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Would You Like Fries With That?
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| Gus's Drive-In fries up an irresistible version with seasoned salt that'll have you coming back for more. You don't even have to get out of your car. Photo by Gary Leonard. |
Ten Downtown Restaurants Battle It Out for Best Pommes Frites
by Kathryn Maese
They go by many names: French fries, freedom fries, pommes frites and chips. They come crinkled, steak cut, shoestring, curly, matchstick or gaufrette.
You can eat them with ketchup, malt vinegar, mayonnaise or just plain. Some restaurants even top them with chili, garlic, herbs, cheese and/or seasoned salt.
Though the Belgians lay claim to the invention, several Downtown Los Angeles restaurants have certainly done the tradition proud. Often relegated to a side dish, these lowly potatoes are grabbing the limelight for themselves.
In an effort to find the fairest fry of them all, L.A. Downtown News risked a serious coronary blockage to taste test 10 versions of the starchy treat. Definitely don't try this at home.
Weiland Brewery: Garlic Fries: Though these thin, hand-cut fries doused in an epic amount of garlic are enough to keep away Dracula himself, they are nonetheless an irresistible draw for legions of Downtowners. They're tossed until they become almost limp under the garlicky goodness and are piled high in a basket for your enjoyment. A fork is definitely called for in this situation - and so is a breath mint. Just be warned that there are ramifications to this much hedonism, namely some kickin' breath. Still, it's a small price to pay for glory.
At 400 E. First St., (213) 680-2881.
Riordan's Tavern: Basket of Fries: Buttery on the inside and crispy on the outside, Riordan's fries strike the perfect balance. The fries, a bit thicker than most, are served in a tall wire cone lined with parchment paper. The portion is certainly big enough to serve two and they go fast if you're at a table with hungry co-workers. Opened only a few weeks, this new eatery certainly has one item down pat.
At 875 S. Figueroa St., (213) 627-6879.
Bonaventure Brewing Co.: Fries With Dipping Sauce: What goes better with a beer than a hot and salty plate of French fries? Inside this brewery and restaurant on the pool deck level of the Bonaventure Hotel, we ordered up a pale ale and a plate of the intriguing sounding fries with a duo of dipping sauces - a smoky barbecue and a red pepper aioli. While the condiments were tasty, the fries left something to be desired. A bit on the cold side, they were somewhat dry and bland. The light dusting of herbs was a nice touch, but the potatoes could have used more of it. At 404 S. Figueroa St., (213) 236-0802.
Pete's Cafe: Bleu Cheese Fries: Considered by many to be the Holy Grail of Downtown French fries, this classis dish is one serious indulgence. While a plate is enough for two, you won't want to share these decadent beauties. Crisp, thin-cut potatoes are tossed with lots of salty blue cheese sauce and garnished with a bright punch of chopped tomato and parsley. The fries, best eaten with a fork, are served with a small ramekin of ketchup, though they're so good, you don't even need it. Though the martini lunch may be a habit of the past, these fries are reason enough to bring it back - they pair beautifully with the icy strong cocktail.
At 400 S. Main St., (213) 617-1000.
Downtown Standard Restaurant: Frites: The Standard's presentation is perhaps the best of the lot. A generous serving of shoestring fries come wrapped in a paper cone and propped up in a round tin container. The cute factor is bumped up even more with the addition of a mini squeeze bottle of ketchup. These fries remind you of the ones you had at a carnival or amusement park - salty, hot, crispy and with all the fried goodness you'd expect. Perfectly cooked, they were addictive down to the last one. Eating them in the bright yellow diner outfitted with retro furnishings and a sleek bar, you're obliged to call them frites instead of just fries.
At 550 S. Flower St., (213) 892-8080.
Gus's Drive-In: Seasoned Fries: "Arise, fair seasoned fry, and kill the envious burger, who is already sick and pale with grief that thou her maid art far more fair than she." Yes, these thick-cut beauties actually inspire a bit of Shakespeare revisionism. Even better, you can fly through the drive-in to order up a mess of the taters, which are stacked to overflowing in a white paper bag that requires a two-handed clutch. Fresh out of Gus's divine fryer, they're liberally coated with Lawry's-like seasoning salt that includes some measure of paprika, chili powder and elfin magic. Plus they're made with cholesterol-free vegetable oil.
At 1657 W. Third St., (213) 483-8885.
