French Fry Diary 747: Borgata Breakfast Potatoes

Here's the first thing you need to know about the Borgata and room service. There are two hotels here in Atlantic City that most folks think are all the Borgata, and they are not the same. The Borgata is not the Water Club, and the Water Club is not the Borgata. Water Club has great breakfast potatoes, and the Borgata has crap. C-R-A-P. Crap.

This review is about the breakfast potatoes we got via room service at the Borgata, and the only reason we ordered them was because how fantastic they were at Water Club, but again, not the same place. We ordered bacon and potatoes, and what we got was two pieces of rawhide, crunchy dog chew toys, that they called 'bacon,' and this square thing they called potatoes.

This brownie-sized monstrosity was a big old square of shredded potatoes, nothing at all like what we got at Water Club. It was well done on the bottom, and on the top, but tasted rather processed and wet in between. Buttery, noodley, more like kugel than breakfast potatoes, and sadly disappointing. What a terrible breakfast. We went to McDonald's later if that tells you anything.

French Fry Diary 746: Charlie's Family Restaurant

Once settling into Lakeland FL, I of course started scoping out places with good fries.  One place that had been mentioned was Charlie's Family Restaurant on Lakeland Hills Blvd.  My first attempt to try them was foiled by their hours - they close at two PM on weekdays.  They are open later on Fridays however for their famous all-you-can eat fish fry. 

Charlie's is a small place but with a remarkable amount of tables.  Needless to say, they were quite busy the Thursday I came by.  I loved the friendly atmosphere and how everyone seemed to know everyone.  I had had a late breakfast so I got right down to business and just ordered the fries. 

The fries were pretty standard regular cuts, frozen the deep fried, but they tasted great and came in a rather large portion, just $2.25.  They were as perfect as this type of fry could be - the right combination of hot and crisp, and not at all greasy.  This was a great call.  I can't wait to come back for a proper meal.  Recommended. 

I returned with The Bride a couple weeks later for breakfast on a Saturday. The place was packed, but the friendly atmosphere was intact. She got an omelet and the hash browns, which were perfectly browned shredded potatoes. I got home fries, which one might think are the same thing, but not at all. These were various-sized chunks of potato (skin-on baked potatoes chopped up), very spicy and very good with onions mixed in. Good and homemade.

Both visits were like taking a step back to the seventies and that's a good thing. Charlie's Restaurant is recommended.

Random Tater Pic of the Day #279

Cabanas breakfast on day three of our June 2017 Disney Cruise. On this morning, shredded and carmelized onions were added to the mix, tasty.

French Fry Diary 732: Jerry Mother's Day Breakfast

My good friend Jerry Whitworth, who's also one of my partners on the Nerdfect Strangers podcast, yesterday for Mother's Day made his mom breakfast. Now he's contributed to French Fry Diary before, but his step-by-step making of Mother's Day breakfast yesterday via Facebook was something else.

Here's some pics, and Jerry's own words, along with great advice for Mother's Day:

"Making breakfast for mom. Hand shredded potatoes for homemade hashbrowns."

"Was just telling mom it was easier using fresh potatoes for hashbrowns than bag potatoes or reconstituted ones. I could flip the fresh hashbrowns with a spatula without breaking while the other way I need to slide it onto a plate to flip it." 

 

"Mom's watching a show where they asked what was the most important thing your mother taught you. For me, it was to always remain a kid at heart."

Thanks, Jerry, and a belated Mother's Day to everyone out there!

French Fry Diary 718: Waffle House

On our most recent trip to Florida house hunting we had to stop for breakfast, and rather than something easy and predictable like McDonald's or Chick-fil-a, we opted for somewhere we'd (or I'd) never been before, and a staple of our new chosen place to live - Waffle House.

My expectation was something franchise-y in line with maybe Denny's or IHoP, but that's not what Waffle House is like at all. It was really more diner-ish than anything else, and filled to the brim with southern charm and hospitality. I loved it.

The menu showed an interesting take on hashbrowns (how they spelled 'em on the menu), disc-shaped, almost as if by cookie cutter or burger maker, but that's not what we got however, and honestly, while I was intrigued by the menu pics, I was not disappointed in what was served.

These were shredded potatoes, well cooked, but still moist and soft within. I got them plain, while The Bride got them with melted cheese. I have to admit they did need something, I at least salted mine. It's a good thing they have a variety of hashbrowns toppings like sautéed onions, chunked ham, diced tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, mushrooms, chili, and gravy. Or in the vernacular - smothered, covered, chunked, diced, peppered, capped, topped, or country.

