Best places for french fries?

Does anyone know a good place to have FF? I remember seeing on TV that Danny Glover or Samuel Jackson has a place strictly for french fries? Does anyone know where it is? Are there any other places in LA who specializes in FF? Thanks

[malibumike]

The best fries I ever had was at the Apple Pan on Pico blvd in WLA

[Hypnotic23]

Somebody on this board suggested the fries at CARNIVAL RESTAURANT in Sherman Oaks on Moorpark & Woodman. This past weekend I had the craving and tried these, they were amazing!

Since they prepare them fresh to order and cut them to order you end up with a treat of delicious fries.

I suggest others go there too.

Enjoy,

Stuart

[bodie]

Suggestion taken and very much enjoyed. I really love fries and these certainly are among the most righteous I've had.
Thanks for the info Stuart.

[Francesca]

French 75 Bistro

[banquisha]

when is the westside location to open? i think its going to be in the century city mall.

[Francesca]

Should be any minute now...go the website, it may have a phone number now, or call one of the other French 75's. Can't wait.

[DiveFan]

As long as this thread is alive, and I'm sorry to sound like a shill, but B&R Old Fashioned Burgers in Hawthorne has excellent thick (1 cm sq) cut fries. Being thick, you get more potato flavor and not as much crispy texture (if you're into that). The best part is the black pepper/paprika/salt condiment - be sure to liberally apply!

[kiwi]

I was trying to find a post that could be up to two years old. -Couldn't find it. It was a post asking about your favorite fries, but we broke it up into categories; fast food, steak cut, thin cut, and something else. Does anyone else remember the thread? I think it would be nice to link that thread to this one.

[kiwi]

Yes, I'm replying to myself. I appreciate it when I do nice things like that. Anyway, I found the thread I was looking for. Hopefully it will help someone else.

Link to The Great French Fry Debate of April 2006: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[cvc]

Max - Sherman Oaks
Lucky Devil - Hollywood
Bin 8945 - West Hollywood
Hal's - Venice
Chez Mimi - Santa Monica

[banquisha]

The fries from Bin 8945, fried in duck fat... mmmmm...

[amandine]

i want to know.... where to find the best STEAK CUT (thick) fries in L.A.?? (more surface area for ketchup... see my previous post)

[mc michael]

Hamburger Hamlet used to have big slab fries so I'm thinking maybe Gardens on Glendon or Kate Mantilini could source you.

[Dommy]

The ones I had at Barney's Beanery were EXCELLENT... lightly spiced... Great for soaking up Belgian Brews...

--Dommy!

[mc michael]

Barney's WeHo or Barney's Pasadena?

[theOracle]

Barney's (not beanery) in Old Pasadena and Barney's The Only Place in Town in Sierra Madre.

The best steak fries in town. For twenty-six years.

[mc michael]

Pete's at 4th & Main downtown has very good blue cheese fries, but they are very salty (could they be trying to sell beer?).

[scuzm]

had these today. they were awesome. got a plate shared btwn three people. there was a fight for the last ones.

[mc michael]

You mean you're supposed to share? Oh....

[scuzm]

you need to save space for the hellman burger! and i have to say, that although ketchup + bleu cheese doesn't sound like a winning combo, the sweet and salty on a potato was so amazing.

[wilafur]

oh man. just had them again this weekend. still thinking about them!

try adding a bit of tabasco to the ketchup....really gives it a good kick!

[purediva]

The sweet potato frites at Father's Office with the blue cheese aioli, bar none. They also have a regular potato fries which are good too, but not as good as the sweet potato frites...best I've ever had.

[Dommy]

My favorite fries have to go to Skoobys... Perfect in everyway... including their fried slices... hmmm...

The Hungry Cat had good fries, but the last few times we've gone they have been Eh...

--Dommy!

[rezpeni]

For best fries in Hollywood, I would have to say Skooby's and Lucky Devil, both on Hollywood Blvd. Also newcomer Larchmont Grill is severing some fantastic fries - they come with a very tasty herbed aioli.

[kiwi]

anyone else notice that we all responded to a 3 1/2 year old post?

[bobbyperu]

That seems like a good reason to pull up a 3 1/2 year old post - a lot can change and we can compare and contrast, as opposed to starting a new one with the same topic and reinvent the wheel.

