Fish Fry -- Classic Wisconsin

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Lose Your Daddy
Bosacki's Boat House, Minocqua

Is there anything more pathetic than a middle-aged broad from Naperville with a hairstyle that looks like a bird nest standing alone in a busy parking lot talking to herself, saying, "Oh, we lost Daddy again."

No shit you lost Daddy again. Daddy's leering at college chicks from the nearest bar and the kids are lifting plastic tomahawks from the Indian Trading Post while you're having a nervous breakdown in the middle of the goddamned parking lot.

This was the scene that greeted classicwisconsin upon arrival at Bosacki's Boat House, Minocqua, on Memorial Day Weekend. God save Wisconsin. Especially the summer staff at Bosacki's, many of whom were the previously mentioned coeds straight from their semester-ending bender at UW-Stevens Point, Stout, and La Crosse, only to be working tables full of the cheapest jackasses known to mankind -- FIBS -- and the entire summer still ahead.

classicwisconsin has visited Bosacki's during the dead of winter when the snowmobiles parked lakeside outnumbered cars in the parking lot. Now that's the Bosacki's we know and love. And classicwisconsin can't resist the story about how Bosacki's, established in 1917, was blown off its rocker July 22, 1972, when a boat exploded next to the dock's gas tanks. Petitions were circulated to resurrect the building, 12,000 people signed on, and soon the family was back in business. Fourth generation Bosacki's run the place today.

classicwisconsin had the walleye sandwich. It was good. The coleslaw was vinegar based, the kind classicwisconsin dreams about when classicwisconsin has vinegar-based dreams. Bosacki's menu has an all you can eat fish fry available every fish-eatin' day of the year (excluding Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas and the Tuesday after Labor Day -- days when Bosacki's is closed. classicwisconsin doesn't know where you get a fish fry on those days. Not yet, anyway.)

FYI for meat eaters: classicwisconsin spotted a waitress serving a slab of prime rib pert near the size of a half-critter, pert near.

Speaking of critters and fish, Bosacki's has whale-sized trophy fish nailed to the walls and a bulletin board for locals to post Polaroids of their recent catch. Downstairs you'll find an indoor holding pool stocked with soon to be de-lish plates of -- want to take a crazy guess? -- fish. And there's a nice screened-in deck overlooking the lake, a bait shop, and a bar that serves as a good local watering hole offseason.

Bosacki's might be the most widely recognized landmark in Minocqua, located right downtown at the Highway 51 bridge. Can't miss 'em. Same goes for jackasses standing in parking lots.

More fish...

One fish:
What did you expect from a couple of deep fryers and a bag of frozen cod? At least they tried.

Two fish:
For a Friday night it's better than eating fish sticks on your couch.

Three fish:
Typical Wisconsin fish fry at a supper club or tavern. Involves a crowded bar and a Packers schedule on the wall (extra credit if the game scores are filled-in).

Four fish:
Member, classicwisconsin Shanty of Fame. An irresistible combination of atmosphere and fish.

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