Leo Krull

Our condolences go out to the Krull family today.

Leo P. Krull, Sr.

Krull, Leo P. Sr. fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church on Sunday, December 28, 2008.

Beloved husband of 56 years to the late Doris M. Krull (nee Braun); dearest father of Karen Trigg, Leo P. (Becky) Krull Jr., Patricia (Michael) Hines, Jane (Russ) Maddock, Charles (Darlyn) Krull and Diane (Ron) Catalano; dear brother of Robert J. (Dottie) Krull; our dear grandfather, great-grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend. A member of Griesedieck-Fournier American Legion Post #3.

Services:
Funeral from HOFFMEISTER SOUTH COUNTY Chapel, 1515 Lemay Ferry Rd. on Wednesday, December 31 at 9:30 a.m. to St. Andrew Church for 10 a.m. Mass.

Interment J.B. National Cemetery.

Donations to the Multiple Sclerosis Society would be appreciated.

Visitation 3-9 p.m. Tuesday.

Last but not least...another fish fry review

Lent flew by quickly this year. I was fortunate to add more places to the review list this year. I didn't get the audience participation I had last year, but that's one more thing to work on for next year's Lenten season.

Bubba and I trekked around looking for a couple of new fish fries, but, alas, they weren't serving since it was Good Friday. One place, Zion United Methodist on Union Road in South County, has its last fish fry of the year this week (March 28 4-630PM).

We headed north on Union and went to Morganford. We took a right at a sure thing--St. Mark's parish. (NOTE: St. Mark's was also reviewed in 2007.) The signs were out, and the parking lot was full, so we went in to get our fish. Even though, we expected an overflow crowd from the parking lot, it was not bad at all. The lines moved smoothly and in the carryout section, there was no wait at all. Bubba cried because he wanted to stay, but because Hubby was feeling under the weather, we got our meals to go.

The menu at St. Mark's includes baked fish, cod squares, catfish, shrimp, and crab cakes. Desserts are a la carte for to go orders, and all that was in the carryout room was cookies by the time we got there. We got two adult dinners with two sides, a kids dinner with two sides and one extra crab cake for $20. There's also cheese pizzas for the kids. The sides were the usual suspects--pasta, slaw, applesauce and green beans. The coleslaw does still taste like homemade.

All in all, St. Mark's is a nice stop to get your fish during Lent, even if you're just passing through.

Atmosphere: B (only because we couldn't stay to review it!)
Food: A
Price: A

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

A tale of two fish fries

I decided to visit two fish fries tonight. After I checked the St. Louis Review's fish fry listings, I hopped in the car and headed to southwest St. Louis City.


The first fish fry I visited was at Epiphany of our Lord parish at Ivanhoe and Smiley Streets. Epiphany is very, very close to Highway 44 at Arsenal St. I arrived about 5:15PM and the streets around the church and the parking lot was very packed.


The problem was, not a lot of people were walking in when I was, so due to lack of signage, I walked around for a bit before I figured out that you do have to go in by the bowling alley (something you can do when you're done eating). I finally made it in and heard the news that the dine-in line was long. The carryout line was much shorter, so I headed there.

Epiphany had lots of stuff going on in the parish center. Besides the bowling alley on the way into the building, the Girl Scouts were selling cookies, the Men's Club was selling raffle tickets, and another organization was selling candles around the periphery of the center. One family had won a primo spot at the fish fry, including reserved parking places on the lot, and a table decorated with roses, glasses and chairs with chair covers from the parish auction.

I noticed a different trend at Epiphany that I saw later at my second fish fry. Epiphany sells sides by the half pint, pint and by the quart. Epiphany does not sell any dinners (fish + 2 sides). Everything, including the bread, is sold a la carte and fish is sold by the piece. I didn't particularly like this, but since I was doing carryout, it was not a big deal. I got the cod filet sandwich, a piece of catfish, and macaroni and cheese and three bean salad as my sides (1/2 pint each). This cost $8.10.


The cod sandwich ($2.35) was okay and the catfish, outside of having too much breading, actually had a good taste and was a huge piece for $3.25 (approximately 9-10 inches long and 3 inches wide.) Jack salmon and shrimp (2 for $1.80) are also available. The mac and cheese was decent, and the three bean salad was sweet with just a little tart and was pretty darned good. It was nice to see a little something different in the sides category. Epiphany had nice spots to eat in the center, even going all out with purple Lenten tablecloths. Drinks and desserts are a la carte. Pie will cost you $1, with other desserts 50 cents.

A couple of criticisms: get friendlier servers on the carryout side. The folks who served my fish looked as if they were forced into it, and the girl who set me up did not even offer sauces to go with my fish. Another gripe: no utensils or napkins are available for carryout customers.

Next, I headed over to Hampton and Pernod to the fish fry at St. Joan of Arc parish. They were busy as well, but I quickly found a spot on the street not far from the parish center entrance. Signage was plentiful at SJA, so I quickly found my way to the fish fry. The Girl Scouts were out here, too, right at the front door, selling their cookies. The fish fry is in the basement of the school.

