Hey my lil’ nuggets… so I have an addiction. I need to be honest with myself and with all of you. I’m addicted to the garlic fries at the Ivy Tavern. Oh…you already knew? Wait… this is my intervention? AWKWAAAARD! Anywho, I went to the Ivy again last night because WHY THE HELL NOT. This time, not only did my dinner partner and I get the coveted garlic fries… we got all the fries on the menu! That’s right, garlic fries, sweet potato fries with a chipotle aioli, and chili cheese fries! This post is just a little one to hold you over until my next adventure, so it won’t be huge. Plus, if you have read any of my other posts, you are probably sick of hearing about my obsession with this restaurants food. So without further adieu, here are my opinions on the fries!

The Ivy Tavern – Providence, RI

Sweet Potato Fries – $6.95

• Aroma – 6
• Texture – 7
• Flavor –8
• Freshness – 6
• Value – 7
• Wow-Factor – FUCK IT UP (me when I saw the fries)

Okay, so I love sweet potato fries but for some reason I just never order them. These ones, as to be expected, we delicious! I am lowkey lying about aroma because honestly all I could smell were the garlic fries. OH WEEEELLLLL. These sweet little orange beauties were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, a difficult feat when it comes to sweet potatoes. The aioli was BANGING. I will eat it on anything. TRY ME, PUNK. Over all… a delicious way to eat America’s favorite sweet little root vegetable.

Chili Cheese Fries – $6.95 for the small

Honestly, I will just talk about these and not rate them. Quite frankly, they were slightly underwhelming and I am also getting sick of typing. The actual fry part was good because clearly this restaurant has that down pat. The cheese was good too… lots of shredded cheddar… a lactose intolerant kid’s DREAM. The chili is really what threw me. As my dinner partner said, “why was there so much tomato?” And here’s the thing. I love tomatoes. Last summer I went through a weird phase where I ate tomatoes almost every meal. But there is a point where its too much, and this is exactly where that point was reached… and surpassed. It was just kind of blah. Honestly, I’m done writing about these. Over and out.

*to read about the garlic fries, head back to my first post ever. I literally wrote a fucking book on how much I love them. Also… if you go, get them with ranch dressing. Its a true game changer.

*Thanks Tyler, for the fries! Truly the ideal meal.

Hello my spud-nuggets! On this episode of Flies for Fries, I let some friends join in on the fun! This past week, I got to enjoy a 9 day long break from work, as did the rest of the ladies I work with! We all split up and went on our merry way to enjoy our vacations. I went on a two day trip to Philadelphia and Princeton, Lori and Mel went to San Francisco, and Mae went to England and Amsterdam! Now, I realize that I am one gal and can’t travel EVERYWHERE, so I let my friends join in on the french fried fun! Luckily they are amazing and so supportive of my crazy antics, so they had no problem joining in and eating some fries for me. We are pretty like-minded when it comes to food. They all have amazing taste. Keep in mind, since we are all different people, our tastes do differ slightly, but their potato opinions are just as valid as my own. Without further adieu… the first ever worldwide “FRYVENTURE!”

Shoo Fry – Philadelphia, PA

Cheesesteak Fries – $8

• Aroma – 9.5
• Texture – 8
• Flavor –8
• Freshness – 9.5
• Value – 7
• Wow-Factor – SWEET JESUS, MARY, and MR. POTATO HEAD!!!

Okay, lets get one thing straight…you CANNOT go to Philly and not get a Philly Cheesesteak. I think its actually a felony. Sadly, I eat gluten-free. So imagine my excitement when I walked into the first french fry restaurant that came onto my GPS and they had fucking cheesesteak fries. Dreams really do come true, kids. Just keep on believing.

First of all, the service here was amazing. Every single employee was engaging, funny, and so very kind. I asked them about 3 million questions while I mulled over their menu which also included poutine, fries with pulled pork, and a little surprise called the “Truffle-Feathers.” Maxx and I also tried these beauties which had truffle oil, salt and two fried eggs. The menu also has a few options for sliders and milkshakes, but any restaurant that puts fries above the burgers on the menu gets an A+ in my book.

