A Park Ridge restaurant is gaining statewide exposure.
The food section of Wednesday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published the recipe for the Silver Coach's "Deep-Fried Jalapeno Crawfish Balls with Black Bean Salsa and Three-Mustard Sauce." A Tupelo, Miss., resident, who tried the appetizer while he was in town for a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point graduation ceremony, requested the recipe.
A recently-published book, "Fry Me to the Moon: An Illustrated Journey to Wisconsin's Famous Friday Night Fish Fry- and Beyond" included an entry on the Silver Coach, 38 Park Ridge Drive.
"This place has incredible potato-crusted walleye, in a setting that is a throwback to the days of old when fine dining was the standard on American railroads," said author and illustrator Jeff Hagen.
The book is published by Prairie Oak Press, 821 Prospect Place, Madison, WI 53703, and costs $8.95. The paperback explores the tradition of Friday night fish fries.
Silver Coach chef and owner Jim Gitter welcomes the attention.
"It really increases business a lot," Gitter said.
The Silver Coach has been featured in other articles, including a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel food review, Midwest Living and Wisconsin Trails, Gitter said. The restaurant is mostly known for its Cajun dishes and homemade desserts. It also smokes ribs on the premises.
"We grow a lot of our own herbs and spices and peppers in the summer," Gitter said. "We have a hydroponic garden in the winter so we always have fresh herbs, which a lot of restaurants don't have."
Dennis Getto, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel food critic, called the Silver Coach one of Wisconsin's five most romantic restaurants.