There are two lines here, too. and they moved reasonably quickly. I was in and out of line within 10 minutes. St. Joan of Arc has one of the most diverse menus I've seen lately. They have both baked (lemon pepper) and fried fish--cod, jack salmon and shrimp. In addition, they also cheese toasted ravioli, mozzarella sticks, and cheese pizzas. They also have a variety of items on their kids' menu.

SJA, like Epiphany, also sells sides by 8oz, 16oz, and 32oz cartons, and they have a wide variety, including Irish potatoes and their own homemade vinegar and oil cole slaw that is really delightful--not too sweet and not too sour. SJA also has homemade bread. I chose the Italian, and it was fresh and good. (I just wish they would have given me two pieces instead of just one!). Drinks and desserts are a la carte, but note that senior citizens get coffee and dessert free.

My dinner with baked fish, Irish potatoes, cole slaw and bread was $7.00.

Ratings:

Epiphany parish
Atmosphere: B
Food: B
Price: B

St. Joan of Arc
Atmosphere: A-
Food: A
Price: A

Reviewed March 7, 2008

Fish Fry review - St. Matthias, Mehlville

My family and I went down the street to the fish fry after I got home from work. The parking lot was only about half full, but once we stepped inside, there was a large crowd.

The lines moved quickly and you could get eat-in or carry-out wherever you wanted, so there was no line too long. We got carry-out, just in case someone decided (my son) he wanted to take his meal home. No chance of that! There were a few kids playing and he decided we would stay and eat.

The selection is not huge (cod and shrimp) but the portions are. Four pieces of battered cod (not the squares), two sides of your choice and hush puppies are included for $7 for adults and $4.50 for kids. Coffee is free, but other drinks are 50 cents, and so are the desserts. For a little over $20, you get the whole meal, with leftovers if you're not completely starved (like me) when you get there.

As one anonymous person put it here in our comments, St. Matthias is definitely in the running for the best fish fry in South County.

Atmosphere: B+
Food: A-
Price: A

Reviewed February 22, 2008

Whoops! Etc.

Sorry, but your webmaster missed a fish fry this past Friday. We'll be back this week with another review.

The only guaranteed fish fry in St. Louis at St. Matthias parish sold 571 dinners at their first fry with 0 complaints and no remaining fish when complete.

If you want to check out St. Matthias's fish fry for yourself, mark your calendars for the following dates:

February 22 (this Friday)
March 7

The fish fries run from 4-7PM in the parish center. Prices are $7 for adults, $6.50 for seniors and $4.50 for kids. Sides include spaghetti, green beans, slaw, applesauce and hush puppies. Eat in or carryout. Satisfaction guaranteed.

If you have a review of a fish fry, send it on over. We'd love to have it!

Fish fry review 2008 - Immaculate Conception

I stopped by this fry on my way home from work. Immaculate Conception parish is in Maplewood at Marshall and Anna Avenues. Fish fries are held every Friday in Lent from 4-7PM.

IC is still a reasonable deal, but like everythng, the prices have gone up, and the selections have widened. There's the standard cod, catfish and jack salmon, along with shrimp dinners. IC also has half orders this year to make the selection even more affordable. Cod, catfish and jack salmon run $6 for a two pieces, two sides dinner, and shrimp dinners are $8 for eight decent sized shrimp. The sides are your usual suspects: green beans, slaw, macaroni, spaghetti and even side salads.

There are no kids meals, so I bought a half shrimp dinner for my five year old, which was $5. The cat and cod half dinners run about $5. Desserts and drinks (including beer) are a la carte. The dessert selection was very good this time, as evidenced by the multiple kinds of cakes and cookies available.

Crowds were pretty good and the line moves fast, so I got my meals to go pretty quickly. Everything was still very hot by the time I made it home. IC still has some of the hottest food around.

Atmosphere: B
Prices: B+
Food: A-

Reviewed February 9, 2008

More Ash Wednesday happenings

I was not able to check out any fish fries today, but I did come across the following items.

Fish fries in St. Louis
According to the signboard outside St. Dominic Savio parish on Mackenzie Road which I drive past every day, St. George parish, St. Louis County (Gardenville--near Gravois and Heege Rd. just blocks from the St. Louis city limits) will be having fish fries every Friday in Lent from 430-7PM. Proceeds benefit youth athletics programs in the parishes.

Thank you, thank you very much...
This blog was was listed recently in a thread on the stlwed forum and on the http://mom22kids.wordpress.com blog in Cincinnati, OH.

Remember...
We're always looking for your fish fry reviews. Check the Ultimate Fish Fry Compendium for more details.

Let the fries begin...

The season of fish fries officially starts today with Ash Wednesday. Check out your favorite parish for more details.

I'll start my reviews again this Friday. My home parish, St. Matthias, is offering a new twist--guaranteed satisfaction on their fish fry. If you don't like it, you'll get your money back.

Check them out this Friday from 4-7PM.

Gone fishin' lately? Tell us about it

NOTE: Fishin' as in visiting your favorite fish fry.

Yes, it's that time of year again, as Lent 2008 is right around the corner. We'll be adding fish fry reviews to this blog, and we're looking for the best of the bunch.

Here's what we want:

Tell us about a really good fish fry that you have gone to, what you liked about it, the menu and the ambiance. Details on location, times, dates and prices are also handy, too.