French Fry Diary 694: White Castle Frozen Fries

The day before I found these, I had been watching an episode of Jon Hein's "Fast Food Mania" talking about Valentine's Day at White Castle, and lamenting that there was no longer any White Castles nearby any more. Toms River is quite the road trip for a sudden slider craving. Now these frozen fries, along with the grocery freezer version of the brilliantly microwave-steamed sliders, might just be able to approximate the White Castle experience at home.

I had thought in my passing acquaintance with White Castle fries that they were simply standard frozen crinkle cut fries, but examination of the contents of the bag made it clear these crinkle cuts are smaller. Not quite pixie crinkles, but larger than shoestrings, and

just as long. I'm not sure I remember the real thing being like this, but I'll pay more attention next time.

They came from the oven quite tasty. Crisp and hot and tasty, yes, but not all that much like real White Castle fries. Not that they couldn't be, of course. Follow the cooking directions, but keep a sharp eye on them while in the oven. You can have these just like in the restaurant, or however you like them. These are good fries, well worth it.

French Fry Diary 442: Ponzio's Preview

This is more of a review by proxy even though I did get to try some of the fries. So this is more of a Somebody Else's Fries than a proper review, however it's worth noting we'll be back at the end of the year. Ponzio's is where we will be getting together with our friends for the holidays.

It has been a very long time since I've been to Ponzio's, possibly since college, although I had been in their tiny bar once or twice since then. Much like Olga's Diner, Ponzio's is a South Jersey, and specifically Cherry Hill, landmark. It's been at the Ellisburg intersection, and before that the more recognizable Ellisburg Circle, just about forever. I have heard in recent years they had become much more classy and upscale.

After a recent high school reunion at the Coastline, The Bride and some of her friends visited Ponzio's. Thinking of me (and my obsession) as she almost always does, she got some fries, took some pictures and even brought some home for me. Does she love me, or what?

The Bride ordered the Bay Fries, specifically Johnny & Feef's Famous Bay Fries. I do however have to wonder how famous they really are, because they weren't Google-able. These pixie crinkle cuts, with Old Bay seasoning, and white cheese on the side, are startlingly similar to Chickie & Pete's Famous Crab Fries (which are for reals famous). I suppose that's why Ponzio's feels the need to put the words "Better Potatoes Better Seasoning Better Cheese Sauce" almost as if they know you're going to compare them to Chickie & Pete's anyway.

On that comparison, the only thing I can say is once home, while the Ponzio's fries did reheat well both by baking (the best way) and microwave, they were not as resilient as Chickie & Pete's. C & P reheat very well, great treat for the next day - these, not so much. I liked the Johnny & Feef's, but they are still a weaker imitation of the real thing.

I look foreword to our holiday visit to Ponzio's.

French Fry Diary 325: Chickie's & Pete's 2012

It's that time of year again, yeah, that's right, it's Philadelphia Wings lacrosse season. Now lately, this is a bittersweet thing. I have been, along with The Bride, members of her family, and various friends over the years, a season ticket holder for the Wings since roughly 1990. I like lacrosse a lot, it's pretty much the only professional sport I follow with any real passion. They used to be world champions, and always in the finals, and always a rough team to beat. Not so much lately. Lately, they get beat a lot, and badly.

I think this might be the last season we get tickets. That's how bad it's been. Regardless, the highlight of any opening night for the Wings home season -besides the game of course- is getting a giant cup of those Crab Fries from Chickie's & Pete's. Now this year, The Bride couldn't make it so I brought my friend Jeff, busting not only his lacrosse cherry but also his Chickie's & Pete's as well.

I don't think he was intending on eating many fries if at all when I offered. He'd already downed a Campo's cheesesteak before I got back to the table before the game. As always the fries were addictive, and like The Bride, Jeff also really dug the mystery cheese they give you as a side. I've never been a fan myself, just gimme my fries, ya know?

The addictiveness kicks in when you're still eating those cold fries from that huge bucket an hour and a half later as the game closes. Yeah, they're even good cold. The Wings lost that first game by the way, horribly, like 12-22, but there were seven fistfights (including the rare goalie on goalie fight) in the last thirty seconds of play. That is something. Maybe we will hold on to those tickets...

What Are Your Favorite Kind of French Fries? Poll Results

First off, thank you to all the folks who voted in this poll, and put forth their 121 votes for their favorite fries. It means a lot, I mean, I know there are not many folks who are as passionate and enthusiastic about the favorite fried food as I am.

Here are the results, from least favorite kind of fries to most favorite:

The favorites with 39 votes are Steak Fries, followed by the 27 vote tie of Shoestrings and Waffle Fries.

