by Hannah Hoffmeister and Elizabeth Johnson
In the battle of the eggplant fries at Summerfest, there are no winners.
On opening night, both Venice Club and Pizza Man were doing a brisk business in this fried indulgence. We were definitely intrigued, so we put them to the test, ordering the towering $7.75 platter from Venice Club and the $5 snack from Pizza Man.
Our first reaction was “Okay, not bad,” but as we munched, we realized we liked everything but the actual eggplant. The parmesan and the marinara sauce were the only elements that made the fries enticing.
Speaking of parmesan and marinara: Both were offered by both vendors. The Pizza Man order also includes a watery garlic ranch, which actually tasted better than its equally watery marinara. The Venice Club marinara was much heartier.
Our verdict: Skip it, unless you are a vegetarian and hard up for something to eat (and in that case, you’d be better off with a slice of cheese pizza from Pizza Man, or the burrata caprese salad from Divino). But if we were forced to choose the better of the two, the Venice Club’s version was slightly preferable, mainly because of the texture and the marginally tasty marinara sauce. Venice Club’s fries were much crispier; Pizza Man’s were soggy with an occasional crunchy strip, sliced thinner than the rest.
BTW, there’s no need to pay the upcharge for extra marinara and parm at Venice Club –we didn’t finish the one serving we were given. Save your money for a drink — you’ll need it to quench your salt-induced thirst.
