Fish fry review - St. Mary Magdalen, Brentwood

This review is courtesy of Charlie Brennan. Check out Charlie's regularly scheduled radio show on Monday through Friday on KMOX radio at www.kmox.com.

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The Saint Mary Magdalen (Brentwood and Manchester) fish fry may be the only one I've attended that does NOT offer mac and cheese, french fries or tater tots. No worries, though, because green beans almondine, macaroni shells with red sauce, and sweet and sour cole slaw are the three side orders made available to Saint MM's customers. Both the green beans and shells were tasty and served hot.

St. MM serves baked and fried cod. Both are very good, and again, served hot---not to be taken for granted at these local fish fries. The hot food is carried to tables in styrofoam carry-out containers with lids, not on plates. While perhaps not eco-friendly, this method does result in a hot meal.

Pizza, juice and Mass cards are given to the kids. The dessert table included just about every type of cookie and cake ever created. My kids opted for donuts!

Beer and wine are $2.

Parking is plentiful in the church lot. At 7 p.m., guests are invited to leave so the restaurant can morph into a gym for a basketball game.

Fish fry review - St. Francis of Assisi South County

My husband and I arrived at just about 5PM and the parking lot was already at 75% capacity. Expect a crowd if you get here anytime after 5PM.

We waited a bit in line to get our tickets for a catfish dinner with two sides. Cost $7 for adults, with coffee included in the price of the meal. Kids meals are available for $4. They also had jack salmon, shrimp and cod filets. No baked fish was available.

Portions are generous and the sides include spaghetti in red sauce, applesauce, cole slaw and green beans.

Desserts are a la carte and prices vary from 25-60 cents, depending on the dessert of your choice. Portions and variety (cookies, cakes, pies, etc.) are also good on desserts. Cons: you have to know what desserts you want, because you have to pay at the cashier before you go inside the serving and seating area where the desserts are.

My grade - A-