Wegner's St. Martins Inn is a place that made the list on the documentary film "Fish Fry Night Milwaukee" (2009), by Ron Faiola. I have been anxious to invade the Milwaukee area's fish fry culture for some time now. Franklin is about the closest to us down here in Janesville; so they get the first nod.
The building is rather modest from the outside. You will have to drive through some rural-esque landscape to get to the place. We got there early so had an adult beverage in the bar. You will notice quite a collection of auto racing memorabilia about the place. The dining room has that good Wisconsin knotty-pine paneling. There were fresh carnations on our table.
Aside from their regular menu, these guys have a special menu just devoted to...Friday fish fry. They start their fish fry at 4:00 p.m., but the caveat is this, get there at 3:30 p.m. if you want to get right in. Their dining room has just 10 small tables. There are a few raised tables in the bar as well. As soon as we were seated the place was full, with people rolling in the door. They also have one person just dedicated to taking to-go orders.
I went for the traditional Icelandic beer-battered Cod dinner. I chose the German potato salad as a side. Their version is served hot. They brought out four pieces of Cod heaped on my plate. Of course there will be a lemon and a cup of cole slaw. I asked for a side of red potatoes as well.
Heide chose the Chef Denny's Friday Sampler. It came with beer-battered and steamed Haddock, fried shrimp, fried scallops, and fried fresh Lake Perch. She opted for the homemade potato pancakes.
Mother-in-law Chris got the Cajun Style Fresh Filet of Salmon. I tried a bit of it. I am not a big Salmon fan; I find it just too fishy. But, they actually brought me back to the Salmon option if they always cook it like they did that night. I found it very pleasing to my taste. I am also a big Cajun cuisine buff. She also got the potato pancakes.
We each were treated to marble rye bread. I will not dote over each item of this excellent meal. Suffice it to say, this is far above the consummate tavern fish presentation. This meal, as the film suggested, really rocks. It was way worth the ride over there. With our meals, "extra" adult beverages, and tip, the three of us got out of there for somewhere just over 50 Bucks.
Wegner's St. Martins Inn is cool with Cool Dadio. Find them at 11318 West St. Martins Road, Franklin, Wisconsin. Call (414) 425 - 9971. Or, visit their Web site at
www.stmartinsinn.com .
Wisconsin Military Service Person Special Mention of the Week
(each week Cooldadiomedia mentions a Wisconsin service person killed in Iraq or Afghanistan)
Army Specialist Eric D. Clark, 22, of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Thursday, May 11, 2006 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee vehicle during combat patrol operations. Specialist E-4 Clark was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York. He was one of two soldiers killed in the incident; he was serving at Camp Liberty in Baghdad. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned Clark had served in the Army since January 2002. He was to return from Baghdad in November 2005 and was to be out of the Army in January 2006. But, Clark's service was extended by Army's stop loss policy, which keeps military personnel beyond their required term of service. After the extension he was due home in July of 2006. His original motivation to join the Army was the attacks on September 11, 2001. Wisconsin 2007 Assembly Joint Resolution 73 states Clark enlisted in the Army while still in high school. Eric graduated from Indian Trail Academy in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2001. He completed basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in May 2003. His first duty station was at Camp Hovey, Korea. Clark was deployed to Iraq in August 2005. Pleasant Prairie is a small community west of Kenosha, Wisconsin. The Journal Sentinel went on to mention Clark's family celebrated Eric's life by remembering his sense of humor, quick wit, outrageous dancing and knack for impersonations. Family members described Clark as a "real cutup who would memorize lines from movies and do impersonations of famous actors." His passion for acting was fueled by working at the local movie theater. He had planned to go to college and become an English teacher and act on the side. At the time of his death Eric Clark was survived by sister Jade Clark, brother Evan Clark; half sisters Meg, and Audra Clark; stepsister and stepbrother Anna and Jared Buckingham; mother Joanne Marfechuk; stepfather Bob Marfechuk; father Kevin Clark; and stepmother Paula Clark. Army Specialist Eric Clark was the 55th Wisconsin military service member to be killed in Iraq since the Spring of 2003.
As of this blog entry's posting date:
96,803 Iraqi civilians have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
9,519 Iraqi Security Forces have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
4,407 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
1126 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
318 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
724 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
31,860 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
6,355 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
102 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
19 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
142 journalists (several nationalities) have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
21 journalists (various nationalities) have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
Wisconsin military service person special mention of the week, military casualty, and journalist casualty information sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; cnn.com; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; washingtonpost.com; thehighground.org; Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs; iraqbodycount.org; and, icasualties.org.
