French Fry Diary 721: Foodies, Parx Casino 2016

I had kinda promised I'd never come back to Foodies again, but trapped at Parx Casino in Bensalem PA, with Chickie's & Pete's closed due to a sporting event, and the promise of Foodies being completely redone, I gave it a second chance.

Now there's an Earl of Sandwich and Bambu Noodle House there, and of course, Foodies. Looking at the menus for the other two places and then the average selection at Foodies - I had to wonder why it was called that. Foodies is apparently not for foodies.

The fries were heat lamped natural cuts, but at least they didn't have any foreign debris as they did last time. They tasted like they had been under a heat lamp for quite some time, even though all food made to order as promised on a sign by the ordering station. I really wish I had gotten chips.

The more these fries cooled off, the less appetizing they became. I ended up tossing more than half of them out. This was not much better than my last foray into Foodies. Maybe I should have tried the onion rings, but then again, I thought that might have been pushing my luck… Not recommended.

Daym Drops on Five Guys Burgers and Fries

My buddy Ray hipped me to this guy. Daym Drops is obviously a brother from another mother. He knows his food, and he knows his fries. All that, and my man has got crazy mad charazma all up in there too. Love it. Check it out.

French Fry Diary 245: Chickie's & Pete's Crab House and Sports Bar, Parx Casino

Stuck at Parx Casino again while The Bride gambled, I swore I wouldn't go to Foodies again but this time I decided to try Chickie's & Pete's in the casino. This was my first time having their World Famous Crabfries in a restaurant setting as opposed to counter service at a sports event.

Notable from seeing the Crabfries on a menu for the first time it's worth mentioning that they have zero trans fat, and are cholesterol free and gluten free. I ordered the Crabfries of course, plus the Onion Ring Tower. We didn't get the Crabby Sweets, but were intrigued by these Crabfries made from sweet potato. Maybe next time. Also, no Coke, but Pepsi, but I'll live.

We were served a rather large serving of the Crabfries, which I think is bigger than the same priced serving in a cup at the Wings games. There was the added bonus of an extra cup of the cheese. They were as delicious and hot as ever. If I haven't mentioned it before, these pixie crinkle cuts with spicy hot old bay seasoning are fantastic. And while I could have dug on in with my fingers I ate them off a plate with a fork, just for the different experience. No difference, the Crabfries were still rocking.

The Onion Ring Tower arrived, reminding me a bit if Red Robin's version, only bigger. These thick rings came with three dipping sauces - barbecue, ranch and cucumber wasabi. The last was a bit overpowering but I really liked the barbecue for both the rings and the fries. The rings also seemed to have a hotness of their own, but it might just be aftermath of the spicy hotness of the fries.

This was a terrific experience, as I expected it to be, and there are many reasons to return - including quick friendly service (thanks, Shannon) and new food items to try. Highly recommended.

French Fry Diary 232: Foodies, Parx Casino

At most casinos they don't want you to eat, much less know what time it is. Their concern is getting you to gamble, nothing else. That's the reason for the quirky restaurant hours in these 24/7 casinos. They don't want you there eating, just shoveling your money into their pockets. Heck, I have spent huge chunks of my life at Harrahs in Atlantic City and still haven't been to every food place there.

Parx, the newly revamped version in Bucks County has a few places to eat, including one of my faves, Chickie's & Pete's, but since I was bored with nothing else to do (longtime readers know I don't gamble), I wanted to amuse myself by writing a FFD review - so I chose the intriguingly named Foodies. Sadly, the name was the only thing intriguing about this wannabe cafeteria.

Simply midnight snack fare was on my mind - a hot dog, small fries and, as preferred Coke was unavailable, a Pepsi. The all beef hot dog was pretty good, but then again I have been spoiled for hot dogs since the Cool Dog Café opened. The Pepsi was, well, Pepsi. And the fries were... well, let's just say it's a good thing they give you Utz potato chips with every sandwich - so I had some potato with my meal.

These grocery frozen shoestrings are freezer burned and deep-fried, perhaps too much. Most are too crunchy to eat and many are stuck together. There's too much salt and what at first I thought was pepper, on closer inspection, really put me off of these things. I don't think its black pepper - I think it's debris from the deep fryer. Thank heaven for the factory sealed snack bag of Utz.

Next time, I'm going to Chickie's & Pete's. Promise.

Kate Peck Rocks

Kate Peck | Feeling Peckish - Features

Kate Peck | Feeling Peckish
Foodie faves, Part II

All right fellow foodies, here's part two of my must-have list for college epicureans seeking to round out their bored, uninspired palates.

It's every foodie's duty to seek out the best of the best, and last week I encouraged you to leave campus and check out the local neighborhoods for coffee, pizza and ice cream. I know you're probably thinking I've already covered the basic food groups: caffeine, tasty carbs and even tastier carbs. What else could be left?

That's why I'm here to remind you never to settle when it comes to your food.

The perfect inside-out roll. The packaged stuff is convenient and quick, but come on, you're eating raw fish. Sushi that's going to sit around for a while needs to be refrigerated (duh). But the rice in sushi rolls is vinegary, and when it comes in contact with the fish for too long, it affects the flavor. By the time you get around to eating your sushi, it's not going to taste the way the dish was originally intended. I'm all for convenience, but in this case, fresh is always best.

It's a no-brainer - at an actual restaurant, you can assume you're getting the highest quality fish available. We're in a coastal location, which makes a difference in what you can expect, so take advantage of it! I worked to make my list veggie friendly, and a sushi restaurant doesn't have to be off-limits to those who eschew seafood. I love the options that a great sushi place can provide for vegetarians, especially if they have an additional menu of other Japanese dishes.

The perfect french fries. Two words: no ketchup. Those are my standards for really great fries, and that's coming from a certified lover of Heinz and its 57 varieties. If you can enjoy them without slathering them in some sort of condiment, you've got a good fry. That doesn't mean you have to give up the old ketchup. It's just great to know what you're eating underneath all that tomato sauce.

The question is where to get them. That all depends on what kind of fries you want. Belgian? Waffle cut? Sweet potato? Maybe you don't care except that it should be smothered in cheese? I don't know a single soul who doesn't like French fries, and some reports claim that many American babies' first solid food is a French fry. Nutritionally, that's terrifying, but maybe French fries are the great common denominator for humanity. Think about it: peace talks over pomme frites. Now that's an appetizing thought.

The perfect brew. Last, but most certainly not least, is beer. I know you can only get about one drink per millennium from Hotung, but it still needs to be on the list. Perhaps it's because I lived in Prague last year, a nation which boasts more beer consumption per capita than any other country in the world. Maybe I'm fixated on connecting food to globalization. Or maybe it's just that good.

Why-oh-why are college students fixated on the bane to breweries everywhere, the travesty to beer known as the 30-rack? It's cheap, for mass consumption, et cetera, but there is a world beyond Natty Light and PBR. Boston is full of knowledgeable bartenders who are happy to talk to you about their massive collections. If you find the right wait staff you can even get pairings for your pub food.

So get off campus and seek out some wicked maki, deep-fried potatoes and fermented beverages (for those of age, of course). Just don't do it all in one night.

Unless it's a sweet potato roll with a cold Sapporo. And then you should call me.

Kate Peck is a senior majoring in English. She can be reached at katherine.peck@tufts.edu.