Fish fry review - St. Pius V, South City

Hubby and I had no child in tow tonight, so we headed to one of our favorite areas of town to check out a local fish fry. St. Pius V parish is located at Grand and Utah Avenues in south city on the southern edge of the Grand South Grand business district of shops and restaurants.

We headed in following the crowd from the parking lot. You can enter the parish hall (beneath the church) from Utah St. The crowd just before 5PM was quite manageable with lots of families, young and old, as well as regular folks like us just magically appearing. You'll pass in a short narrow hallway and on the right you can get your tickets. Carryout meals are available in a separate line. We chose to eat in for this review.

Meals run $7 for adults with your choice of baked or fried cod and catfish, along with your choice of 2-3 sides (you get to pick). Half order plates with two sides are also available for $3, which is one of the best price deals we've seen. The usual suspect sides are available and they're not too bad. I liked the homemade cole slaw (vinegar and oil) with celery seed and my husband was quite taken with homemade red potato salad with a mayonnaise dressing. I chose the green beans and macaroni and cheese for my other two sides. Applesauce is also available as a side. Drinks (iced tea and coffee) and dessert are also included in the price of the meal. The desserts were varied, with most homemade, and the coffee, while decaf, was some of the best this reviewer has had at any fish fry here in St. Louis. In addition, you can get a Bud Light or one of two microbrews available at the bar for $1.50 or $2.

Besides the food, you get some entertainment with your meal. The Clan Jameson provided the music, including the sheets for the sing along, which included a fish fry song. The Cod Squad, famous for visiting fish fries, started showing up as we were leaving.

All in all, it was a pleasant evening on South Grand.

Atmosphere: B
Food: A-
Price: A

Reviewed March 14, 2008