminum tray.

Taste: Yes – Wow-ie to the taste. It was incredible. That mix of gooey hot American cheese, the crunch of that toasted Italian bread and hot, juicy haddock, OMG, sooooo good. It was just magnificent!

The fries were salty but it was the perfect amount and the coleslaw was heavy on the mayo. You can tell by my after-eating shot that I ate everything on my plate. I gave Mom my pickle slice though.

Restaurant Experience: I LOVE this restaurant. The waitstaff and kitchen crew are all lovely people. They were helpful and considerate. We were seated by the hostess. The waitress came right over. Mom was a bit impatient with the wait for the food but I think it only took, like, maybe twenty minutes to fry the fish then grill it into the sandwich. I will definitely come back – I was here last month with my friend, Elaine, but we didn’t have the haddock because it is only served on Fridays.

Truth-be-told, I thought the Dave’s Diner in Manlius was the same restaurant so Mom and I went there first because it is closer to where we live, but they were out of fish at 1:00 PM AND we were told that they were not affiliated with this Dave’s Diner. Good to know. It all worked out in the end. (Thanks, universe).

Location: Dave’s Diner at Common Grounds is located at 35 Albany Street, Cazenovia, New York 13035. Call (315) 815-4300 for more information. I know they don’t accept reservations, they have some outdoor seating and everything on their menu is amazing. They serve breakfast all day until they close. I believe they are only open until 3:00 PM. Also, they just opened their ice cream stand today, so that is reason enough to head out there.

Parking: There is a small parking lot in front of the building. There were plenty of open spaces today when we arrived at 1:15 PM. This is the small shopping plaza housing Cazenovia Artisans, as well as a drug store/pharmacy.

ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry: TK Tavern on the Hill

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Elaine is in town and she was game for an adventure that included a fish dinner. We GPSed it to TK Tavern on the Hill in Camillus, New York. It’s not far from the Macedonian church on Onondaga Hill!

This is a true tavern with a mahogany bar, a pool table and tonight, a live band playing in the dining area.

Presentation: How cute is this presentation? Black plate and this darling little french fry container. We both ordered the broiled cod

Taste: I ate the coleslaw first – perfection! All cabbage, no extra stuff. The fish was delish and the fries were very salty and crispy, but good.

Restaurant Experience: The place was “hopping” on this Friday night. People at the bar or playing pool while listening to a three person band called Escape. It was pretty loud so dinner conversation was at a minimum. Everyone was friendly.

You order at the bar, pay and they give you one of those buzzer thingys to pick up the order when it is ready – so no waitstaff. The table was bussed from the previous diners about halfway through our meal. But I think that was the fun of this place. Good food, fun people and a lot of happy.

Location: TK Tavern on the Hill is located at 3855 Split Rock Road, Camillus, New York. Call (315) 320-4070 for more information including hours of operation. I believe they only do the fish fry on Fridays.

Parking: There’s plenty of parking in the lot that surrounds the building. It isn’t well paved so on this rainy night it was a bit muddy. This is a casual place – save your stilettos for a different restaurant.

ISO - fish fry

ISO Fish Fry – Fat Cats

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When you find yourself in Little Falls, New York, you ask the locals where to go in search of fish fry. And that’s how we found Fat Cats.

Presentation: I ordered the broiled fish dinner, which came with tartar sauce, a dinner roll, coleslaw and fries. Penny ordered the fish and chips meal. My fish came wrapped in foil. When unwrapped, I found a juicy paprika and butter flavored piece of fish – beautiful!

Taste: Everything was delicious. I swallowed every bite of the fish without even chewing anything. The coleslaw tasted like mayonnaise with carrots. It was all very finely chopped. Fries were perfection.

Restaurant Experience: We waited in a short line. Two people were taking orders so it went quickly. We ordered and paid then sat down to wait for our order. The wait was about fifteen minutes. While we waited, we searched the room for hidden plastic Easter eggs. That was fun. We each found one. The restaurant was full at 2:30 pm on this Good Friday. This is a casual dining experience with plastic cups and utensils and a vintage feel.

Location: Fat Cats is located at 200 King Street, Herkimer, New York 13350. Call (315) 866-5716 for more information. They will be open tonight until 8:00 pm.

Parking: There is plenty of parking in front of the restaurant and also in an adjacent lot.