Seattle- Perfect french fries?

[spudsocks]

Ok. I went to Red Mill the other night and, while I completely enjoyed my meal, I thought that the fries could have been kicked up a notch and I wasn't completely sure why. The salt? The crispiness? Since then I've been on a mini-quest to find the perfect french fry in Seattle--and I need your help. I've been to Frites and it's amazing, but what else comes to mind?

[Bethwick]

The best fries I have had recently are the fries at Petra served with feta cheese and the pommes frites at Ponti served with ketchup and aioli.

[ToddBradley]

Hi, I'm going to be living in Seattle for a month, and was excited to learn there are a couple of Belgian fries joints in the area. But then I read that Frites closed. That leaves Fritz European Fry House in Bremerton. Are there any other places to get Belgian style fries in the area (or otherwise really good fries)?

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Fritz European Fry House
94 Washington Ave, Bremerton, WA 98337

[LemonyRoux]

Fritz in Bremerton really makes some excellent fries with a variety of dipping sauces. It's been a bouple of years since I have been there, but it's conveniently located next to the ferry terminal in Bremerton - a nice day excursion while you are visiting this city.

[mrnelso]

Late entry here: Just got back from sampling sweet potato fries at Lunchbox Laboratory.
A contender, I am certain, for best fries in town. The regular, fresh-cut, curly fries were good also, but oh, those SP ones. We had some with a prime rib burger and chocolate cherry Boston Cream shake. I am due for my heart attack in seconds, but will die happy.

[phinious]

Tat's, here in P.Square does them well. You can order them with Old Bay seasoning (prefered). Add a splash of malt vinegar... done, done & done.

[Vexorg]

Gotta' second this one. The fries at Tat's are dfeinitely one of my favorites.

[burritobelle]

I have never lived anywhere with such an abundance of great fries! I love the Mecca's fries (owned by the same folks as the Five Point, so prolly the same fries).

-Baguette Box's truffle fries
-35th Street Bistro
-Smith has great fries - used in poutine
-I also loved the Geraldine's Counter sweet potato fries

[PAO]

Sambar has the most amazing fries I've ever had. A previous poster says there's only Dijon mustard as a side, but they will bring catsup or I think mayonnaise on request. But I didn't think the fries needed anything more than the salt that was already on them. Much darker than what one normally gets, they were perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside with an incredibly rich flavor I'd never experienced before. The richness led us to speculate that they had been cooked in lard, but the waiter said they were cooked in peanut oil.

[MsMaryMc]

I like Brouwer's, and Old Towne Ale House in Ballard does a nice job on theirs, but I have a new favorite: the skinny, crispy ones at Lunchbox Laboratory. You get a choice of salts on them (the only ones I remember were bacon-flavored and sea salt, but there were a few others), and they have scads of sauce choices for dipping. I had them with sea salt and a house-made malt vinegar mayonnaise and I was in heaven.

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Lunchbox Laboratory
1253 Thomas Street, Seattle, WA 98109

[staffstuff]

the ones at Lunchbox Lab are previously frozen! There ARE places in town that make fresh, hand-cut fries that are my preference, like Copper Gate in Ballard

[lisaf]

My current favorites are the shoestring fries that come along with the steak at Cafe Lago in Montlake. Thin, crispy perfection with a little bit of salt.

[seattlesbest]

I am also looking for good french fries and haven't seen any in 5 years since Red Door changed locations. Only Dicks works for me lately. Nicholson pub I shall try soon.

1. Dick's on 45th is fabulous! Best Grease in town! Must wait for long lines from college/high school students then the greasy hot fries are served great! If no lin Dick's fries are soggy and nasty!

2. Red Mill - when originally opened they served fresh cut potato fries but have changed to frozen since at least 2005.
3. Brouwer's - employee's self post so I stay away from this over rated establishment.
4. Red Door - formerly great fries now just average. A former Red Door cook order these one year ago and returned them to management saying we have gone down hill!
5. Frites - Capitol Hill was average. I thought bit overpriced for international style fries.

