Friesens bring a fresh and new menu to Cotton Lake bar

By Robert Williams

Editor

Fans of the former Curley’s On Cotton Lake are in for a pleasant surprise after seeing the work put in by new owners of The Fishbowl – Kari and Brett Friesen. The objective of the new owners is not just providing a place to get food but to give their customers an experience.

Nearly the entire building and infrastructure has been redone from a new well, new dual water filtration systems, new flooring, everything in the kitchen is brand new, a full replumbing and a complete rewiring.

There is one thing that remains from old Curley’s.

“The sign that’s in the garage?” Kari laughed.

The name change also caught some people by surprise, not all in a good way.

“Some people were not happy that I changed the name at first,” she said. “It’s not Curley’s. When I get done with this place it won’t even feel like Curley’s.”

The interior decor is reminiscent of a vacation bar/restaurant on any of the coasts of the country painted an ocean blue with an array of sea creatures decorating the walls and hanging from the ceilings. A few of those pieces, like a sailfish and a mahi mahi were personally caught by Kari and Brett, avid outdoor enthusiasts and fans of deep sea fishing. They set out to provide a wharf vibe and definitely pulled it off.

“We’ve traveled all over the world and seen a lot of different things and had lots of different foods,” she said. “We’re trying to bring that character with us.”

The Fishbowl held what was supposed to be a soft opening with very little notification, but word around the Cotton Lake residents spread quickly and a quiet, slow start to the business turned into a weekend of learning quickly on the fly in a big rush.

“It was huge – they were wall-to-wall standing,” Kari said. “The people are loving the atmosphere. I’ve heard it more times, over-and-over again, that it’s comfortable. I feel like I’m comfortable and welcome. That was what I was hoping to get out of it. People wanting to be here and make sure their chairs are comfortable so they can be here as long as they want. Plus, there is the art and we wanted the art to be very kid-friendly.”

The expanded bar and dining room seats up to 120 customers inside. Construction on a new, two-level, outdoor deck that will seat 50 more is expected to begin in the next fortnight, which will feature a tiki ambience overlooking the new marina of 20 slips, four remaining for lease. There is a second dock that holds a dozen boats for customers arriving from the lake.

“It’s been a local watering hole for many patrons around this community,” Kari said. 

The Friesens heard about a potential sale of the business and had joked that someday they were going to buy a bar when they retired.

“It was kind of a joke between the two of us,” she said.

While hanging out at Curley’s with their usual happy hour friends, the conversation turned to what they did not want to see happen to the place, from the property being turned into condominiums or taken over by a hospitality group.

“The condo thing was a big concern because it changes the property value of your home, as well,” said Kari. 

The group of friends started putting up the idea of all contributing to complete the sale.

However, having a group partnership in business was not something the Friesens were interested in pursuing.

“We said well, it’ll be God’s plan; if it’s meant to be it’s meant to be and they’ll accept our offer,” said Kari.

The Friesens put their offer down and asked for a quick turnaround on the decision by the following Monday. They were quickly awarded the business.

“After we got over the aftershock that we were awarded the properties there was a lot of thinking and a lot of talking—what do we want to do with it?” Friesen said. “Which was fun to hear everybody’s ideas. I wanted it to look nice and nice enough to have a nice dinner at night but still wear your flip flops from coming off the boat and still feel comfortable at the same time.”

The remodel was not easy and there were some second thoughts during the months-long process.

“Everytime we turned around it seemed to be one more thing,” Kari said.

The amount of work was one that continued to pile onto an already shaky foundation.

The rehab included dealing with five different levels of the flooring. Tearing up the floors showed more problems lurking underneath, including a hole that was created when one of their contractors fell through.

Trusses were rotted and according to Kari, there is not one piece of plumbing remaining from the original structure. 

“Many times, there were so many times when we were going to throw in the towel and then we’d go to happy hour somewhere and people would say they were so looking forward to what we were bringing to the community and then it rejuvenates you,” she said.

The Friesens recently added Executive Chef Ryan Wheatley to the kitchen.

“I really wanted someone who can bring in a culinary difference,” Kari said. “That way, when you’re getting your food it’s not going to be your typical burger.”

That was proven in the opening weekend with the Brisket Burger becoming a quick star of the menu, along with chicken lollipops.

“We’re just trying to bring in things that are unique,” said Friesen.

Chicken lollipops are an Indian appetizer—a chicken winglet, where the meat is cut loose from the bone end and pushed down, creating a lollipop appearance.