I also got ham, but before I could order, I had to ask - what is the difference between city ham and country ham? Our waitress Stacy, full of wonderful truck stop charm, broke it down for us. City ham is sweet and country ham is salty. I got the city ham, which was awesome, and washed it all down with some Mister Pibb, mmmm…

The Bride also got a waffle, because really, you can't go to Waffle House and not get a waffle. And I loved ordering with Stacy, it was a great negotiation as what could work as a special or a meal deal. "Just tell me what you want, hone, we'll make it work." I loved it. We will definitely be going back to Waffle House.

French Fry Diary 674: Hungry Jack Hashbrowns

I saw these on a recent trip to the grocery store, and just had to pick them up, if for no other reason than to write about them. Packaged in a small paper milk carton, these Hungry Jack Original Hashbrown Potatoes, Diner Style, promised to be ready in minutes if you just add water.

These gluten free hash browns have the appearance of shredded potatoes, but when you shake the carton, it sounds like hard rice or like you're about to throw Yahtzee. A cross between shreds and long hard rice is kinda what it looks like as well. The directions instruct to fill the carton with hot water, let sit, then pour into a frying pan and cook. Sounds like magic to me.

I have to say it appears the magic worked. I wouldn't have believed it, but it did. I never would have guessed these were made from dried potatoes if I didn't know better. These were as good if not better than the shredded breakfast potatoes one could get at a diner.

You can season as you please once the potatoes are in the frying pan, and add onions, cheese, peppers, or bacon if you want, they will be awesome. Thumbs up.

French Fry Diary 589: T.G.I. Friday's Loaded Fries

Now I love T.G.I. Fridays, so I know their menu fairly well, even though I don't get to go as often as I might like. And knowing their menu, I know that they don't really serve this item, T.G.I. Friday's Loaded Fries, in the restaurants. While they have a variety of French fry-like products, I don't think they even have crinkle cut French fries like these. Potato skins, yes, French fries, no. We'll forego that bit for now and review this frozen grocery treat as is.

These are very similar to the microwave fries I've reviewed before, the Ore-Ida Easy Fries. Same directions - cook 'em in the box, but then add the cheese and bacon. Other than having to melt the cheddar sauce in running warm water, this is a pretty easy prep.

The box comes with the same type of microwave box, and two packets, one with cheddar cheese sauce, and the other with shredded cheddar and American cheese, and bacon bits. There's a four minute plus fries cooking time then an additional minute with the toppings. The problem is you get a soggy box pan with the fries glued to the bottom with cheese.

Once you've pried the fries from the cheesy glue box, they're not bad. They don't have the crispness of the Ore-Ida Easy Fries, no matter how else they are close to them. I wonder if the size of the box (slightly bigger) or the additional cook time for the toppings has anything to do with that. These are not bad in a pinch, but I think it might be easier to do Easy Fries and apply your own toppings when they are hot from the microwave.

French Fry Diary 547: Time to Eat Diner, Bridgewater NJ

This fairly famous diner was chosen as the last day breakfast site for the NJ DIS Weekend Meet. Time to Eat is a landmark in the North Jersey area, and it's a very Greek diner as everyone working there I encountered had thick accents. It was packed as per usual for a Sunday morning as most such diners are. I don't think either the DIS folks or the diner folks had any idea how many of us there would be. We arrived late, so the seating was dicey.

I got my diner usuals for breakfast, home fries and bacon. The home fries were shredded potatoes that seriously needed to be cooked a little bit more. I should have done what the bro-in-law sometimes does and ask them to just deep-fry them for extra-crispness. There were random onions, peppers, and maybe scallions mixed in, but far too few to be on purpose, maybe they just slipped in through sloppy cooking. These home fries also got cold very quickly, or maybe they were just cold to begin with.

This was a big order by the way. Again, there is something to be said about portion size at most diners. A side order is only a small order if it's actually a side to a meal, but a side order without an entrée will be huge. They will not skimp on the potatoes, and you will get a full-sized plateful of them. Don't try to test this with bacon however, you will be sorely disappointed.

While the food was not great, diners are about getting together with friends, not food for the most part. Or maybe that's just me waxing philosophical and making an excuse for the really crappy food. It is always nice to meet new folks, and make new friends. The company and the conversation were pretty good, most of it about, you guessed it, Disney.

French Fry Diary 492: Perkins Restaurant & Bakery

Flashing back to a few months ago when my friend Ken came into town for a few days, here is yet another Ken entry. As I've mentioned before, not many of my friends are non-health-conscious enough to go on FFD excursions with me, so these trips are usually rare or done solo. Ken, while on vacation, is unofficially also off diet, but don't tell his wife that, wink wink.

