Random Tater Pic of the Day #259

Not really a tater pic, but within the realm.  This is a cheesesteak and onion rings from Pat's Select, the former being one of the things I miss most about South Jersey, besides friends and family.  Mmmm... cheesesteak...

French Fry Diary 310: Boardwalk Grill & Pizzeria, Cherry Hill NJ

Boardwalk Grill & Pizzeria is a place that opened earlier this summer locally in Cherry Hill. A recent lazy Sunday evening led The Bride and I to look for a nearby place that delivered, we chose Boardwalk, mostly because their menu made a pretty big deal of the favorite fried food.

First off, any place that calls itself 'Boardwalk' and has French fries, had better have good ones. It's just the facts, ya know? The menu calls them "Fryz" just to be different, I guess. They claim that "all Boardwalk Fryz are Hand Cut from Russett Potatoes Daily," madcap capitalization theirs. They offer malt vinegar for dipping, but for a charge. They come in regular, Old Bay, Cheese, Pizza, and Loaded.

Deciding on a pizza roll and some BBQ honey boneless chicken wings, along with fries, sorry, Fryz, both Boardwalk and Loaded, we called in our order. Surprisingly for a new place the delivery was rather quick. Score one for customer service. The chicken was pretty good, and the BBQ honey sauce more barbeque than honey, but excellent on the fries and for dipping.

The Loaded Fryz came in quite a generous portion, and was too much for my wife. Besides being very filling, these natural cuts were under an avalanche of Cheez Wiz, mozzarella, bacon and scallions. This came in a big tin foil pie plate, I mention this because it was a huge portion. These guys give you a lotta fries for your buck.

The large order of the regular Boardwalk Fryz were the same natural cut Boardwalk style fries you can find at Pat's or the more traditional Boardwalk Fries and Seaside Spuds. Again, bonuses for portion size, because the large fry-decorated cup they came in had about the same amount as The Bride's serving.

Sadly, I don't think they were cooked to order. While the hot ones were very good, I had a lot of stubs and ends - no big long fries at all, and some were very crunchy as if they'd been cooked more than once and not in a good way. Maybe it was the end of a batch. They did however reheat well when baked in the oven.

I would be more than willing to give them a second chance, as these could be really good fries, maybe just not this time. I would love to try them at the actual restaurant next time rather than their excellent delivery service.

French Fry Diary 239: Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Marlton NJ

A couple months ago, the devil came to town. They announced they were opening a Five Guys Burgers and Fries right across the street. Previously Five Guys had been a once in a while treat, now with a restaurant so close, how would I be able to resist. It's worse for The Bride. This store opened up two doors down from her Jenny Craig. Why would a Five Guys open up next to a Jenny Craig? That's just eeevil.

I cruised by on Monday, their first day open, and it was packed. I felt kinda bad as the Pat's down at the end of the shopping center was ominously empty. The father-in-law and I went to the new place on the second day open, and it was very crowded for dinner.

I was surprised to see fourteen people behind the counter, and about the same number of customers. It very loud, at once from the overhead satellite radio, the yelling from the kitchen, and the satisfied murmuring of the customers eating. With so many in the kitchen however, you'd think the food would come faster - it still took about ten minutes. But it was so worth the wait.

We ate at the restaurant, mostly for the free refills soda fountain. Extra points for having Pibb Xtra at the soda fountain. It seems to be popping up around here more and more. They had it at the local Elevation Burger and also at the Rave Theater.

There was a little confusion ordering but it was easily fixed. We got a regular order of fries with that extra scoop thrown on top for those always-wonderful Five Guys fries. They were very hot very crispy very good. Five Guys fries are crisp natural cuts and always consistent in their quality. It's going to be very tempting having them so close to my home.

We made a second trip today, Friday night, and they were just as crowded, both behind the counter and in the dining area. I had a chance to chat with one of the managers who was so proud and confident about Five Guys fries that he even compared them to Thrasher's in Maryland - now that's confidence. I've had a lot of folks recommend Thrasher's as being the best.

As I walked out of Five Guys this evening, looking at the people eating outside, the folks on their way into the restaurant, and then, the people going in and out of Jenny Craig - I had just one thought. Oh yeah, this is going to kill a whole lot of diets. Welcome to Marlton, Five Guys!