Engine Co. No. 28: Spicy Garlic Fries: Someone call 911, cause these matchsticks are on fire. Engine Co. gets props for proffering one of the most original twists with their almost noodle-thin fries coated with smoky chili flakes and even a bit of garlic-infused malt vinegar. Heaped on a plate, these allumettes are addictive and fun to eat. You can't help but keep reaching for a handful, and the mild chili heat stands up nicely to the Red Ale from Pasadena's Craftsman Brewing Co.
At 644 S. Figueroa St., (213) 624-6996.
Redwood Bar & Grill: Sweet Potato Fries: Crispy and yet deliciously mushy, these sweet potato fries are craveable beyond belief. Sure, they're great with the Redwood Burger, but they stand on their own just as well. A plate of these nicely salted babies with a Stella is just what you need for your lunchtime treat. For a while, everyone and their brother was putting the sweet potato fry on the menu, but Redwood continues to do it well. They also offer spicy or regular fries, but the sweet potato version is a bit of deep-fried genius.
At 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600.
J Restaurant & Lounge: Kennebec Fries: This South Park eatery manages to turn a pedestrian thing like the potato into a work of art. The chef starts with Kennebec potatoes that are fried till golden brown and served with garlic Dijon aioli. Perhaps most surprising, besides the fact that they're perfectly cooked, is the amount of flavor they pack. Like a proper French fry, these are fried twice to achieve that crunchy casing and meltingly creamy interior. Thicker cut with bits of potato skin left on the ends for a handmade effect, they're topped with a bit of parsley and salt. Unlike some of the other fries in this taste test, these were finished down to the last one.
At 1119 S. Olive St., (213) 746-7746.
Daily Grill: Shoestring Potatoes: Financial District workers flock to this American grill for comfort food like burgers, meatloaf, chops and chowder. And many of the dishes come with a side of the restaurant's shoestring fries. While the popular thin cut is accented by a nice sprinkling of kosher salt, they left something to be desired. The fries were a bit too plain to stand out by themselves, and needed a liberal dose of ketchup. Overall, decent but not memorable.
At 612 S. Flower St., (213) 622-4500.
Winner: With so many distinguished fries, it was too close to pick just one. L.A. Downtown News called a tie for first place between Pete's Bleu Cheese Fries and Gus's Drive-In Seasoned Fries. Honorable mention goes to the Standard and J Restaurant & Lounge.
Contact Kathryn Maese at kathryn@downtownnews.com.
page 14, 8/27/2007
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
You can eat them with ketchup, malt vinegar, mayonnaise or just plain. Some restaurants even top them with chili, garlic, herbs, cheese and/or seasoned salt.
Though the Belgians lay claim to the invention, several Downtown Los Angeles restaurants have certainly done the tradition proud. Often relegated to a side dish, these lowly potatoes are grabbing the limelight for themselves.
In an effort to find the fairest fry of them all, L.A. Downtown News risked a serious coronary blockage to taste test 10 versions of the starchy treat. Definitely don't try this at home.
Weiland Brewery: Garlic Fries: Though these thin, hand-cut fries doused in an epic amount of garlic are enough to keep away Dracula himself, they are nonetheless an irresistible draw for legions of Downtowners. They're tossed until they become almost limp under the garlicky goodness and are piled high in a basket for your enjoyment. A fork is definitely called for in this situation - and so is a breath mint. Just be warned that there are ramifications to this much hedonism, namely some kickin' breath. Still, it's a small price to pay for glory.
At 400 E. First St., (213) 680-2881.
Riordan's Tavern: Basket of Fries: Buttery on the inside and crispy on the outside, Riordan's fries strike the perfect balance. The fries, a bit thicker than most, are served in a tall wire cone lined with parchment paper. The portion is certainly big enough to serve two and they go fast if you're at a table with hungry co-workers. Opened only a few weeks, this new eatery certainly has one item down pat.
At 875 S. Figueroa St., (213) 627-6879.
Bonaventure Brewing Co.: Fries With Dipping Sauce: What goes better with a beer than a hot and salty plate of French fries? Inside this brewery and restaurant on the pool deck level of the Bonaventure Hotel, we ordered up a pale ale and a plate of the intriguing sounding fries with a duo of dipping sauces - a smoky barbecue and a red pepper aioli. While the condiments were tasty, the fries left something to be desired. A bit on the cold side, they were somewhat dry and bland. The light dusting of herbs was a nice touch, but the potatoes could have used more of it.
