Community Corner
'Men of Cod' Review Immaculate Conception Fish Fry
Two fish fry fans are going to at least two a week and reviewing them on their website. They went to Immaculate Conception on Friday. St. Mary Magdalen is next Friday.
Nathan Barger and Aaron Terry, both 34, one day last Lenten season decided to go to a fish fry after work, and ended up at Immaculate Conception in Maplewood.
“We liked it so much we decided to do it very week,” Barger said.
Growing up, Barger went the fry every year at St. Simon the Apostle, in South County. Terry had never been to one.
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He said they were intrigued by the differences, and started a website, fishfryday.org, to post their reviews of each visit. They have a goal to hit two every Friday. Six are reviewed on the site so far this year.
They had business cards made, calling themselves 'Men of Cod.'
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This is what Barger had to say about the dessert table at Immaculate Conception:
The dessert table looked inviting, and the lovely ladies explained some of the choices. The desserts were homemade and included red velvet cake, chocolate brownies, cupcakes, muffins, and large slices of apple pie. I tasted the red velvet cake and chocolate brownies and both were amazing.
“The idea isn’t to do any negative reviews unless it’s an absolutely horrible experience,” Barger said. “There’s really no bad fish fries.”
They each do their own review, rating the fish, desserts, sides, atmosphere, length of line, beverage selection and more on a scale of 1 to 5. The site has photos from each visit.
Barger said talking with people at each one is the best part. “You don’t get that so much at the really busy ones,” he said. “At the more relaxed fish fries, you can spend more time visiting.”
Barger lives in Maplewood and Terry in St. Louis city, so most of their reviews will be in the city or the Mid-County area, they said.
So far this year, they’ve visited Church of the Immacolata, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Cecilia's, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Immaculate Conception - Maplewood, and St. Gerard Majella.
St. Mary Magdalen, in Brentwood, is scheduled for next Friday, March 1.
Looking for a fish fry? Find one on Patch's fish fry map.
Nathan Barger is the son of Fenton-High Ridge Patch editor Dan Barger.
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