French Fry Diary 228: Cool Dog Café

This place had been taunting me for weeks since their sign outside went up, long before the Cool Dog Cafe even opened up. It teased me with two words - "Belgian Frites." Oh yeah, so I had to get here sooner or later. It has since become one of my favorite local restaurants.

Their take home menu says that their Belgian Frites are "Simply the best fries you've ever had... crispy on the outside, moist & tender on the inside. You'll never return to France." On a later visit, one of the owners, so proud and passionate about his fries, told me that my fries actually started cooking the day before - a par-fry after cutting, soaking and drying, and then a shock-fry when ordered. Yeah, that's the way to do it.

I made it in to the Cool Dog Cafe for the first time a few days after they had opened. I got a hot dog, a nice extra long dog on a regular bun which came on a plate but my large order of Belgian Frites came in a big brown bag.... Hmmm... What's up with that? The large paper bag was full of fries, and this was indeed a large order. Hot and tasty, I found them to be natural cuts, and very very good. And just for the record, the dog was good too.

I could complain about the bag o' fries, as the grease slowly soaked through the bag, and they weren't especially Belgian nor frites. But I won't. While they might not be exactly what fry freaks like me think of when we think of Beligian frites - these are damned good fries.

Aside from the unorthodox way they were served these were essentially the same natural cuts that could be had at Pat's or Five Guys. They have a bit more crunch and there is much to be said about the portion size - they aren't Belgian frites, but really, who cares? These fries are contenders, and better (yeah, I said it) than either Pat's or Five Guys.

I was the only one there for lunch when I was there for the first time, with Sirius radio blasting as was the heat, and news and women's basketball were on the two big screen TVs. It did start to fill up as I was getting ready to go so that's good. I have been back, many times (I told you I liked this place), and now it is usually hopping.

Malt vinegar is on the table, along with ketchup and mustard, so their heart is in the right place when it comes to fries. And they also had Coca-Cola products, and free refills at the fountain, always a plus in my book. Also on the condiment bright side is the killer Jack Daniels glaze that is available for burgers or dogs, but is perfect for the fries as well. They also have the first sweet potato fries that this catastrophically picky eater has wanted to eat more than one of. In fact, I like them almost as much as the regular fries.

Check them out at their website, on Facebook, and on Twitter. Check for their specials. I recommend the sliders, the dogs, the toppings, and especially the fries. They are probably not what I would have expected when I first saw that "Belgian Frites" sign, but man, are they good - highly recommended.

French Fry Diary 148: Luigi's Pizza Fresca

It's been a long time since I've been to Luigi's Pizza Fresca, as a matter of fact, I don't think it even was called that the last time I was there, almost a decade ago. The main reason I haven't been there is the Wawa that ruled the strip mall closed, leaving it anchorless. No Wawa, no reason to go to Pizza Fresca. It's sad, but true when you're in a strip mall that's difficult to get to.

The World Cup, Spain vs. Portugal, was on when I was there (yes, that long ago, takes a while to get these entries online, the backlog is so long…) and there seemed to be more than a few folks just for that. Good crowd for a hot summer afternoon, and always nice to see Americans worked up over a sport that isn't football or baseball. But while a good crowd, they were certainly more "Jersey Shore," than say, soccer fans.

When I had been here in the past, the steak sandwiches were notably spicy, but in a good way. Unfortunately, coupled with the closing of the Wawa, and our preference for Pat's and Sal's, we had not been here since. Steak sandwiches didn't matter now however, we were here for the favorite fried food today. And some soccer and vuvuzelas.

Like I said, I just got fries. Other folks who had ordered pizza, subs, salads and steak sandwiches and even entire meals (including fries) were served ahead of me. I think I had been forgotten. Finally they came, and the waitress almost gave them to someone else on their way to me. I was forgotten. Or maybe the cooks and waitstaff were too involved in the World Cup.

The fries were standard regular cuts, deep fried, with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Hot, not very greasy, but nothing spectacular other than being hot. Bland and unsensational covers it, I think. For the record, there are also Luigi's Pizza Frescas in Burlington and Philadelphia, but I've never visited. Kinda doubt I will now, except to people watch, and watch the World Cup again.