Pete's Cafe: Bleu Cheese Fries: Considered by many to be the Holy Grail of Downtown French fries, this classis dish is one serious indulgence. While a plate is enough for two, you won't want to share these decadent beauties. Crisp, thin-cut potatoes are tossed with lots of salty blue cheese sauce and garnished with a bright punch of chopped tomato and parsley. The fries, best eaten with a fork, are served with a small ramekin of ketchup, though they're so good, you don't even need it. Though the martini lunch may be a habit of the past, these fries are reason enough to bring it back - they pair beautifully with the icy strong cocktail.
At 400 S. Main St., (213) 617-1000.
Downtown Standard Restaurant: Frites: The Standard's presentation is perhaps the best of the lot. A generous serving of shoestring fries come wrapped in a paper cone and propped up in a round tin container. The cute factor is bumped up even more with the addition of a mini squeeze bottle of ketchup. These fries remind you of the ones you had at a carnival or amusement park - salty, hot, crispy and with all the fried goodness you'd expect. Perfectly cooked, they were addictive down to the last one. Eating them in the bright yellow diner outfitted with retro furnishings and a sleek bar, you're obliged to call them frites instead of just fries.
At 550 S. Flower St., (213) 892-8080.
Gus's Drive-In: Seasoned Fries: "Arise, fair seasoned fry, and kill the envious burger, who is already sick and pale with grief that thou her maid art far more fair than she." Yes, these thick-cut beauties actually inspire a bit of Shakespeare revisionism. Even better, you can fly through the drive-in to order up a mess of the taters, which are stacked to overflowing in a white paper bag that requires a two-handed clutch. Fresh out of Gus's divine fryer, they're liberally coated with Lawry's-like seasoning salt that includes some measure of paprika, chili powder and elfin magic. Plus they're made with cholesterol-free vegetable oil.
At 1657 W. Third St., (213) 483-8885.
Engine Co. No. 28: Spicy Garlic Fries: Someone call 911, cause these matchsticks are on fire. Engine Co. gets props for proffering one of the most original twists with their almost noodle-thin fries coated with smoky chili flakes and even a bit of garlic-infused malt vinegar. Heaped on a plate, these allumettes are addictive and fun to eat. You can't help but keep reaching for a handful, and the mild chili heat stands up nicely to the Red Ale from Pasadena's Craftsman Brewing Co.
At 644 S. Figueroa St., (213) 624-6996.
Redwood Bar & Grill: Sweet Potato Fries: Crispy and yet deliciously mushy, these sweet potato fries are craveable beyond belief. Sure, they're great with the Redwood Burger, but they stand on their own just as well. A plate of these nicely salted babies with a Stella is just what you need for your lunchtime treat. For a while, everyone and their brother was putting the sweet potato fry on the menu, but Redwood continues to do it well. They also offer spicy or regular fries, but the sweet potato version is a bit of deep-fried genius.
At 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600.
J Restaurant & Lounge: Kennebec Fries: This South Park eatery manages to turn a pedestrian thing like the potato into a work of art. The chef starts with Kennebec potatoes that are fried till golden brown and served with garlic Dijon aioli. Perhaps most surprising, besides the fact that they're perfectly cooked, is the amount of flavor they pack. Like a proper French fry, these are fried twice to achieve that crunchy casing and meltingly creamy interior. Thicker cut with bits of potato skin left on the ends for a handmade effect, they're topped with a bit of parsley and salt. Unlike some of the other fries in this taste test, these were finished down to the last one.
At 1119 S. Olive St., (213) 746-7746.
Daily Grill: Shoestring Potatoes: Financial District workers flock to this American grill for comfort food like burgers, meatloaf, chops and chowder. And many of the dishes come with a side of the restaurant's shoestring fries. While the popular thin cut is accented by a nice sprinkling of kosher salt, they left something to be desired. The fries were a bit too plain to stand out by themselves, and needed a liberal dose of ketchup. Overall, decent but not memorable.
At 612 S. Flower St., (213) 622-4500.
Winner: With so many distinguished fries, it was too close to pick just one. L.A. Downtown News called a tie for first place between Pete's Bleu Cheese Fries and Gus's Drive-In Seasoned Fries. Honorable mention goes to the Standard and J Restaurant & Lounge.
Contact Kathryn Maese at kathryn@downtownnews.com.
page 14, 8/27/2007
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
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