So lets get back to these cheesesteak spuds. They smelled INSANELY good. You could smell the onion, the beef and that beautiful processed american cheese. YUM! Go big or go home, ya know? The savory, peppery scent wafted into my nose and I was instantly salivating. After taking exactly 54 photos of my french fries, I ate one. I just went balls to the wall and dove right in. These puppers were CRISPY! However, they still maintained a beautiful fluffy center. Also… They were fresh to DEATH! They were those fries that you envision in your mind when you are making homemade fries. You know those ones… the ones that never turn out the way you see them in your head. BUT THESE DID. They hand-cut these babies every single damn day. WOW. They had a beautiful earthy, starchy, salty flavor that was the perfect vehicle for any topping. And I mean ANY TOPPING! They even had s’mores fries on the menu. I slightly dock the points at the value. While I did receive a large amount of amazing food, I know how cheap the ingredients are and not a ton of work goes into their prep, so I would have paid $6.50-$7 for these guys. $8 was pushing it for me, but I get it. I too am in the industry and you need to make money where you can. Overall… SWEET JESUS, MARY, and MR. POTATO HEAD, these fries were GOOD!

* okay, so you know the art work in butchers shops of the pig all dissected that says what parts of the pig go to what food…well Shoo Fry had one of Mr. Potato Head. THIS IS MY EXACT AESTHETIC. I want one in every single room of my home. BEHOLD THE BEAUTY

And now a mini excerpt from my good friend and travel buddy, Maxx!

Shoo Fry – Philadelphia, PA

Truffle Feathers – $7

• Aroma – 9
• Texture – 10
• Flavor – 9
• Freshness – 10
• Value – 9
• Wow – Factor – EGG-Squisite (Maxx loves Puns)

“This right here has to be the best way to eat two fried eggs. Everyone knows that fries are the star of the show, but there is no denying the perfect marriage of eggs, truffles, and fried potatoes. Though it is very simple, it was done very very right, with a runny yolk and using truffle salt, so there is not enough truffle oil to that it becomes overpowering. At seven bucks, I doubt you’d easily find a match for this amount of flavor and food.”

The next few stops in Philly and Princeton were great, however all pretty average. Instead of doing a full rating and making this post even longer than it already is, I will just do a quick write-up on each of them

First off was the chips at Fado in the financial district of Philly! This Irish pub had everything from Guinness to a bartender from Dublin… accent and everything! He recommended the chips to me, which I of course was going to order no matter what. They were good! They had a nice crunch to them and they were also cut in-house! Freshness points! They came with a house-made whiskey aioli. Delish! Well worth the $4! I highly recommend them…. and get a Moscow Mule while you’re at it! The bartender had a perfect pour.

Right after that, we went to our third spud stop of the day, Monk’s Cafe! I was extremely excited to go here because upon earlier inspection of their menu before we even got to Philly, I noticed they had Mussels and Frites! My all time fucking favorite combination. I was stuffed from all the other fries I ate that day, but that wasn’t going to stop me! I never back down from a challenge… even if I was the only one challenging myself! Mind you, these puppies were expensive because they came with seafood, but $16 is well worth the amount of food that you see pictured below! There are five different flavors, I ordered the classic Monks Mussels which came with garlic and parsley. They were also supposed to have beer in the broth, however, I am allergic to gluten, so the kitchen staff kindly subbed in some white wine! The combo of the aioli, garlicky mussels, and the crunchy and VERY FRESH taters was AHHHHMAZING! 10/10 would recommend. Seriously… go get some. NOW! Oh, and drink a beer for me please.

     On our way back from Philly, we were going to stop in NYC to get some Pommes Frites (check earlier blog post) and some cookies from Schmackarys (my favorite cookies in the entire world). Instead, we made an impromptu visit with our friend Caila in Princeton, New Jersey! She took us to a very hipster brewery called Triumph! I of course ordered a side of fries. They were just frozen fries that seemed to be double fried, but they were still delicious! They came with a side of garlic aioli which I finished before I was even halfway done with the fries themselves. That stuff was liquid gold! Check it out if you are ever in Princeton!

     That was is for my travels that week! Mel and Lori were on their own adventure to find donuts and wine in California, so they didn’t find any noteworthy fries this round….BUT Mae got some awesome fries in England! Here is here input!