Pat's Free Fries

There's nothing like free, and if there's anything better than free, it's free French fries!

Pat's Family Restaurant, a local chain that French Fry Diary has been to a number of times, does a thing on Tuesdays we like to call "the wheel of free."

You spin a wheel sort of like TV's "Wheel of Fortune" and one of the things you can land on is 'free fries' and then you get coupons like these to use for your next visit. Of course you can also get things like free pizza, half off your meal, or even all of your meal on the house - but hey, we're all about the fries here.

So don't forget to drop by Pat's on Tuesdays, spin the wheel, and you too might get free fries!

French Fry Diary 123: Pat’s Family Restaurant III

This is my third review of Pat’s. Twice I hit them for the fries. The first time they weren’t so hot, but numerous visits afterward revealed that first time to be a glitch. More often than not, Pat’s has terrific fries. But that’s not why I’m here tonight. This is about Pat’s onion rings.

They are breaded deep-fried whole rings of onions of varying sizes. These aren’t pieces, chunks or chopped onions, these are the real deal. These rings are very crispy and juicy, and much like their potatoey counterparts, the onion rings at Pat’s are recommended.

On the French fry front I was going to comment on how the last half-dozen or so times I had been to Pat’s it seemed like they were skimping on the fries. This time, as if they knew what I might write, there were a lot. I guess it depends on who’s cooking and the time of day.

Always a quality fry at Pat’s, just as good as Five Guys, and that’s saying a lot.

French Fry Diary 24: Pat’s Family Restaurant II

I’m willing to admit when I’m wrong, and I think I may have jumped the gun with only one visit to Pat’s Family Restaurant in Marlton NJ, and may have been harsh with my review.

The place is very local, so I’ve had the chance to return there numerous times, and I’d like to correct a few things I had said at first. They do a brisk busy business and the service I was concerned with previously has become quite quick and streamlined. And I hope they stay around for quite some time.

My opinion of the fries also needs to be corrected. Yeah, that first visit, they weren’t so hot, and as with many places the fries depend on who’s doing the cooking. Since then the French fries have improved greatly and have been fairly consistent every time I’ve gone back. As a matter of fact, they’ve been a major reason to go back.

A recent trip to get some fries to go revealed more improvements. They now have these cool little boxes for take out fries, sealable to keep the fries hot for the ride home. It should also be noted that they always come in abundant servings, whether to go or eat in. Pat’s fries are natural cuts that are always crispy and hot, well worth putting a sign out to brag about.



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French Fry Diary 15: Pat’s Family Restaurant, Marlton NJ

You should not tempt someone like me in this manner. "Try our Fresh Fries!" Come on now, that’s just not fair.

Recently a Pat’s Family Restaurant opened locally. As with any new place nearby, we figured we would get there sooner or later – but when I passed by there and saw that sign… I knew it would be sooner.

We went there last night, and had a nice, if odd, dining experience. Seat yourselves, look at a menu, go up to the counter, order and reseat yourselves, and after a while, your food is brought out. Not streamlining at its best. I was also worried a bit about how well they were doing. It was an off night, but the employees to customers ratio was eight to two and didn’t change for the forty-five minutes we were there.

In what used to be the area’s best candy store before the fire, this Pat’s has an interesting décor – TVs on the walls, retro-future contour chairs and placemats recycled from shredded old magazines. Honestly I was reminded of a gimmicky dance club. And the music playing was quite eclectic too. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard Lily Allen’s "Knock ‘Em Out" outside of my iPod Shuffle.

But that’s not what you or I am here to talk about, what about the favorite fried food? My burger (yeah, so, what else would I get?) came with French fries, so I didn’t get the bowl with the piled-up fries as shown on the menu, and they didn’t exactly look like them either. The burger was very good, but the fries were just okay.

The fries were standard natural regular cuts and deep-fried, and possibly baked afterward but I couldn’t be sure. The batch I got was pretty good, crunchy on the outside and sometimes hot and soft on the inside. If anything they reminded me a bit of the fries at Five Guys, but nowhere near as good as those. Good fries, but not worthy of bragging about – take the sign down.



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