[wlayres]

Try the fries at Red Door in Fremont. They are similar to Dick's fries - hand-cut, skin-on fries, but they are slightly less greasy. I dip mine in ranch dressing. Cafe Campagne makes my favorite fries. They divulged their secret to me recently - their fries are cooked in duck fat. Yum!

[Scarequotes]

The fries at the Jones Bistro in Maple Leaf aren't, as they claim, the best in the city -- I prefer Frites, for one -- but they're nonetheless quite good.

[jenniferedie]

The funeral fries at Norms in Fremont are quite good. I am usually not a fan of chili cheese fries but there is something really good about these.

[troutsteve]

the fries at browers are officially seconded. wunnerful....

[Lauren]

Brouwer's in Fremont? Wow! When did that happen? They used to be pretty bad but I know they've been tinkering with them. I hadn't heard that they had gotten better. Good to know! I'll have to head back for some moules frites.......

[stolenchange]

I had Brouwers fries about a year ago and they were quite tasty. Or maybe the several beers prior helped the taste. :)

[malarkey]

The last time I sampled the frites at Brouwer's they had indeed vastly improved. Now to sample other menu items...

[frygirl]

As of last night, I've officially fallen in love with Brouwer's French fries. Hand cut, fried to a slight crisp, but not too crunchy, mysteriously seasoned with something intriguing and much more interesting than Lowery's season salt. Served with divine housemade aioli. Heaven. Pure heaven.

I also must give kudos to their housemade veggie burger, consisting of mushrooms, black beans and pecans, served on the freshest hamburger bun I've had in a long time. It's so good!

[dandelion]

Not fries, but the "Cajunized" tater tots at McMenamins and Dad Watson's are so, so good.

[natalie.warner]

the cajun fries at Celtic Bayou are amazing also- they are a option with dinners and also on happy hour

[mrnelso]

Though I've not had them, my darling wife loved the fries at Fare Start recently.

[Nutty Squirrel]

Sorry for the repeat posts. I don't know what is causing this.

[bfiesta]

Believe it or not... Bremerton!?! Fritz's Fry House. Belgium style. Twice cooked. Half a dozen flavored mayos. Served in a cone. Good selection of Belgium beers and locally brewed. Located right at the ferry terminal. Yeah, thats right I said it... Bremerton.

[slabbit]

I'm not sure they're the best in the Seattle area, but they are damn good. I had the truffle fries at Elysian Fields a week or two ago, and those are my current favorites. Those were $@^#-ing good!

[gt1485a]

I gotta say the truffle fries at Saltoro are pretty damn good.

[pman]

Gotta be Brouwer's Cafe (Fremont).

[lemiller610]

I second Brouwer's. Perfectly crisp and always piping hot. Great aiolis too served on the side.

[stolenchange]

I just tried King's Hardware in Ballard today and their regular fries were pretty damn tasty. The show-stealer were the sweet potato fries though. I didn't know i liked sweet potatoes until i ate those today.

[bellabear6]

Maybe I am just old fashioned...but I love going to Dick's! Skin on fries are the best...they are a little greasy, but I still can't get enough of them.

[hertzdonut]

Strangely, my favorite fries are the 1101 cafe at the University of Washington (Campus Parkway off the University bridge); they usually have them during lunch (I am an "older student" at the U, and technically you can't go there unless you're associated with the university, but they don't check ids - cash only). Crispy, golden, tender at the inside, salty but not overly so, not weighed down by any grease. You might be amazed.

[ccbweb]

I was scrolling the thread to see if anyone mentioned Dick's. They're the one I miss most now that I'm not in Seattle anymore.

[malarkey]

someone told me the truffle fries at The Apartment are quite good, but I've not tried them yet. I love the frites & aioli at Cafe Campagne, and the truffle fries at Baguette Box I'll vote for also... but I have a soft spot for well made krinkle cuts...!