[RSMBob]

Here in the OC, Houston's and Trabuco Oaks Steakhouse both have superb match-stick-type shoestrings. Tulsa Rib Company in Orange has an incredible cottage-style fry they call Tulsa potatoes. Chicago's Best in Irvine has realy great fresh-cut fries as long as they are cooked thoroughly (so as not to be limp).

[kiwi]

There's this place on the south side of Burbank Blvd., I think between Hollywood Way and Buena Vista. I think it's called Larry's. There's a neon sign of a hot dog with a wagging tail. Anyway, I remember really liking their fries. They tasted almost like donuts. Worth a try, maybe?

[kato77]

For the best fries in LA, I think it really depends on the type that you prefer such as, fat cut, matchstick, sweet potato (my weakness) or McDonald's thin cut. I second the cheese fries with ranch at Islands, they're greasy and delicious. If you order takeout however, pass on the fries. Though I hate to recommend such over-rated "hot spots", Father's Office and Beechwood really know what they are doing with sweet potato fries. Beechwood serves them with three dipping sauces of spicy ketchup, an aioli and something else that I can't recall. Josies truffle fries are truly decadent and my absolute favorite fries are at the Brentwood. They are perfectly delicious. They are fresh enough that you can slightly taste the potato, and have just the right mix of fried in fat and dipped in salt. The Brentwood serves truly the best fries in my opinion.

[amandine]

i also love the sweet potato fries at FO's but i am so bitter about the fact that they refuse to carry normal ketchup. the aioli is good and sophisticated and all, but it's too much frou frou after a point! you have to break up the monotony with the classic condiment.

[PaulF]

There's a chain called Damom and Pythas with pretty damn great garlic fries and bleu cheese fries.

They have a location in Westwood and I think one in Santa Monica and I don't know where else.

They have a web site you can google ...

[bobbyperu]

It's a little out of the ordinary, but Dusty's in Silverlake on Sunset serves fantastic "Poutine": basically, it's fries with gravy and mozzarella curds. It's the French Canadian version of "chili cheese fries."

[Peepingpalette]

Thank You Bobbyperu... as a Canadian transplant that is fantastic news about poutine being as close as Silver Lake. I was given a bit of a talking to about old threads but your poutine report made it worth the slap on the wrist... you have no idea how happy you've made this hoser!

[eartha]

Peeping, there is a Canadian cafe in Monrovia serving poutine fries. See canadian-cafe.com. Several other artery-clogging yummies as well.

[Ollie]

I've had them @ the Canadian Cafe. Went there on a recommendation from a chowhound. Everything about that place sucks! Even the Poutine fries!

[Peepingpalette]

The best fries I've had in L.A. are at Carnivale in the Valley (Moorpark & Woodman just north of Ventura). They are irregular in size because they are hand cut... OUTRAGEOUSLY good to the point where I would say they are even better than my Mom's. It's not a burger joint - it's Lebanese (very very good Arabic salad and falafel too) and it is the only FF I'll eat now. It's just that good!

On Thompson right next to the 101 North on-ramp. Great cheese steak, used to be owned by same owner as Great western Hoagie on Lincoln in Venice. But the fries are really good, served in a brown paper bag. Large portion.

Hi Ron, and welcome to the LA CH board. All of your posts were great and you obviously have a lot of excellent chow news to share.

Just one small request to not change the subject title when you reply, unless the thread has drifted so far off of the original topic it needs to be retitled, and then you can hyphen to the new one. (or in my case as I did in my reply to you back to the original subject title).

Thanks for your kind cooperation. And now, back to the chow.

Ok gotcha, a thousand pardons. I did add one more above before I read this.

No worries, Ron. If you access the site using hot posts you'll see why, (and it's a great way to keep up with what is new each day). If you want to bookmark it just use www.chowhound.com/hotpost/hotpost2.html

I thought the garlic fries at Rosen Brewery in K-town were quite tasty ...

I'm otherwise not tremendous fan of the place otherwise but Jar has incredible french fries. On the thinner side yet thankfully not too thin. They are crisp as hell with a light steaming inside and a wonderful nuttiness to them. Get thyself to Jar.

Pommes frites at Le Petit Bistro, either location (La Cienega or Ventura Blvd. in the valley)

I used to love Boardwalk Fries, but they disappeared. Anyone know what happened to them? The one I went to was in Santa Ana's Main Place.