The menu will run a regular lunch menu from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with entrees being added for the dinner service menu. Friesen said she expects the menu to change quarterly throughout the year.

The menu itself is still in flux, as Wheatley only came on board the past week. Wheatley will be known to some local diners as the former chef at Sapphire Sushi, Hibachi & American Cuisine in Detroit Lakes. A native of Bemidji, Wheatley trained at the Arizona Culinary Institute.

Trying to make their food stand out boils down to things as specific as using different types of tomatoes and potatoes.

“Our french fries are very different,” Kari said.

Concentrating on providing a variety of different foods is part of the plan. With a growing monopoly in Detroit Lakes in the bar and restaurant business, there were more than just personal reasons to provide customers something they could not get elsewhere in the area.

“I want to be different,” Kari said. “It’s the same food. The same companies own most of them.”

The menu will have some fried food, but the Friesens are trying to stay away from a typical bar menu full of things that need the fryer. 

“That’s not what we want,” she said. “People have asked for something fresh.”

Kari did her research during the remodeling period asking people what they wanted.

Most of those answers revolved around food not frozen or fried.

The Friesen’s world travels have also provided a taste for unique sauces and seasonings, something they are going to showcase at The Fishbowl.

Those are currently being showcased as two different sauces provided with a lollipop or shrimp flight. Salads will also be tossed with their own specific dressings.

The key is finding a balance between some fried appetizers that are necessary, but even those are unexpected, like a roasted ravioli appetizer.

Entrees will be centered around seafood, but still contain American standards like steak and pork tenderloin, along with specials like a fettuccine alfredo dinner for Mother’s Day and current popular menu flatbread items.

“We want to please our customers and give them a good experience and that’s really our goal here,” Kari said. “My whole focus is I just want good food.”

Part of that focus is doing due diligence in finding the right food vendors, especially sourcing one that could provide fresh seafood. 

“Sourcing was a big deal for us, making sure we had the right partner and one that could deliver,” she said.

The Fishbowl is able to provide day-caught seafood that ships out as it is caught, processed in Plymouth and delivered the next morning.

“We actually went and toured the plant to make sure it fit our vision and what we really wanted. Fresh is a big deal. My burger, shrimp and fish will never be frozen.”

All of the beef used is locally sourced in Minnesota, along with fresh-made soups. The one word that pops up every time Kari talks about the food is fresh, whether that be flown-in fish or locally produced goods.

“If there are resources in town where we can get some of our produce and proteins I would rather keep the money in the community than take it somewhere else,” Friesen said.

On the drink menu, the Fishbowl’s bourbon selection has been very popular, something that is somewhat particular to the Cotton Lake area thanks to the efforts of Lakes Corner Liquor store owner Aaron Aslesen, who specializes in bourbons and whiskeys.

“There is a huge bourbon community here,” she said.

The Fishbowl uses a handblown glass that sits on an Indonesian root used for bourbons and high-end tequilas.

“It’s fancy but it goes with the flow,” she said.

The bar also features a Bottoms Up Draft Beer system with varied promotional magnets and still in process are signature drinks that will be served in actual fish bowls.

Brett and Kari certainly have their hands full as they continue to run their other business Friesen’s Inc., a design and manufacturing company in Detroit Lakes. Kari is the treasurer of the Cotton Lake Association. 

“It’s all about your team,” Kari said. “We have the same philosophy at Friesen’s. You all have to work together as a team or it doesn’t work. You have to pick the right people to be part of your team and that’s what we’re working on – making sure we have a good core.”

The Friesens are also both Lions Club members.

“We try to be a part of this community,” she said.

They provide all the food for the 4-Corners Lions’ annual Trunk n Treat.

“Giving back to the community is important to us,” she said.

“That’s the fun part of being on the association and being a part of this community helps you get to know the people and the lake,” she said. 

Seeing the excited crowd blow up The Fishbowl on its opening weekend was a sign that all the effort was worth it for the Friesens.

“Absolutely, seeing the people and it was slammed,” Kari said. “We served 665 dinners on Saturday! I didn’t get a lot of time to come out and visit but to hear the laughter. To me, that was the most rewarding—hearing people laugh and having a good time. We did it because of the community. There are a lot of people who live out this way.”

Plans are to close for two days after Memorial Day to complete a full staff training and get any bugs worked out.

The Fishbowl will be open seven days a week this summer. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with food served until 10 p.m. Last call is at 11 p.m., but customers can stay later—alcohol will just no longer be served after last call.