Breaded or battered? Here's what you told us is the best way to make a Wisconsin fish fry

As Lent approaches — and with it, fish fry season — the debate over how the best fish fry is made and who makes the best one resurfaces with renewed energy.

To give a few examples: is cod, haddock or local freshwater fish the best? What should you eat with it: fries, a baked potato or potato pancakes? And what kind of place makes the most "authentic" fish fry: your neighborhood tavern, the supper club down the road or a church basement kitchen?

Earlier this month, we asked readers to tell us how they preferred their Wisconsin fish fry. For the sake of simplicity, however, we decided to focus on two questions: whether a fish fry is better in seasoned breading or a batter bath, and where the best place is to get your fish fix.

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Breaded or battered? Here's what readers and restaurateurs said

Many respondents had their own favorite eatery, in places ranging from Wausau to Mosinee to Amherst to Rome.

But two restaurants were top vote-getters: Kellner International Bar at 1204 80th St. S. near Wisconsin Rapids, followed by Hilltop Pub and Grill at 4901 Main St. in Stevens Point. Readers who named them as favorites said they loved the food, atmosphere and service.

And for the question of breaded versus battered, around 50% of readers in central Wisconsin preferred their fish fried in batter. Some also shared their preferences for baked, grilled and pan-fried fillets.

"Beer batter is better than any other option — the flavor and texture is the best!" one reader said. Another said the batter "enhances the taste and keeps the fish moist."

James Greve, co-owner and chef at Kellner International, and Hilltop Pub and Grill kitchen manager Scott Sleeter both said battered fish is the most popular fish fry at their restaurants.

"That's the way it's been for eons," Greve said.

Still, around a third of survey respondents preferred breaded fish over battered, saying breading the fish results in lighter coating and reduced grease.

And though frying battered fish is faster, breading has some benefits to chefs, too. Pre-breading perch, especially, helps keep a steady supply on hand during times when getting perch is an uncertain task, Sleeter said.

Readers also had thoughts on what else goes into a good fish fry

As for other responses to our poll, one reader loved both breaded and battered fish equally. A few preferred a different method of fish frying altogether, like one reader, Don Kahoun from Wisconsin Rapids, who prefers his fish fry dusted in flour. This method, he said, gives the fish "a very thin crust for better fish flavor."

Regardless of what coating you like best, what makes the biggest difference in a good fish fry isn't how you fry it, Greve said, but in the fish itself.

"Quality is the most important part," he said. "The fresher the fish, the better — that's always going to make the difference."

Still, no matter where and how you eat it, the most important thing about the Wisconsin fish fry is that you share it with others — maybe paired with a beer or a classic Wisconsin Old-Fashioned, if you're so inclined.

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Rebecca Loroff is a breaking and trending news reporter for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. Contact her at 920-907-7801 or rloroff@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Stevens Point Journal: Are Wisconsin's fish fries best battered or breaded? Readers weigh in