French Fry Diary 679: Hamburgers in Sausalito

Guest post by my big sister, Bobbie, one of the coolest ladies I know.

So on our recent trip to San Francisco we were on a tour that stopped in Sausalito. We were hungry and had about forty minutes before the ferry would take us across the Bay and back to Fisherman's Wharf. We saw a restaurant across from the ferry called Hamburgers and decided to give it a try.

The restaurant was about ten feet wide and thirty feet long. There were no tables everything was to go. As you entered there was a round iron grill going in round like a turntable and the chef was putting burgers (and chicken) on the grill as it spun. We ordered our burgers and of course fries. Then went outside until our number was called.

The burgers were juicy and spiced and the best I've had in a long time. But the fries were fantastic. They were crinkle cut, deep fried and then tossed in a bowl with salt and spice. The outside crispiness reminded me of those Potato Sticks that come in a can, but inside was soft potato goodness. I thought of my poor brother who was missing this wonderful treat and snapped pictures of the meal and restaurant.

And if you are a vegetarian their second restaurant in Sausalito is called Veggie Burger.

Thank you, Bobbie, you rock!

French Fry Diary 503: Ruffles Crispy Fries

I had only just heard about Ruffles entering the fry-shaped snack market when The Bride snagged me a sample at a 7-Eleven near her office. Usually these things are made from corn rather than potato and unless you get them flavored, they are relatively flavorless. I was hoping for more from Ruffles.

Other than being ridiculously hard to open, the first thing I noticed is that they are made from potatoes, not corn, just potatoes, salt, and vegetable oil. That's it. Notably, I got the Original, but they also have Cheese. They look like natural cut French fries, and according to the packaging, are sliced from real potatoes.

They feel like old burnt French fries, and as I said, they look like natural cuts, but they smell and taste like giant potato sticks. And for a special treat, do like they say on the bag and heat them up in the microwave (just not in the bag). Warm, they are terrific, a great fry or chip substitute for a sandwich lunch or snack.

I like them, they're good, and quite honestly, more than a little addictive. I'm glad The Bride only got a sample bag. If you can find them, pick them up, because I'm not sure how long they'll be around. These are really good, thumbs up.

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 130: Herr's Potato Stix

When it comes to potato sticks, it used to be hard to beat French's (also known as Durkee in some places at certain times). The relationship between French's and potato sticks was like Scotch tape or Kleenex tissue. French's was the brand for the snack, what you thought of when you thought of potato sticks, but unfortunately the folks at French's have discontinued their potato sticks. The bastards. Now we have to rely on folks like Herr's. They make great chips, but sometimes their sticks ... not so good.

I bought two packs of Herr's Potato Stix on a recent late night Wawa snack run, one regular and one barbeque. The idea of the latter just blew my mind and I couldn't wait to try them - imagine barbequed potato sticks! I tried the plain first unfortunately, and they were just horrible. Not recommended. After that, the barbeque pack just sat on a shelf at home for a while. I didn't want to try them any more.

The other night, in lieu of doing another snack run, especially in this heat, I finally turned to that bag of Herr's Barbeque Potato Stix. They really could have been terrible, but instead they were exactly what was promised. Surprise. Crisp tasty potato sticks and hot spicy seasoning. Recommended. I don't know what they did wrong with the regular, but they did it right with the barbeque.

Betty's Tater Tot Casserole

Shoestring Gremolata Fries

Grilled Bratwurst with Shoestring Gremolata Fries
Photo: Andre Baranowski

Canola oil, for frying
1⁄4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
2 1⁄2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled
Kosher salt, to taste
2 12-oz. bottles beer, preferably lager
1 small yellow onion, quartered
2 whole cloves
4 bratwurst (about 3⁄4 lbs.)
4 New England–style hot dog buns
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Dijon mustard, as needed
1 pint Pickled Cauliflower

1. Pour enough oil into a 12-quart pot so that it reaches a depth of 1". Heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 375°. Make a gremolata by mixing parsley, garlic, and lemon zest in a large bowl; set aside. Over a kitchen towel, julienne potatoes lengthwise using the narrowest setting of a French mandoline. Pat julienned potatoes dry with the towel.

