For the average person, there are few foods more addictive or satisfying than a serving of french fries, fresh from the fryer. Whether they're thin-cut or steak-cut, shoestring-style or Belgian-style, curly or crinkled, fries are a food that Americans hold near and dear to their hearts. So in honor of National French Fries Day, here is a look at some unique and innovative versions of this iconic dish.
Click here to see America's Most Outrageous French Fries
Just as some restaurants and vendors aim to elevate foods like pizza, burgers, and grilled cheese, many fries experts across the country are serving up their spuds in creative ways. From topping the fries with intriguing ingredients to coming up with outrageous presentations (like spiral-cut and skewered), the opportunities for innovation are endless.
Click here to see America's Best Fried Chicken
Frysmith, a popular Los Angeles-based food truck is dedicated to offering crispy, golden fries (made with Kennebec potatoes) layered with things like shawarma-marinated steak, chicken braised in tomatillo-tamarind sauce, and homemade kimchi. And over in Portland, Ore., Kenny & Zuke's tops their gargantuan servings of fries with its signature pastrami and melted Swiss cheese.
- Molly Aronica, The Daily Meal
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Carne Asada Fries — Lolita’s Taco Shop, Chula Vista, Calif.
This taco shop in Chula Vista, Calif., has been serving up authentic Mexican dishes for more than 40 years — owners Joaquin and Dolores Farfan have since expanded to create a mini empire of five locations around San Diego. These fries are topped with homemade guacamole, sour cream, chopped pieces of the shop’s signature carne asada, and cotija cheese.Â
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<em>Photo Credit:</em> © <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/ghobashi/" target="_hplink"><strong>Flickr/Scatterbrain</strong></a>
Taylor Street Fries — Edzo’s Burger Shop, Evanston, Ill.
A frequent member of "best of" burgers and fries lists locally and nationally, Edzo’s in Evanston offers straightforward burgers and fries prepared with the best (and often locally sourced) ingredients available. This homage to Chicago’s Italian roots on Taylor Street begins with Edzo’s thin-cut, twice-fried fries topped with Italian beef gravy and sweet and hot peppers.
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<em>Photo Credit:</em> © <strong>Yelp/Brit D.</strong>
Kimchi Fries — Del Seoul, Chicago
Serving quick-serve Korean barbecue street food in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, Del Seoul offers a mouthwatering french fries dish with a truly unique combination of flavors. The Kimchi fries are topped with sautéed homemade kimchi, onions, pork belly, scallions, melted cheddar and Jack cheeses, and finished with sour cream. The elements of sweet, sour, spicy, and creaminess balance expertly with the crispy fries.Â
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<em>Photo Credit:</em> © <strong>Facebook/Del Seoul</strong>
Tornado Potato -- Tornado Potato, Anaheim, Calif.
This popular South Korean street food dish is about as fun to look at as it is to eat -- the potatoes are spiral-cut, skewered, and deep-fried. The wacky looking fries are topped with everything from Cajun seasoning to caramel and chocolate sauces -- they're even available wrapped around a sausage.
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<em>Photo Credit:</em> © <strong>Facebook/Tornado Potato</strong>
Pommes Frites with Pomegranate Teriyaki Mayo -- Pommes Frites, New York City
One of the most popular fries-only establishments in the country, Pommes Frites in New York's East Village neighborhood serves up cones of freshly fried Belgian-style frites to hungry Manhattanites. The sauces here are where things get very interesting, exemplified by the addictively delicious pomegranate teriyaki mayo. Other options include Vietnamese pineapple mayo, smoked eggplant mayo, and Irish curry sauce.Â
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<em>Photo Credit:</em> © <strong>Facebook/Pommes Frites</strong>
Dips — Saus, Boston
This European frites shop serves up fries the authentic Belgian way, but adds a distinctly American twist with its selection of outrageous dipping sauces. Choose from varieties such as Saturday Night Chive, curry ketchup, and bacon-Parmesan. The shop also serves Belgian waffles.Â
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<em>Photo Credit:</em> © <strong>Frugal Foodista</strong>
Chile and Cocoa Waffle Fries — Max Brenner, New York City
Cocoa powder on french fries? You’d expect nothing less from chocolate master Max Brenner. The golden, crispy waffle fries are dusted with chili and cocoa powders and served on their own or alongside dishes like the restaurant’s signature burger.Â
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<em>Photo Credit:</em> © <strong>Yelp/David G.</strong>
Urban Fries — Jack’s Urban Eats, Sacramento, Calif.
This laid-back mini-chain of restaurants in the Sacramento area offers a menu of elevated diner foods, including a "make your own" salad bar. The signature dish here is the Urban Fries, which come topped with a unique combination of blue cheese, spicy chile oil, and crushed red chile flakes. The result is earthy with a kick of heat.Â
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<em>Photo Credit:</em> © <strong>Yelp/Kim Q.</strong>
Pastrami Cheese Fries — Kenny & Zuke’s, Portland, Ore.
Kenny & Zuke's has made a name for itself by serving authentic Jewish deli food using ingredients made in-house the old-fashioned way — from the pickles to the rye bread, and certainly the pastrami. This dish features Kenny & Zuke’s signature pastrami, piled high atop a heaping bed of fries and topped with melted Swiss cheese.
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<em>Photo Credit:</em> © <strong>Yelp/Sara C.</strong>
Chicken Sweet Potato Fries — Frysmith, Los Angeles
The choices at Frysmith are so creative that they’ve earned a second spot on this list with their chicken sweet potato fries. This dish begins with a bed of crispy, sweet potato fries topped with free-range chicken braised in tomatillo-tamarind sauce, melted white Cheddar, and chopped cashews.
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<em>Photo Credit:</em> © <strong>Facebook/Frysmith Truck</strong>
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