We had one lazy day where we both slept in and then worked for most of the afternoon, he telecommuting and me writing at my desk. Around three Ken decided he wanted breakfast. Breakfast at three in the afternoon. If that's not a screaming definition of 'on vacation,' I don't know what is. We went off in search of breakfast.

I had an errand to run up in the Moorestown area so we were in the neighborhood and decided on Perkins. Perkins Restaurant & Bakery is IHoP's biggest competitor in the we-do-mostly-breakfast-but-we-really-want-to-be-Fridays-or-Applebees business, and I had never been there before, so it seemed like a worthwhile place to go. I knew they had to have potato products of some kind.

We were served very quickly, mostly because it didn't really appear to be anyone else in the restaurant. It should be noted that the service was also very courteous and friendly, as well as very welcome and refreshing compared to how Ken and I had been treated earlier in his trip.

Everything on the menu looks good, everything. It looks delicious, water watering, and stomach growlingly tasty. But it's like a rearview mirror, some things look a bit different than they really are. The onion rings for instance, are very different from the only onion ring-like item on the menu. What I wanted was the crunchy little Onion Tanglers they put on their burgers. What I got was big old greasy beer battered onion rings, I was not happy.

I did not try the fries, which were regular natural cuts. They also had standard shredded hash browns, but I opted for the breakfast potatoes instead, another decision based on the pictures in the menu. They looked glistening and hot, but what I got was big chunks of potato with a very crunchy outer skin, almost like batter fries. They came in a large portion, most of which I took home. For the record they also have standard shredded hash browns as a breakfast option.

Lesson learned, know the menu, and know the difference between the picture in the menu and what really comes to the table. Also, either bring a big appetite, or a big doggy bag, because the portions are huge. We'll be back again, maybe this time more prepared.

Random Tater Pic of the Day #80

Here are the hash browns I had at the International House of Pancakes (it does sound more official and important when you spell it out), IHoP for the less sophisticated, on Christmas morning with my family. As opposed to previous trips, they were pretty good this time. The family too. ;-)

Random Tater Pic of the Day #73

For the last three years, this is the fourth in a row, I have been attempting to make a special Hanukkah dinner for The Bride during the holiday season, usually on one of the traditional eight nights. Previously, on the latke front at least, I have only succeeded in making mush and/or crusty nightmares.

Last night, I made these. Not the best, they could have been browned a bit more and crispier, but at least these were edible. The Bride said they weren't bad. Next year, I will try for perfect.

French Fry Diary 425: Wildfire BBQ Co. Breakfast

On our previous two visits to the Wildfire BBQ Co. in Stratford NJ, one of which I've written about here, we had heard lots of good things about their breakfast, both from folks who worked there, and were eating there. So the next time friends came in to visit, we went to breakfast.

We were really the only folks there the Saturday morning we visited, a party ahead of us were picking up. There was quite a wait, and in their favor, there was only a waitress and a cook in attendance. The Bride and our two friends were impatient and not happy with their meal if I'm being honest, but it should be noted in the defense of the folks at Wildfire, everyone at the table cleaned their plates completely. Of the four of us, and yes, I'm in the minority, I liked it. It wasn't perfect, far from it, but I liked it. Any problems with the food could have been remedied by just asking for the food differently (i.e. more well done, less well done, over easy, etc.).

I went simple. Hash browns and bacon. The hash browns were standard shredded potatoes, possibly from the freezer, but also possibly fresh - I didn't ask. They could have been a bit crisper, but then again, I could have ordered them that way. Same thing with the overdone bacon. It wasn't burnt, just cooked more than I usually would have liked. The potatoes also could have used some more seasoning - but there again, I could add that at the table. I enjoyed my meal. The rest of my party expressed disappointment. I would go back, I will go back. I liked it, and recommend the Wildfire breakfast. Check it out.

Postscript: Since writing this blog entry a couple months ago, the Wildfire BBQ Co. has sadly closed. The rumor is that they will still be doing catering. You can check out the website here.

Random Tater Pic of the Day #61

This one comes from my good friend Andrea via FourSquare, hash browns from Waffle House, that she described as "Diced and covered and awesomely tasty."

French Fry Diary 392: Sunshine Seasons, The Land, EPCOT

The Bride gets very overzealous when it comes to Disney World. She got it in her head that we had to be at Epcot at god awful o'clock in the morning. Extra magic hours, she called it. It just meant they were open earlier for resort guests. So we rushed out, no time for breakfast, mind you, although I had been Jones-ing for that trademark Disney breakfast potatoes and bacon, and we got to EPCOT when they opened.