Regular Cuts came in with 24 votes, followed by Curly Fries with 22 votes. Then we have a three-way tie for fifth place with Crinkle Cuts, Tater Tots, and Fries with the Skins on with 16 votes each.

11 votes went to Potato Wedges, while there were 7 votes for the mysterious Other, and no one sent me any emails to let me know what their other choice was. Perhaps they were matchstick fries or shaped fries or non-potato fries or pixie crinkles - we'll never know.

Maybe we'll have another poll in a few days. Any thoughts on the topic, drop me a line here.

French Fry Diary 203: Fries of the Philadelphia Wings

It's Philadelphia Wings Lacrosse season again, and that means semi-weekly trips to the sports complex in Philly named, for the moment, the Wells Fargo Center. This is the former First Union Center and the Wachovia Center and who knows what else. By the time I post this review, it may have changed its name yet again. And that's the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, to differentiate it from the other dozen WFCs across the country. Whatever happened to real names for stadiums?

There are two major choices for the favorite fried food at the stadium, at least in the poor seats, and they are Boardwalk Fries and Chickie's & Pete's.

Now Boardwalk Fries isn't so much an actual location as the fry of choice at many of the food stands at the stadium. This first visit I got mine at Grille Works. It was six dollars for a cup of these natural cuts. Sure, it was a fair serving portion but still, the price was enough to make me want to go to a movie theater. These were not happy fries, limp and greasy, and sitting under a heat lamp for who knows how long. The cheese is also different from last year and not as good.

The second game this season, also a loss, sigh, I went to Chickie's & Pete's, with two locations within the Wells Fargo Center. I've reviewed Chickie's & Pete's before, also in the context of within the stadium. Someday I'm going to get to one of their actual restaurants for a review, can't wait.

The price of these have gone up since my last review to $8.50 and you only get one tub of the white creamy cheese sauce any more. Perhaps they found out the extra cup was being used for soft pretzels and hot dogs. Now they charge two dollars for extra, but it's still worth it.

These Crabfries are some of the best around, pixie crinkles smothered in old bay seasoning that makes them hot, and you'll need something cold to wash them down. The cup is huge but you will eat them all, they're that good. And if you don't, they reheat well at home for a snack after the game. These babies are addictive, thumbs up.

That's two games and two losses for the Wings. Hopefully they will start playing better so I can watch the game instead of reviewing fries. And maybe then they can start doing something about the price of parking around here. Man, Wells Fargo must need money bad for what they charge for parking...

French Fry Diary 157: Big John's 2010

I've reviewed Big John's CheeseSteaks & More in Cherry Hill before and was sorely disappointed with their French fry selection. This was mostly because they had changed it.

As noted in my previous review, Big John's Famous Fries (they are even still called that on some of their menus) were indeed famous. When I would ask folks where the best fries were, they would say Big John's. They used to have delicious, crispy pixie crinkle-cut shoestring fries, in generous portions to go along with their terrific steak sandwiches and equally famous pickle bar. The last few times I have visited the restaurant however I have been confronted with sad substitutes.

This time, instead of the fries expected I got even crappier fries than before. And I thought only Burger King was capable of lowering the standards on their French fries. These were deep fried natural cuts, very hard, not crispy, overdone in the worst way possible. This was epic fail, guys, these were really bad French fries. Do you have any idea how bad the fries have to be for me not to want them?

Big John's - the steak sandwiches are still aces, but avoid the fries at all costs.

Betty's Original Cheese Fries Casserole

French Fry Diary 74: Big John’s CheeseSteaks & More, Cherry Hill NJ

Big John’s has been a Cherry Hill NJ icon for three decades, I’ve been aware of them for at least two. Even then, their pixie crinkle-cut French fries were the stuff of legend. Long before I started this French Fry Diary thing, folks who knew I loved fries always asked – Have you tried Big John’s?

For the record, they are also famous for their cheesesteaks and pickle bar, but that’s for someone else’s blog. It is worth mentioning though that when folks talk about cheesesteaks, this place ranks up there with the biggies, and it’s outside of Philadelphia. Yeah, they’re that good.

It’s been a while since I’d been to Big John’s, so when old friends chose it as our holiday meeting place to catch up this year, I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone and review the fries there as I haven’t yet. I hate to say it, but I was disappointed by what I found.

Oh no, don’t get me wrong, the cheesesteaks are still fantastic, and the fries were good, but they certainly were not Big John’s Famous Fries. What I got was standard regular cuts, deep fried, and very good – similar to diner fries only without the Invisicoat. But they were not the famous pixie crinkle cuts that I remember.

The old fries used to be some of the best around, crunchy on the outside and soft and hot on the inside, and served in large portions. I was quite disappointed to find them gone. One less reason to go to Big John’s. What a shame.