All About French Fries [Food/Vendor]

2009 Oct 8

So Ottawa Foodies, what, in your opinion constitutes the perfect french fry?

Do you like the round ones (dollar fries), shoestring, wedge, thick cut? Should it be crispy outside and soft inside, or crispy throughout? Seasoned with something spicy or just salt? Malt vinegar or regular? And where in Ottawa have you had the best fries? Do you top them with anything wierd? (relish, etc)

I'll go first: I usually just get regular thick cut or McDonald's type fries, if I choose to indulge (which I'm doing more and more lately, for some odd reason). But last week I had some dollar fries that were just superlative. They were from a Lebanese fast food place downtown (the Minto building) and they were very pleasing. They had a slight crispiness to the outside, and the dollar shape meant there was lots of soft potato filling inside. With some ketchup, chopped onion and a little vinegar, they were great!

My only complaint about these fries (and it applies to chip truck fries too) is that they were served in one of those chip truck-type cartons. This meant that, while the top layer of fries were nicely ketchuped, the layers at the bottom were ketchup-less. Ketchup-less fries = bad fries. This is a real dilemma because, if you put lots and lots of ketchup on the fries (trying to get the bottom layers ketchupy) then the top layer is over-ketchuped (and kind of gross). I think fries should be served in broad shallow dishes so you can ketchup them adequately.

There's my ketchup-related rant for the day.

2009 Oct 8
at chip trucks, you need to tell them you want to add half-way. i usually just say salt and vinegar half-way.

i like fries that are hand cut, with skin and not in the first batch of clean oil. i don't like them too soft or potato-y.

regular vinegar, salt and occasionally gravy.

2009 Oct 9
I have different expectations depending on the place, and the type of cuisine. But more and more, I'm drifting towards my ideal of fries: really good french fries are ones with taste integral to them, so that they don't need more. The two exceptions are done rarely: chip wagons, where ketchup works, and Frites Alors in Montreal, with any of the wonderful dips. (I must remember to only order a Small; the Regular is more gargantuan for my appetite these days.)

Currently, in the area, the best fries are the quintessential examples of Quebec Fries, found at Gino Pizza at the Place du Centre food court. I sometimes will have just a small order of fries at lunch if they've just been dumped from the fryer and salted. Crispy throughout while retaining chewiness, at that hour has never touched new oil but isn't over-old oiled, just that great balance which I associate with childhood memories of finding perfect fries in just about any chip stop place driving north to cottages in Quebec, at the corner of a rural road leading to lakes, at small villages from Blue Chelsea to Grand-Remous. They all were the same fries, and they were all fantastic. (And all had Brown Sauce - not gravy! - as a side if you wanted; St-Hubert gravy is a reasonable imitation, but no equal, to this wonderful yet heart-stopping addition.)

2009 Oct 11
I'm a sucker for McDonald's french fries paired with one of their soft-serve cones or a Smarties Flurry. I also love Swiss Chalet fries - they remind me of the french fries I used to get in Montreal from like, everywhere. Soft, a bit burnt-tasting, but delicious.

I love McDonald's fries with just salt and sometimes mayo (or when I worked there we'd mix together mac sauce, tartar sauce and ketchup - nom). Swiss Chalet-style fries are awesome with malt vinegar, salt and ketchup, or as a poutine.

2009 Oct 13
Ooooo now this is my kind of topic. :)

I am a french fry lover, but I manage to maintain a relative amount of control over my cravings. My husband now knows that if we're going on a road trip in the country there will be at least one french fry meal. :) Even if it's between meals, we still stop.

So, for me, they need to be hand cut with the skins still on. They need to be around a half centimetre to a full centimetre in width. Ideally, they will be nicely caramelized and crispy on the outside and fluffy to gooey on the inside (depending on the variety of potato used). I like a very light dusting of salt as well as malt vinegar and ketchup on them.

Oh, and I definitely always ask for vinegar and ketchup halfway or at least take extra ketchup packets.

Yes, I have given this a fair bit of thought. ;)

My favourite place in town is S and G on Carling at Maitland, and my second favourite is the place at Bank and Sunnyside. I also have favourite places on highways 17 and 60 as well as along route 309 north of Buckingham. :)

2009 Oct 14
I like roadside fries, but I am not someone who eats them often... I just find them too darn heavy. The fries I eat most often are Oven Ready Fries as "The Man" likes those with a Steak (which are considerably lighter, and easier for me to digest).