[de_soie]

Yup, right there with you on Cafe Campagne. Adding Zak's in Ballard, and Geraldine's Sweet Potato Fries.

[terrier]

The truffle fries at Elysian Fields - $2, only available during happy hour. :( - are pretty damn good. Good enough that I really, really wish they were available before 4 and after 6.

Frites, though, is in a class by itself.

[thecobbans]

Ezell's Famous Fried Chicken has great fries. Nothing fancy...crinkle-cut fries, perfectly cooked fresh every time and perfectly salted.

[natalie.warner]

For fries outside the box I would suggested the curried fries at Wid Rover in Kirkland- I did not order them, but a friend did and we could not stop eating them.

[gmm]

I did the happy hour at Cascadia about a month ago, and I loved their fries.

[cocktailhour]

I agree that both Cafe Campagne and Baguette Box have excellent fries. At CC, they provide aioli on request, and I go for the truffle fries every time at BB. For happy hour, Sazerac and the W bar both offer fairly decent fries. the W has super expensive "sexy fries" with garlic and truffle (maybe) that are usually excellent, although the last time there they did not put on enough flavor to justify the $13 price tag. Both places offer a crisp, well fried potato though.

[stolenchange]

I forgot about Cafe Campagne and their delicious fries. Oh, that aioli is to die for. Their brunch time lamb burger with fries and a glass of red wine is a wonderful weekend treat.

[howard 1st]

yes, it's true that the 5 points (4th/cedar), an otherwise undistinguished bar, has superb french fries and they sell them by the pound. sadly, not much else on the menu matches up. the fries at baguette box (pine/belmont) are also very fine (and the rest of the menu is excellent) with the added option of making them into truffle fries - which i think is rather lilygilding but some folks like that....

[savorlicious]

I noticed this post yesterday and found myself at Coppergate in Ballard last night where the owner advised that they are serving the 2nd best fries in the city (after Sambar). Unable to resist that challenge, we ordered them up. And they are good, though not traditional. They are seasoned with dill and salt and served with a curried ketchup. The best part was that you could really taste quality potato. They were very fluffy inside. I would have preferred a little crispier on the outside but overall, a good frites experience. Oh and if it is just a taste you are after, they didn't advertise the smaller portion. We only noticed it in front of another customer after we had scarfed the big plate.

[christy319]

I had these and they were awful! I guess I could have caught them on a bad night, but they were soggy, oily, stuck together in a big heap and generally just blah.

[savorlicious]

Yikes - maybe he paid particular attention to our order having cited them as some of the best in town.

[ssusu]

I'm a big fan of the shoestring fries at 22 Doors on 15th

[ccqueen]

sambar has good frites, but only dijon to accompany them. i like cafe campagne's frites. perfect for dipping in oeufs en meurette.

[kaleokahu]

Hi, ccqueen:

You have only to ask for aoli at Sambar.

Aloha,
Kaleo

[charmedgirl]

Have not tried, but heard tell the 5 Point in Belltown has insanely good fries. No joke. Place looks like a real dive, but in a rather intriguing way. Might be one of those great finds, who knows. Worth a shot.

[Boychucker]

I love Honeyhole fries on Capitol Hill.

[Leper]

Frites on Capital Hill. Made as in Belgium.

[lemiller610]

Frites has been closed for a number of years.

[stolenchange]

The Nickerson Pub by the Fremont Bridge has some insanely delicious fries. Highly recommend them paired with a pint of Mac and Jacks African Amber.

[christy319]

Sambar (the little bar next to Le Gourmand in Ballard) has great frites.

Red Mill has had a number of different kinds of fries over the years, and they've never been very good.

[kkbriggs]

I'm partial to the sweet potato fries from Pies and Pints...although that could just be the garlic aioli dipping sauce they come with...