Chop & Chip Co. – London , England (Located at a stall in the Camden Market)

Sweet Potato Chips with Halloumi

• Aroma – 6
• Texture – 5.5
• Flavor – 7
• Freshness – 6
• Value – 7
• Wow-Factor – DAYUM YOU FIIINE

“When Hanna asked me to find some worthy fries on my travels, I considered it a labor of love. In this case, we will call them chips, because my first fry forage lead me to my favorite place for street food, Camden Market, London. I stumbled upon Chop & Chip Co., a new vendor to Camden, serving up “chop,” lamb and pork as well as an array of pulled meats. For the chips; straight cut, sweet potato, and curly. The seasonings made me laugh with names like “big girl’s blouse,” to “the screamer.” I opted for “bit of a kick,” for my sweet potato chips, and added some delicious grilled halloumi on top. The chips, being sweet potato, had a soft texture and great fresh flavor. I really loved the salty halloumi and the spice really did add some kick, but not overwhelmingly so. As far as street food chips, these really hit the spot!”

*for those who do not know, halloumi is a delicious cheese with a high melting point so it can be grilled or fried without becoming a giant, goopy mess.

Thanks everyone for reading this outrageously long post! I am excited to continue these world-wide travels and share my fry findings with you! Believe it or not, I put a lot of research and care into this, and love sharing it with you all! Until next time…Stay salty, folks!

• Thank you to Maxx, Mae, Lori and Mel for always being down to eat fries for me, no matter where you are in the world!

 

Hello there my french fry friends! This weeks post is going to be a flash fry (short and sweet that is!). I am travelling to Philadelphia tomorrow to do some more adeventuring and searching for the best fries. I also have some friends travelling in England and San Francisco this week that are going to report back to me with their own findings. That being said, my next post is about to be a MONSTER. That means this week is a quick one! This will be the first post in a some mini postings about… you guessed it, FAST FOOD FRIES! Everyone has their favorite, and I am here to put them to the test! First up…

Five Guys Burgers and Fries – Nationwide (but I went to one in Seekonk, Mass.)

Regular Cajun Fries – $3.59

• Aroma – 9
• Texture – 5 (guys)
• Flavor – 7
• Freshness – 9.5
• Value – 9
• Wow-Factor – YAS QUEEN

ALRIGHT! So I chose Five Guys as the first fast food entry because it is one of my favorites. I guess it feels classier than most fast food joints. Its basically like the ranking of department stores. We all know that sears is the WORST. Macy’s and Nordstrom are clearly the best. And JC Penny is somewhere in between. Well Five Guys is my “Macys.” They are just a cut above the rest.

First things first! These fries smell amazing! I have gone to Five Guys over a dozen times in my lifetime and this was my first time getting the cajun fries. Honestly, I didn’t know they existed. I always just stick to the same thing and get a little fry with no seasoning. This cajun seasoning REALLY shook things up for me. In actuality they probably just use old bay or some equivalent spice blend (can someone check this out for me?) but it was so good! The spices aromas came to life when tossed with the hot, oily little nuggets. The texture wasn’t that great. They sort of remind me of those fries you get at the state fair. They are kind of flacid? A little limp if you will. But I knew that going into it and I got a few good crunchy ones this time so that was pretty damn exciting! I guess next time I could just ask for them to cook them extra crispy! The flavor was top notch! They had the kick I was hoping for. I am crazy about spicy food and for the most part, I usually think that things aren’t spicy because I have had such hot foods! So for me to say that these had a tiny kick for me, well that is a HUGE compliment. As far as freshness goes, I already know that Five Guys cuts their own fries. They even have the huge bags of potatoes out front, so you know its not a hoax! They are about as fresh as they can get! I am ALWAYS astounded at the value of these things. for less than $4 you get an obscene amount of spuds. Not only was the cup full, but so was 1/2 the paper bag they came in. I even had to take leftovers to the car! I only say to the car and not home, because I started eating the rest about 5 minutes after leaving the restaurant. I want to say a big “YAS QUEEN!” to these happy, little, golden ground veggies. They were DELICIOUS!

I am so excited to share my next post with you in the coming weeks! It will have entries from England, Philadelphia, and San Francisco! These fries are flyin’!!! Stay salty, folks!