After doing Test Track several times (the family, not me, I have a heart condition, remember?) we were all pretty hungry, but we started to realize there wasn't any place to eat for breakfast. After consulting various apps on our iPhones and asking real human Cast Members, we were directed to the food court at the Land. The Land, on my first visit to WDW, and on my honeymoon, had terrific fries but they have since changed them. Same thing with the mac and cheese The Bride used to love. No matter, we were there for breakfast, not lunch or dinner.

The Disney Dining Plan is a wonderful thing. When you are going out to restaurants where you sit down, it rocks. It is highly recommended, especially for those experiences, I love it. However, when trying to decipher the mysteries of what constitutes a snack, or a counter service, and what you are entitled to on each… I swear you need a slide rule. What I eventually got from the Plan for breakfast I don't actually know, but I do know I walked back to my table carrying a tray with bacon and breakfast potatoes.

I was a tad disappointed in the bacon, and the bro-in-law really hated it, but since I had been waiting for bacon for nearly four hours, it was good enough for me. I received a good-sized cholesterol-threatening lump of bacon on a tiny paper plate. No real strips of the wonder food, but more like shredded pieces of it in a big mound.

The favorite fried food came in the form of diced red potatoes with just a bit of onion and pepper, served on the same sized plate as the bacon. They were soft and delicious with golden seasoning. The serving I received was quite small compared to the giant helping of shredded bacon I got, but it was still quite good. Looking at other folks' plates who got the full breakfast, I felt better as I still got much more bacon and potatoes than they did.

Still, all things considered, the family had a good breakfast, and we were all re-energized to go take on Soarin' and the rest of EPCOT.

French Fry Diary 319: Trader Joe's Shredded Hash Browns Two Ways

The last time I reviewed Trader Joe's Shredded Hash Browns I theorized that they could also be damned good matchstick fries (pretty much self-explanatory, or if you insist, very very thin shoestrings), if deep fried or baked. Well, on my most recent trip to TJ's, I picked some up, and had the opportunity to give it a try.

For deep frying, it's got to be quick, and you've got to keep your eyes on them. They are so thin, they cook fast. Get the oil hot, drop the taters, and as soon as they all float, get 'em outta there - they're done. Now I was surprised at how they shrank but don't worry.

They're not fries in the traditional sense or even how I imagined they would be, but they are damned good potato sticks, just like French's or Herr's, only without the salt (albeit with more oil). They are tasty, very crispy, and worth giving this cooking method a try.

I also tried to bake Trader Joe's Shredded Hash Browns. The first attempt was on a greased pan in the oven for ten minutes at 425 degrees - all completely arbitrary guess work. All it did was thaw them. No browning, but they smelled good. I gave them another ten minutes, watching them carefully, because I wasn't really looking to make another batch of potato sticks.

Twenty minutes seemed just enough time. These were mini-fries, what are called in the industry matchstick fries, and more in the line of what I was expecting. Whereas the deep fried version was strictly a finger food, these could be eaten with a fork.

All in all this was a good experiment in cooking potatoes two ways they weren't strictly meant to be. If you try it at home, I hope you enjoy!

French Fry Diary 317: IHoP Breakfast

As I said the other day, Christmas breakfast was set for the International House of Pancakes, and we met the family there. I would rather have had a home cooked ham breakfast but everyone has gotten old and it's a hassle… so IHOP, being open on Christmas Day, has become the default meeting place for chat and gift exchange.

I spent a lot of the time talking with my big brother Warren because it's his birthday, and I kinda feel sorry for him cuz he's so old. That's not true. I mean, he is old, but I look up to him, he's a good guy, and he gave me a kidney as well. We talked about publishing, blogging, and how he thinks I never mention him on French Fry Diary. Hey, I talk about him on other blogs, but I guess he doesn't read those. ;-)

Now after last night's dinner, I was both a little full and also a bit sick to my stomach. So I wasn't very hungry and didn't order much, just hash browns (of course), and an English muffin. IHOP was hopping (pun unintended) being the only place open, and the service was pretty quick, but my food arrived last. Only my English muffin was hot. The hash browns not so much.

The hash browns were almost cold and they were a little burned, close to how they were last night when I made them for The Bride, burnwise, that is. They were of the shredded variety, and some were raw and greasy too. I only had a couple forkfuls and left the rest. That's how bad they were. These kind of hash browns are not my favorite, but as evidenced the other night, and at places like the Pop Shop, they can be quite good.

Still, the company was excellent, always good to hang out with the family. I really don't see them enough, especially my big brother, but then again, that's what Christmas is for after all - family. Happy belated birthday, Warren, hope you don't mind the ribbing. Still love ya, and you're still not getting your kidney back.

