Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Good vs. Bad, Volume 1: Freedom Fries


Ahhh the french fry...long hailed as one of America's favorite snacks, french fries come in all shapes & sizes, ranging in a variety of textures, seasonings and accompaniments. They can cost $1 or they can cost $10 (I said it crumyum, 10 dollars for fries). But that is what's cool about fries--there is something for everyone. I've taken a moment to outline, in my opinion, some dope fries and some not so great.


The Good:
  • Truffle Fries. At this stage we might as well refer to them as pomme frites, they're so fancy. I have found great truffle fries at Union & W. Both have a dusting of Parmesan and are sprinkled w/ truffle oil. W calls theirs sexy fries and they are of the shoestring variety where as Union's are a heartier fry but I think they use more truffle oil. Regardless of location both are gonna cost you about $9-11.
  • Speaking of shoestring fries...yum. Which leads me to the Sorrento Hotel. Crispy and delicious. They are not on the menu b/c I am sure they would rather you order the Sonoma County Duck, but if you find yourself in the Hunt Club or Fireside Room get the fries...and don't might the dirty looks when you arrive in jeans and flip flops.
  • Dick's. Chances are they're not great in the day time (unless you have been drinking in the morning), but man I love 'em. With the skin on and that the ketchup and broke tartar sauce you get on the side. I've been drunk in other cities just longing for some Dick's fries.
  • This could be pre-mature, b/c I have only had them once but Maximilien in the market has Belgium fries for $2.95 at happy hour, 5-7pm and Saturday 8-10pm. Again skin on, cooked all the way through served w/ two dipping sauces (one I think is just mayonnaise) good portion size and you can sit on the deck and enjoy the beautiful view of the sound.
  • Bottomless fries at Red Robin. Make sure they cook them all the way through. With such a hearty fry and high volume of fries coming out of that kitchen, I'm sure sometimes they get overwhelmed and it just slips their mind to cook the fries all the way through. But they get a pass especially since they will bring you anything you want to dip the fries in-- tartar, ranch, blue cheese, bbq, honey mustard and they don't charge you $0.25, & they have red robin seasoning salt.
  • And of course McDonald's. One of my favorite days was when the story broke that McDonald's cooked their fries in beef broth, and all my faux-vegetarian friends were up in arms b/c McDonald's were there favorite fries. Of course they are b/c beef taste delicious.

The Bad:

  • I do not like sweet potato fries. I think they are trendy and will phase out, until then, Union has a sweet potato fry on happy hour w/ this disgusting watery unidentifiable dipping sauce. No good.
  • This might not count but I think they deserve a nod as a fried potato. Julia's fried potatoes at breakfast make me want to start the Atkins diet so I can only assume their french fries are equally as bad. Anyone know?
  • Polenta fries at Broadway Grill. They are not potatoes and don't even maintain the desired consistency of polenta.
  • Kid Valley. Their fries are shitty. As with Red Mill's.


7 comments:

ae.k.ae said...

I feel you. I love Union's truffle fries--it cracked off when they were on the happy hour menu (and since I work in II Union Square, I'm there often enough to get my money's worth). I'm a huge proponent of the fries at Honey Hole--for a hearty steak fry they are unbeatable.

When I was in college I probably ate enough curly fries from Jack in the Box to take years off my life. I don't even know if they qualify as good or bad...respect's due simply for not killing me.

White Pepper said...

Ahh...Denny's has good fries if they are cooked.

Other shitty fries. Dairy Queen and anyone who serves potato wedges and calls them fries.

Anonymous said...

hey i like the Grill's polenta fries. those Honey Hole fries are grubbin. i never hit up Frites @ Neumos but Sarah said she likes em...

Daly's on Eastlake got some crack-ass fries, I used to eat those on the reg in my past life as a mortgage specialist.

kjade said...

umm, i must disagree. yam fries are the shit and are truly more than a trend. ive been making them for as long as ive been cooking, and was so happy when i saw them at restaurants. sheesh, why have a delicious yam thats chock full of nutrients and fiber when i can have a regular potato?!? thats simply ludicrous.

some good yam fries are at isami attached to uwaji's. they're lightly battered in tempura batter and are tasty and delicious. you can skip the lime aioli (eff you lar) but sometimes it's okay.

the baguette box has good truffle fries...theyre 4 bucks on the regular and are a hearty square cut.

oh yeah...im not really a huge fan of shoestring, but at olive you, they have some pretty good greek fries topped with raw garlic/olive oil/parsley.

kjade said...

oh yeah, and ps, those polenta fries are pretty good. the only problem is that after ive devoured an entire black-and-white-papered carafe of them with sour cream salsa, i want to ralph.

ae.k.ae said...

DALY'S! YES! i love me some Daly's fries. actually, their veggie burger is pretty solid and their double cheese burgers are stuntastic.

my mom always gets the halibut & chips and seems to love it, while pops is all about the chocolate milkshakes.

mmm i'm hungry.

Unknown said...

I seriously don't know who wins between Baugette and Honey Hole. BOTH ARE CRACK.

Polenta fries are good but then you feel ill. NOT CRACK.

Yam Fries = CRACK.