St. John Vianney: Baked Goodness

Last Friday, we hopped on 131 to check out the Fish Fry at St. John Vianney Catholic Church. It was well worth the trip to see what the church website calls "the best fish fry in town."
Now, "the best" is quite a statement, but we'll admit, it was pretty good. The first thing to notice while waiting in line was the sound coming from the SJV Village Hall, this place was filled with energy. Busy volunteers buzzed around the room serving fish, refilling cups, and keeping diners happy. Big fans were blowing fresh air into the hot room, adding to the excitement.

In no time we had fish on our plates and were sitting down. SVJ runs an efficient operation, keeping trays clean and available,utensils clearly labeled, and fish ready to serve. The most charming thing about the event was the student volunteers. Young Comets politely made themselves available for our every need, cleaning up tables, refilling refreshments, and serving ice cream (yeah, they have ice cream).

The food didn't disappoint either. SJV offers Fried Pollack and Baked Cod. The Pollack was good, crispy and firm, but the baked fish was the star. This is the best baked fish we've had this season. The seasoning was a great compliment to the Cod, and they bake it with a lemon slice on each piece. This is attention to detail that we appreciate. The fries and baked potato were equally good, and the roll was soft. The coleslaw was heavy on the horseradish, which turned me off, but others in the group really enjoyed it.

To celebrate St. Patrick's day, we brought some Guinness to accompany the meal, which surprisingly wasn't a bad pairing. All in all John Vianney is a solid fish fry, and one I'd recommend to any baked cod fans out there.

St. John Vianney
4101 Clyde Park SW
Wyoming MI 49509

Arrival time: 6pm
Wait: 10 minutes
Parking: Large parking lot out front
Cost: $8 adults, $7 seniors, $4 kids 12 and under
Take-out: Available
Tables: Long cafeteria-style
Service: Extraordinary!