Caleb Westphal hasn’t missed a Friday fish fry since 2013. Follow his never-ending adventures—sponsored by Miller High Life—HERE. This week, fish fry #567: The Gingerbread House is Muskego, Wisconsin.
At first glance, The Gingerbread House in Muskego (S63W16147 College Ave.; 414-422-9601) appears to be a coffee shop. Yes, perhaps one with an extensive bakery, food menu, boutique wares, and even a bar, but rooted in a relaxed, morning or midday kind of mood centered around sipping coffee. That’s what makes its transformation into a bustling Friday night fish fry destination all the more striking. Doubters take heed, it is possible to serve both coffee and a knockout fish fry.
As the sun set behind the Muskego water tower and the glow emanating from The Gingerbread House rose, my wife and I pulled up to the building. Built in 1885 and originally part of a farmstead, it is owned by Tracy Bohrer and has been open since 2007. The main floor was bustling and we were asked if we were okay being seated upstairs. We naturally agreed, and soon were in what looked to have once been a farmhouse bedroom, but which now held a half dozen tables. One of the other upstairs rooms holds the bar, while the others contain items for sale. There’s not an inch of The Gingerbread House that doesn’t have a purpose.
The voluminous fish fry menu has something for everyone. The traditional cod fish fry ($14.50), made with “light tempura beer batter,” tops the menu. Additional pieces can be added for $4. The shrimp fry ($21.50) comes with six jumbo shrimp covered with the same tempura beer batter. The Italian cod fish fry ($14.50) is breaded with Italian spices and served with the house marinara. Baked cod ($14.50) is marinated, baked, and served with a scampi sauce made of olive oil, lemon, butter, garlic, and herbs. Lake perch ($18) can be ordered with either the tempura beer batter or the Italian bread crumb recipe.
Then there are the combos: cod and perch ($21), cod and shrimp ($21.50), and perch and shrimp ($22.50). Want perch, cod, and shrimp? Then you’ll be ordering the trio ($23.50). The fish or shrimp dinners all come with a choice of potato pancakes or potato wedges, along with the usual fixings. As if these options aren’t enough, there are three fish specials: maple glazed salmon ($24), macadamia nut grouper ($24), and pan-seared walleye ($24). Clam chowder is also available (half crock $6.50/ full crock $8.75), and pancakes ($4.75), wedges ($4.75), onion rings ($4.75), and a house salad ($7.95) can be added on to any meal.
As I looked over the menu, a near steady stream of fish and shrimp plates floated into the room, most of them heaping. While I should have ordered the trio, or at least a combo, when it came time to put in my order, I myopically missed them, and fixated on the traditional cod fry instead. I asked how many pieces it came with, and when I was told I’d receive two five-ounce pieces, I ordered a bonus piece right away. I chose the potato pancakes as my side and also ordered a half crock of chowder and a Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet ($9.50).
Served in a large stemmed glass, the Old Fashioned was light, citrusy, and fruity. Going down like a summer cocktail, it had smashed cherries and orange slices in its depths that gave it a murky, orange-red glow. It really was a magnificent drink, even though it wasn’t overpoured with brandy (something I ordinarily welcome), and when I saw a sangria and Bloody Mary also make their way into the room, I was even more convinced that The Gingerbread House takes their drinks game seriously.
Two minutes after the Old Fashioned hit the table, the chowder came by, along with a big slab of buttered Italian bread. Clams were plentiful in the seasoned, gravylike mix, which had more of a gray complexion than the usual creamy-white.
Two plates were needed for the fish fry, since the extra piece of cod didn’t fit on the main plate. Two half pieces of thick, soft rye did well to set the stage. The cabbage-heavy coleslaw crunched like it was freshly made. With not much for pepper or seasoning, its added flavor came from the juices that washed over it lightly.
I had asked about the potato pancakes before ordering them, and were told that while they weren’t made in-house, they were sourced locally. They had some resemblance to assembly line, hockey puck pancakes, but only tangentially so. They were savory all the way through, perhaps from being fried neck-deep in oil, yet weren’t overly greasy. They had a melt-in-the mouth quality and were further heightened by a deep-rooted onion essence. I topped them with sour cream.
The batter on the cod was light and crisp, yet fluffy beneath the surface. Beer, salt, and a candy-like sweetness swirled and settled to form a singular, uniquely satisfying flavor. The fish was hefty, moist, and clean—the perfect accompaniment for the batter above. With a pronounced pickle-crunch that remarkably didn’t overburden it, the tartar also swaggered with its own originality. The fish and tartar seemed to be miles apart, but the contrast proved to be an asset, with each shining on their own yet also being greater than the sum of their parts when together.
A sign on the wall read “Happiness is Not a Destination.” I agree; happiness is more of a state of mind. But on Fridays it’s a little easier to get to happiness when there’s a destination involved that serves fish frys—a place like The Gingerbread House. Hasty judgment could write them off as nothing more than a coffee shop, or maybe as a daytime restaurant, but on Fridays they are open until 9 p.m., and they transform to full-on fish fry restaurant. It’s a blessing that their fish fry is worthy of the transformation.
Takeaways: Voluminous fish fry menu; extended hours on Fridays in the name of fish frys; attentive service; light and citrusy Old Fashioned; thick and soft rye; fresh slaw; savory, locally sourced potato pancakes; light and crisp batter with a fluffy underbelly and uniquely satisfying flavor; hefty and moist cod; a pickle-heavy tartar that isn’t off-putting; I thought the fish fry ruled and I didn’t even order the one I should have—next time I’m getting the trio; there also are live chickens on the premises, although they were cooped up.
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