French Fry Diary 316: Trader Joe's Shredded Hash Browns

This year The Bride and I decided to do something different on Christmas Eve. Not just running around last minute shopping and gift wrapping, that is. As our meals for Christmas Day had been all planned out already, and our traditional Christmas morning breakfast had been traded out for IHOP, we decided we'd have the regular Christmas morning breakfast for dinner Christmas Eve night.

So along with the traditional ham, there was also -who would have thought it- breakfast potatoes. Not wanting to do a lot of work, I got frozen, and wanting to make The Bride happy, I got shredded as it's her favorite kind. I myself prefer diced, or especially sliced, but I kinda like her and all, ya know?

In this case I got Trader Joe's Shredded Hash Browns. I cut the bag open at the side, but should have looked closer. They have a handy zip lock opening for resealing and later use. Great innovation. Now why doesn't Trader Joe's have those for their notoriously unopenable potato chips?

I have to give Trader Joe's props on these potatoes. They were individual shreddings, almost matchstick fries. Usually this kind of breakfast potatoes when come in chunks that have to be broken up, but not these. I'm tempted to try to deep fry them or bake them as matchstick fries next time.

They fried up rather quickly. I recommend frying a few slices of bacon in the pan first to give the potatoes that flavor, but using cooking oil works too. Flipping and patting the potatoes a few times is all that's needed for perfect breakfast potatoes. I did burn the second batch a little but that's okay, The Bride likes them like that. It was a good meal, and a good Christmas Eve.

French Fry Diary 155: The Pop Shop, Breakfast

I have talked about the Pop Shop before and how it's one of my favorite restaurants in the area. Of course, until very recently I was not a big fan of their breakfast, preferring instead their lunch and dinner fare, which feature those fantastic Pop Fries of theirs.

One very decadent but highly addictive new menu item has brought me around to their breakfast offerings - the Cinnamon Bun French Toast. Oh yeah, baby, just imagine it. Trust me, it the best thing you will ever taste for breakfast that doesn't include the favorite fried food. This is a breakfast item to die for. I can't recommend this enough. It's a masterpiece.

Now of course, while you're at the Pop Shop for breakfast, you might as well have some of their home fries as well. These shredded potatoes are lightly fried with salt and pepper and sometimes in need of a bit more seasoning, but keep in mind they can be cooked to order and you can season them yourself. I always like my shreddeds a bit well done and they will do it if you ask. They go great with bacon, and bacon at the Pop Shop is always perfect.

The bacon, the home fries, and the Cinnamon Bun French Toast are a killer combination and always a terrific breakfast. Check it out.

Potato Latkes for Channukah

I'm a lapsed Episcopalian married into a Jewish family. I know my share of the Jewish religion, have attended services on numerous occasions and was even married by a Rabbi. I'm not converting, but I know my way around the Torah. Imagine my shock when I learned after nearly two decades of exposure that there was a holiday that heavily involved the potato! I might have married earlier had I known.

For the first night of Channukah, here’s a recipe for potato latkes (also known as the thinly disguised hash brown) from All Recipes:

Potato Latkes

"A classic potato latke, you can't go wrong with these crispy hot cakes. Serve with applesauce, sour cream and chopped green onions! Happy Hanukkah!"

Original Recipe Yield 10 to 12 latkes

Ingredients

2 cups peeled and shredded potatoes
1 tablespoon grated onion
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup peanut oil for frying

Directions

1. Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.
2. In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour and salt together.
3. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot!

French Fry Diary 43: Deep Fried Breakfast Potatoes

One thing I have noticed of late at diners is a trend toward deep frying breakfast potatoes. If you ask for them well done or extra crispy – the first question from the waitress will be "Would you like them deep-fried?" or "Should we drop them in the deep fryer?" To me, for the most part, it seems a bit extreme.

Of course it also depends on what you mean by breakfast potatoes. Are you talking home fries or hash browns and what form do they take? Shredded deep-fried is a bad idea – I mean, really, just burn some potato sticks if that’s the kind of crunch-fest you’re looking for. A hash brown, similar to the McDonald’s standard, could go in the fryer briefly, but not much longer in my opinion.

Now breakfast potatoes in the diced style or sliced style, that would probably work. Myself at home, I’ve done this with both the frozen varieties of these as well as the fresh cuts, and these come out quite tasty. Again, it’s a matter of how long you leave them in the hot oil.

I’ve never had them done this way at a diner or similar restaurant, but I guess it’s worth a try. We’ll see.