Mulligan’s Restaurant & Pub - Rhinelander, WI

A mulligan, in a game, happens when a player gets a second chance to perform a certain move or action. The practice is also sometimes referred to as a "do over."

Since this restaurant is located in the Northwoods County Club in Rhinelander it was only fitting that we take a mulligan on our first visit.  Step up and get tee’d off with me on the second visit.

It’s Friday night and time for cocktails and fish.  The Little Marinara and I flip the coin and decide to give Mulligan’s another try.  We arrive and receive  a friendly greeting from the hostess.  We tell her we are going to the bar for a cocktail and to hold a table for us – no problem.  I order my usual Martini and Marilyn decides on an Old Fashioned.  I can immediately tell from the vacant look in the bartenders eyes that this is going to be difficult.  She asks me if I want a lemon or lime twist and I tell her lemon, what I get is a big chunk of lemon in my drink, which is served on the rocks.  Umh – I asked for it straight-up – OK she answers and pours it in a water glass, dumps some vermouth on it and plops in the lemon chunk.  Wow – this place is class.  Well never to be deterred in the face of stupidity I ask her if she has any Straight-up Martini Glasses (they are hanging on the rack above my head).  “You mean these she crokes, most men don’t like these girlie glasses”.  My eyes wandered over the crowd and I decided she was probably correct, however, I sucked up my manhood and asked for the glass.  At this point it was time for a table.

As we look over the menu it is apparent that their main strength is sandwiches for golfers or people who happen to be hungry and not too picky.  Friday evening they have the traditional Fish Fry with the following:  Fish Fry:  three pieces of Beer Battered or Lightly Breaded Haddock with Fries or Potato Pancakes $10.95.  All you can eat Haddock, Beer Battered, Lightly Breaded, or Broiled with Fries or Potato Pancakes $11.95.  The true creativity of the chef is founding the next entrée that is the Sampler Platter; this consists of one piece of Beer Battered, one piece of Lightly Breaded and one piece of Broiled Haddock for $12.95.  Additionally you can get Clam Chowder or a Salad. 

Our waitress tells us that the Beer Batter is very heavy so we both opt for the Lightly Breaded Haddock, we both order Clam Chowder and Fries and additionally I order some of the Potato Pancakes.  Our waitress asks if we want another round of drinks, the Little Marinara still has a full drink on the table and she tells our waitress that this is the worst drink she has ever had.  The waitress says nothing; she just leaves.  This sucks because now I am with an unhappy girl with a drink that also sucks.  The Chowder arrives and it looks good. Lots of clams but it has a kind odd taste, like uncooked flour.  The fish arrives and as you can see by the photo it is just average as are the freezer fries.  This is all pre-breaded Sysco type food.  Now for the Potato Pancakes; they are a step in the right direction.  Good consistency and good flavor, out of the jar applesauce but then that’s to be expected.  Total for dinner and two poorly made cocktails is $35.  Way too expensive for the product received.  No more ‘do overs’ for this place.

The Big Ragu gives this a 2 Outa 5

Buckshots Saloon - Eagle River, WI

The Little Marinara and I received an email from Don in Rhinelander telling us that the best Fish Fry in the area could be found at Buckshots Saloon in Eagle River, WI.  Since it was a nice Saturday in Fall we decided to go for a drive and ended up at Buckshots for lunch and the Badger Game (Go Big Red).  My first impression was; how do they move a lot of people through here on a Friday evening?  The bar is fairly large but the dining room has three 4 tops and one 6 top.  They must have a long wait for tables, of course in the Summer there is outside dining on a covered deck.  We looked over the menu and decided to have a Burger and Patty Melt with Ho-Made Chips and Frys.  Our waitress is trying to take an order but I am busy contemplating the Ho-Made part of the menu.  Were they made from scratch - this is where my sick mind starts to work overtime.  Since I couldn't let it go I decided to ask the expert in these matters, our waitress.  I ordered the Ho-Made Chips and Frys and she told me that only the Chips were Home made.  The Little Marinara pointed out that the menu clearly stated Ho-Made Chips and Frys.  Our waitress looked at us like we were nuts and I decided it was time to go to the mens room...no Ho's there.

Despite all the BS about Ho's , the Chips and Frys were very good and hand-cut.  Marilyn's Burger was juicy and huge and my Patty Melt was hot, juicy and flavorful.  Best of all the Badgers pulled it out in the end and beat the Golden Gophers.  God I am glad I didn't go to MN - who the hell wants to be called a Gopher almost as bad as a Buckeye.

Buckshots is a bit of a drive but we will be back for the Fish Fry some Friday evening.

Rhinelander Cafe & Pub

Our usual focus is on the WI Fish Fry, however, those of you who enjoy the ‘fry’ and the cocktails that accompany the tradition know there is a fact of life to be delt with.  In the morning after a good night out you need to feed the furnace, and what better place than the Rhinelander Café & Pub.

The RC&P has the best breakfast in town and I say that for several reasons.  First the English Muffin Toast; not only is it tasty - they still butter toast the ‘old fashioned’ way…they use a brush and paint on the clarified butter.  (Honey dial 911 cuz the arteries are startin to close.)  The Little Marinara loves this, her pet peeve is when she gets toast and it only has a meager dollop of butter.  We are true Wisconsinites when it comes to butter; don’t insult us with your margarine or oleo crap.  Second: are the breakfast entrees.  I always have the Corned Beef Hash with Poached Eggs and an order of Hashbrowns with fried Onions.  It seems that I have only found two places that can poach an egg, here and the Eagles Nest in Wausau.  (At most places the poached eggs look and task like golf balls) Of course the plate is garnished with fruit, which I promptly remove from the plate least it attempts to make me healthy.  Marilyn always orders Eggs with a slab of Ham and Hashbrowns, she also eats the fruit..someone has to!

The décor is right out of the mid seventies, dark furniture and carpeting that has throw back colors, dark paneling on the wall and some pictures that are always for sale.  Most of the waitresses in the morning have been there since day one; they are tired but friendly.

We have been there for lunch several time and always found the sandwiches to be of a generous size but slightly expensive, we have never had dinner there. 

The Little Marinara and I have always worked on the theory that you dine on the strengths of the establishment and for us this is a breakfast only place.

Big Ragu gives this place a breakfast rating of 4.5 Outa 5