Random Tater Pic of the Day #81

These disco fries came from a recent meal at the Medport Diner with friends Brian and Taryn.

French Fry Diary 440: Houlihan's

The original plan was for my buddy Ray and I to go to the new pub attached to Aloft up in Mount Laurel, called Miller's N.J. Ale House. Once we arrived and saw the ridiculous amount of people outside the restaurant carrying those fancy table-waiting beepers, we decided to look elsewhere. I drove around and around, almost driving Ray to madness (no restaurants there, unfortunately), until finally we settled on Houlihan's in Cherry Hill, in the Wegman's shopping center where the Garden State Racetrack used to be.

I really didn't know what to expect. The first and last time I had ever been to Houlihan's, was when it was at the Cherry Hill Mall, on a very bad double date from well over two decades previous. I'm going to guess that things had changed. If nothing else, Ray was a better dining companion.

This new Houlihan's was a bit of a maze once inside, and it was very dark. Restaurants that are dark always make me nervous. Is there something they don't want me to see, or worse than that, see clearly? I shouldn't have worried. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the menu however. It was as big as a Sears catalog. Seriously, sixteen pages. It not only could stop a frigging bullet, but it also would've made Chef Gordon Ramsey crazy, as he is always an advocate of a short, concise one page menu.

However on one of those sixteen pages was a wonder in itself - a frites bar - six different types of fries. Oh boy, says the fry guy. They had Disco Fries, more or less a Jersey specialty, but these sounded more like Canadian poutine. Also Parmesan Frites, Truckstop Fries, Pickle Fries (made from pickles, ick), American Fries, and Sweet Potato Fries, topped with cinnamon sugar. Hmmm… cinnamon sugar. I'll have to try that next time I make sweet potato fries at home.

The waitress was very nice, and said everything was made from scratch. So after I ordered my usual, the burger and fries, I asked for onion rings, not on the menu. I know, I was being a pain in the butt by doing that, but I was in the mood for onion rings. She said they didn't do onion rings, but offered up onion straws. That was cool, but… Is it just me, but if you make everything from scratch, why would onion rings be a problem?

After a relatively short wait (although it was kinda long considering how few people were in the restaurant, but they do make everything from scratch, so…), our food arrived. The burger was fairly good, and served on an egg washed challah soft roll, which made for an interesting contrast to your average burger.

The French fries were natural cut shoestrings, deep fried but not too greasy. The problem with them was the same thing I contended with at The TapRoom & Grill - pickle juice fries. There were two big pickles on the plate next to the fries. Just not my thing. The onion strings were really just very thin deep fried onion rings and strings for the most part. Tasty.

After a two decade hiatus, I would definitely come back to Houlihan's, if only to try the rest of their frites bar, but seriously, all kidding aside, it was a good dining experience.

Paula Deen's Disco Fries

Today's edition of Food Network Fridays comes from Paula Deen - Disco Fries!

A delicacy up in the New York City/North Jersey area diners, this recipe comes from the Food Network's southern queen. These even come with the signature cheddar cheese and gravy. Paula even put them in paper cones for the picture!

Check it out here.

French Fry Diary 25: Milkshakes and Fries

My friends know this about me and most of them are used to it, but some are still a little grossed out, but for at least a couple decades before the idea of French Fry Diary ever popped into my head – I have been dipping French fries in milkshakes.

It began at McDonald’s where both the fries and the shakes are remarkable. But I suppose it goes back before that to dipping Oreos or chocolate chip cookies in milk, or dipping potato chips or pretzels into ice cream. It’s just a natural progression. The best combination would be the old Burger King fries with the BK black and white shake, but alas, the new BK fries just aren’t the same. Black and white shakes work best in my opinion, then chocolate, vanilla not so much, and strawberry not at all.

Speaking of the BK black and white shake, one of my favorite things, and folks will find this disgusting, is to dip my burger in the shake and eat it bite by bite, dip by dip. And yes, it’s a plain burger so there’s no debris. Yep, I know, disgusting, but I love it. I also like putting fries on the burger itself, and on that I know I’m not alone. And I bet there are folks out there with worse combinations. After all somebody is eating those poutine fries, right?

After surfing the web recently I found that I’m not alone, at least with fries. Extreme John says in his review of Whataburger:

“French Fries are one of my all time favorite foods, I have a deep deep love for crispy French fries. Whenever I go to Wendy’s or any place that has a chocolate shakes or a Frosty type of thing I will always dip my fries in it.”

See? I’m not crazy. Well, with the fries in the shake at least… And yes, Wendy’s fries dipped in a Frosty is epic win as well.

In a more recent blog entry, John even gives direction on how the Wendy’s operation is done:

“How to dip Wendy’s Fries into a Wendy’s Frosty

“Yes, folks, it as simple as it sounds, you head to your local Wendy’s and order whatever your Wendy’s favorite might be, you can even get a salad if you want to. However if you do get a salad today will be a naughty salad day for you, you will also need to order Wendy’s French Fries and at the very least a small Wendy’s Frosty.

“As you sit back and finish up your salad, hamburger or baked potato make sure you save room for the tasty treat your about to deliver to your deserving tongue. Grab a bunch of French fries and keep them close together, use the French fries the same way you would use a spoon and scoop up some of your Chocolate or Vanilla Frosty, deliver to mouth and repeat. I tried this little combination with the new Wendy’s Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty just the other day, that wasn’t working as well as the traditional chocolate Frosty for this purpose.”

While I don’t agree with the method (single fries work just as well), he’s got it dead on about the flavor – the chocolate Frosty is best for fries.

Extreme John continues from his Whataburger review, “I also love “Disco Fries” or “Jersey Fries,” which are French fries with American cheese on them, add side of brown gravy and you have “Disco Fries” or “Jersey Fries”. The fries at Whataburger were fresh, not coated in grease and perfectly crunchy, dipped into the chocolate shake I ordered they were perfect.”

Now while as a native New Jerseyan, and a French fry fanatic, I had never before heard the term “Jersey Fries” (might be a north Jersey/south Jersey thing), I trust and respect Extreme John’s opinions. So much so, that until I get a chance to visit the southern-based chain Whataburger, enjoy Extreme John’s review here.



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