When it comes to roadside fries, I can only eat them once in awhile... and so I try to find the best spots (not going to waste my few visits a year on bad fries). I like my fries not soggy somewhat crisp on the outside, freshly made and not greasy, preferably double fried (lightly fried - rested - refried), but that is difficult to find.

Most spots that have Quebecois roots (east of Ottawa in particular) do the half-way thing automatically without even asking... it just is the norm in Quebec. I remember I was at Kennebec's in Alfred with an out-of-town friend and they were puzzled when the cook handed them the fry box only half full... they were just about to complain, when I explained it was so one could conveniently dress the fries. Friend was impressed with the concept.

I like my fries with a mixture of white & malt vinegars if both are available, and salt. Not a ketchup fan. Have seen "seasoned salt" at some spots in Ontario... paprika is also on offer in Montreal. Gravy is ok. Brown Gravy preferred, chicken / turkey is ok, St Hubert Gravy / Dipping Sauce rocks (again something found often in Quebec). Generally though, it's just salt & vinegar.

After I have roadside fries, even a small one... I am about done for the day... can't eat another thing... too bloated... hence why I have them so rarely.

2009 Oct 14
I find value in different french fries, when they are done well. From fast food to homemade, they are the perfect accompanyment for lots of dishes, and I find most styles have their place:

-McD's shoestring fries are light and crisp, salty. I love dipping with ketchup, or BBQ sauce, sweet & sour sauce, mcchicken sauce or just on their own.

-In high school, the caf made great shoe string which were great with gravy, vinegar and ketchup, or occasionally mayo.

-Chiptruck fries: malt or cider vinegar, salt and ketchup. Skin on, for sure.

-Wedge fries, crispy outside with pillow-soft inside, spicy seasoning, with ranch to dip

-Arby's Curly fries, tossed in spicy seasoning, with Arby's sauce. Fun.

-I'm from South Western Ontario & there is a burger chain called Fast Eddies. They have awesome crazy fries (chili cheese fries) but my favourite is the Dill Pickle Chip fries (salty/sour dill seasoning tossed in a paper bag with the fries).

-And of course, Poutine.

I haven't found my favourite fries yet in Ottawa, but I'm watching this thread for ideas!

2009 Oct 14
LOTW - Here is a link to the OF Food Page for French Fries - Fries a good spot to start your research.


2009 Oct 14
I prefer a good crispy fry, not too potato'y on the inside. Absinthe & the Black Cat Bistro have the best example of this type of fry at a restaurant in Ottawa. Next best might be the fries at the Rochester Pub - skin still on, great flavour.

2009 Oct 14
Thanks Food&Think,

I've tried a number of the places on the list, but there's still lots to explore!

2009 Oct 21
Hardly ever indulge in fries but if chip stand style are your favourite my family and I like Glenn's fries (in Kanata at Canadian Tire), Wes' in Arnprior and Jean Burger en route to Wakefield (try the shakes here if you can take them). We like Jean Burger because everything can be ordered small. *note--just realized we never made it there this year--sure hope its still open!

2009 Oct 23
I have to admit that the way I like my fries is an abomination: no skin (I love potato skins, but not on my fries, which I usually but not always find revolting), soft, and greasy. Swiss Chalet fries do it for me every time and I haven't found anywhere else where the fries please me quite as much. *hangs head in abject shame*

For poutine, however, I like my fries a little crispier, to hold together better.

2009 Oct 24
Mike's Fries in Carleton Place mmmm.... Best fries in Ottawa region. Have to wait for next spring though. It's a chip truck!

Check out their facebook page.

"Mike's Fries was established in 1939 and continues to this day. Originally a horse drawn wagon started by Mike sr. Is still a family run business with a 1960 International Truck which was designed by Mike sr."


2009 Oct 25
Still have yet to eat a french fry that can compete with McDonald's.

Costco makes surprisingly good fries, and they're really cheap too. I'd say their poutine is one of the best in Ottawa.

2009 Oct 26
My pet peeve is coated fries. *shudder*
I don't like when they're covered in batter, it changes the flavour completely.

I like mine to be slightly thick, crunchy skins left on, malt vinegar and salt, sometimes ketchup.