2. Working in 2 batches, fry potatoes in oil until crisp, 6–10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fries to a paper towel–lined bowl. Season with salt. (Bring oil to 375° before frying second batch.) Transfer fries to bowl of gremolata; toss to coat fries evenly. (Serve hot or at room temperature.)

3. Build a medium-hot charcoal fire in a grill or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Meanwhile, bring beer, onions, cloves, and 1 cup water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Boil bratwurst in beer until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain.

4. Grill bratwurst, turning once, until browned, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, transfer bratwurst to a plate. Brush buns with the butter and grill until toasted and golden brown. Serve the bratwurst in the buns, slathered with mustard and garnished with the pickled cauliflower, alongside the fries.

SERVES 4

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #113

French Fry Diary 107: Oh Yoko!

Being a catastrophically picky eater, I’m not one to stray from the standard American cuisine, but I like some Japanese cooking, especially when they do it on a grill. I was checking out Oh Yoko! for their grilling and also because of the cool name and then I saw what hooked me – they had fries!

Yoko Wasabi Fries – crispy seasoned potatoes with a Wasabi base sauce $7.95

I was sold and we were off. Oh Yoko! is a very nice place squeezed into the same shopping center as Andreotti’s and Big Cheez, and it’s a great little place. They need better signage so folks don’t miss out on what could be a great eating experience.

The atmosphere is terrific, and just as might be expected, the décor is a mix of traditional Oriental alternated with photos of the Beatles, John Lennon and Yoko Ono – what a clever theme. The music on the overhead speakers even reflects the Lennon concept. We had not even been served yet and I love this restaurant.

The waiter was extremely friendly and helpful, especially to this theoretical novice to Japanese food. He explained all the dishes, and that the sauces were all homemade, and when he saw me struggling with the chopsticks he even gave me a Fun Chop chopstick helper attachment to make it easier.

When the fries arrived I learned very quickly that wasabi is hot, very hot. I don’t know if I can describe how hot, but wow, and that’s a good wow. It burns at first taste but is very pleasant afterward. So good that I kept eating after the first burn – so let me clarify – it’s a good hot and a good burn. I was a wasabi virgin before today but The Bride assures me that this was sensational wasabi sauce.

The fries themselves are very thin potato sticks, quite similar to those at the Continental. They’re crispy, but not too crispy, just right. It was a large portion, with the wasabi hitting all of them, which was good. It was hard to find any fries that did not have sauce on them, good distribution. When I did find one or two without sauce, they were just as good.

For my actual meal, I had the yakitori chicken with teriyaki sauce, which was great, and dessert was vanilla ice cream with tempura fried banana... mmm... This was a terrific meal and experience. We will definitely be back, highly recommended, and not just for the fries.

French Fry Diary 19: The Continental, Atlantic City

Mother’s Day this year the Bride and I took her parents to a surprise dinner in Atlantic City. The restaurant we chose was The Continental at the Pier Shops in Caesars Casino, built in the building that once held the Ocean One mall, with a sort of Rat Pack Vegas style motif, and a view overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. I love the retro décor, it’s a really nice atmosphere despite it being in an upscale food court for all intents and purposes.

The food is served family style with more than generous portions. Some of the hits this evening were the cheesesteak eggrolls, French onion soup dumplings, arugula salad, the Kobe sliders and the grilled Thai chicken skewers. The real treats however, and the reason this is in French Fry Diary, were the Szechuan shoestring fries.

These are similar to the shredded potatoes that are sometimes used for breakfast potatoes but not quite. These are potatoes cut in the fashion of Szechuan noodles. Not sure how they pull this off but these babies are super-thin and super-long, and probably just flash-fried and served. Damn tasty, impossible to eat with a fork or even in a polite manner. Just grab a handful and stuff them in your mouth.

The serving size at the Continental is more than generous; it’s enormous. We are talking one plate could easily serve four, five or six people and still have fries left over. They are served with a spicy Chinese mustard that can be drizzled over them or served on the side. None for me please, I’m a purist, but I’m told it’s quite good. I’m also told these crispy tater critters are also an excellent salad topping. All A’s for this unique variation on the favorite fried food.


.