I like the garlic fries at Cafe Pinot (also available at their take-out window).

I like em too but I've found that in the container going home the heat/steam causes them to get limp. So...open the lid. Of course, this means I eat em all before I get home. Oh well...

Fries to go? It's just one of those things that doesn't work. I suppose you're off the hook so long as you eat every last one of them in the car within a 5 mile radius of Jar.

It's actually an interesting topic -- does 'to go' food travel? Personally I find very very few things survive the 'to go' container, the travel, etc.

In contrast, say, to American-style Chinese food, which actually tastes better when consumed out of a take-out carton on a sofa in front of one's tv.

Is that what McDonald's was trying for when they started putting salads in soda cups? You are right though. What is it? The cornstarch & sugar?

The Fish Grill (I like the one across from the New Beverly) has the best fries in Los Angeles. Except when I fry up a batch, of course!

I like Bandera's and Houston's fries, and surprisingly the Standard Hotel in Downtown LA has some really crispy yet light fries that are very addictive (their burgers are pretty good too!)

Carlitos' Gardel's garlic fries! on melrose and hayworth. Excellent

Josie in Santa Monica has truffle fries (thin fries drizzled in truffle oil I believe)that are amazing! They accompany her buffalo burger which is also great but the fries are available ala carte as well.

I'm obsessed with french fries, and I believe that the best ones are at Cafe Stella. This is a thin, McDonald's size fry, in the French style.

Benite's Frites has good fries, but I haven't been there in a long time. I went at Universal City Walk. I seem to remember hearing they closed down, though. If not, give it a try.

It's a bit of a hike, but the Hitching Post in Buellton has the best fries I can recall. Double fried in Beet Suet. mmmm....

Jon

You're right, those fries are awesome. I was up there just a couple of weeks ago and had the fries and a couple of those unbelievably good grilled artichokes before launching into our steaks. I knew about the suet but didn't know they were twice fried - Thanks.

[Ollie]

Even better than the hitching post for fries is right next door @ A.J. Spurs!

At one time I loved the fries at Mo Better Meatty Meat Burger. I think they are the really greasey fried in peanut oil variety. But I aven't been in a long time.

Mo' Bettah's fries are still great and are still, as you described, of the large, limp, peanut oil steak variety. they use real potatoes w/skins on. be forewarned: some of the slowest service on the planet. give yourself at least 20 mins. if you order a burger and fries.

also vouch for Cafe Stella

The service (as in how long it takes to place your order) is not slow, it just takes a while to make each burger. Should this be held against them??? Order ahead from the car like I do. The burgers are great and the fries are even better.

And thanks for giving me yet another reason (as if i needed one) to blow my miniscule paycheck at Cafe Stella.

Jon

i don't think it should be held against them. i love the place. i think people should know that it takes a while.

got it....it did surprise me the first time I went. In and Out and the other places have made us impatient for our burgers.

I love In and Out, but it's hard to imagine a hamburger place being slower than they are.

I wouldn't call it a "specialty fries" place, but the Library Alehouse on Main St. in Santa Monica makes some darn good fries that you can request "Belgian style" to better accompany one of the Belgian abbey ales they also serve there.

As per the thread below, I don't think they're actually frying them in horse fat, so maybe they mean "Belgian" somewhat loosely. Still, really good...

The place you are referring to is called Hollywood Fries in Westwood - it's owned by Danny Glover. Funny, my sister and her boyfriend just saw a tv feature on it as well a couple of weeks ago so we went out to try it. Verdict: seems to be coasting on it's star connection and "exotic" dipping sauces. The fries were stale and bordered on over-fried. The sauces (we tried 4 in all - Old-fashion Ketchup, Garlic Ketchup, Chipotle Mayo and Garlic Mayo) were nothing that you can't find bottled already or that you can't make yourself. And the service was incredible slow - I kid you not we waited 1/2 an hour for 2 orders of fries.

I'm partial to the cheddar fries served at Islands with a side of ranch dressing. The regular basket of fries is OK, but these are amazing!

I think it was called Hollywood fries.
I am sure it was in Westwood, near UCLA
Please report back after you go

Barbeque King on Cesar Chavez and Figueroa, downtown L.A. Not a fry place obviously but they are homemade and incredible. Also, Gordon Biersch Brewery has some awesome garlic fries.