2009 Oct 26
for me, my 3 favorite types of fries are:

1) pomme frites made with kennebec potatoes. thomas keller exclusively uses kennebec potatoes and i've tried them and they are perfect, slightly higher natural sugar and delicious. the only place i found them in ottawa is LAGO bar grill @ dow's lake pavillion. kennebec potatoes are difficult to locate and you have order the seed potatoes online and grow yourself. the yield is a fabulous 1:10.

2) yukon gold (home cut) fried in duck fat. do this at home and they are to die for. using ketchup would be a sin.

3) sweet potatoe fries coated with egg white. when cooked, sweet potatoes turn soggy and soft and most establishment overcook and burn them to a crisp. to minimize burning, coat lightly in egg white with a brush and when cooked, forms a transparent crisp with the sweet potato on the inside cooked to perfection without the crunchy burn.

2009 Oct 26
Pej Daddy - I am drooling... man you described each of these with such excellent detail. Yummy.

BakingBombshell - Good point, I don't think anyone else mentioned "coated fries"... kids love em, but I agree they do change the flavour, and well in my mind at least they just aren't french fries any more. "The Man" hates them, he always asks whenever we eat at a new place if they "do anything wierd to their fries"... he always gets a strange look... and then explains he means coated / battered.

2009 Oct 26
more tidbits to consider:

-the quality of fried potato (or any root vegetable) depends on quality and type used, the particular crop, and the oil or oil mixture that it is fried in.

-coating potatoes masks the true potatoes' flavor, typically coatings mask cheap or undesireable crop.

-i believe mcdonalds uses a certain ratio of sunflower oil and cottonseed oil.
-wendy's used to use lard. i think shortening has been removed from shelves and many suppliers due to the trans-fat ban.

-with a quality potato/sweet potato/parsnip/carrot etc..., i use grape seed oil which has a high boiling point and does not transform, lowers bad cholesterol. and does not taste oily. grape seed oil is better for the body than extra virg olive oil. i don't cook with olive oil as it transforms and burns at lower temps.

-duck fat is deadly but the flavor is divine. you can use it a dozen times before it reaches high rancidity.

-i've been experimenting with rice flour tempura batter to coat fries or any vegetable and it is excellent. translucent, small bubbly crispy with the vegetable inside cooked a fresh steamed-like texture. tastes and looks like elite tempura. use this batter for fish (fish 'n chips) and you will impress your diners.


2009 Oct 27
3) sweet potatoe fries coated with egg white. when cooked, sweet potatoes turn soggy and soft and most establishment overcook and burn them to a crisp. to minimize burning, coat lightly in egg white with a brush and when cooked, forms a transparent crisp with the sweet potato on the inside cooked to perfection without the crunchy burn.

I kid you not, the best sweet potatoe fries are the ones I make at home. Slice them thinly and evenly. Spread them out with lots of breathing room on a baking sheet and cook them at around 400F for 20 minutes.

Definitely yummy, and low-fat!

2009 Oct 28
baked sweet potato fries taste great and are low glycemic as well.

2009 Oct 28
sweet potato fries + Walkerswood jerk seasoning sprinkled on top = heaven.

2009 Oct 28
Speaking of duck fat, I was recently in Portland Maine where I went to a restaurant called Duckfat where they cook the fries in, you guessed it, duck fat. THey were great, but I was full after about 4 fries :-) The restaurant also had poutine cooked in the stuff. OMG!

2009 Oct 29
This thread has me seriously craving some fries! Downtown Diner, that restaurant sounds amazing! I think everything is better with Duck Fat ; ) In Ottawa the best fries I've had have been at Absinthe. They are crisp and perfectly seasoned. To put ketchup or anything else on them would have been a sin! As for sweet potato fries, the best ones I've had have been at the Clocktower Pub on Bank. If you're nice to the waitress she'll even give you garlic mayo without charging you the extra fee. I can't wait to try some of your suggestions!

2009 Oct 29
fries are great; however, everything in moderation.

with a serious focus on health and coming from an oncology background, i do keep in mind and would like to say that there are sufficient evidence pointing to high levels of acrylamide, a carcinogen, which is a byproduct of high temperature transformation of starches i.e. baking and frying etc... french fries are reported to yield high levels of acrylamide. look this up yourselves and draw your own conclusions. who would have though that bread, pastries, cakes, fries etc could be silent killers?

we have billions of cells making up our bodies, it only takes one cell to go haywire, undergo carcinogenesis, then metastasize to the rest of the body.
that said again, don't live in fear, but have everything in moderation, not excess.