- Fish: we order a variety of fish with each meal, hoping to find fish that's delicate, fresh, flaky, moist, meaty, cooked to perfection, and served piping hot. The fish should never be greasy or watery. Batter and/or breading should adhere to the fish and should not overpower the fish. Bonus points if the fish is available as "All You Can Eat" (or AYCE)
- Potato: once again, we order a variety of side dishes with each meal. Fries should be well-cooked, crisp, and served hot with just a hint of salt. Bonus points for potato pancakes or unique potato offerings (i.e., cheesy hashbrown potatoes).
- Old Fashioned: a Wisconsin staple, we always order at least one with a fish fry. We prefer whiskey old fashioned sours, but have been known to sample a brandy sweet. We want old fashioneds that are muddled (preferably with cherries) and made with Squirt. We deduct points for including an orange with the old fashioned sour.
- Accessories: bread, coleslaw, appetizers. We usually sample the cheese curds while waiting for a table. Curds are tricky to do right; most are of the Sysco variety and are often over cooked. A restaurant that can "nail" its curds will usually score high in the other categories. Curds should be lightly battered, feature a high quality cheese, and show no signs of excessive grease. Sounds easier to accomplish than it is.
- Ambiance: we're fans of the traditional supper club. You know the places - they're located just off-the-beaten-path, were built in the 60s or 70s, feature loads of dark paneling, have a huge bar area, and (if you're really lucky) a sunken dining area. A dying breed for certain, but oh so wonderful when you can stumble across one. We also give points for unique atmospheres that don't fit the supper club genre.
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