Do you prefer curly fries or regular fries?

[john333]

Last night I had curly fries for the first time (with my gourmet hamburger). Not really my style. I realize I prefer the straight cut kind. What do other chowhounders say?

[alkapal]

i like the curly seasoned fries. dip 'em in mayo or aioli. yeah, buddy! actually, i'll be like al b. darned and say both. but i do like them crispy!

of course, the only fries i don't like are those shoestringy things.

[mamachef]

Always, always without fail, straight-cut fresh French Fries. What "they" have to do to make and process a curly fry makes me shudder. Potatoes aren't curly!!

[kmcarr]

Curly fries are plain potatoes sent through a spiral cutting machine; there is no processing involved at all. I cut thousands of pounds of curly fries way back when at Olga's Kitchen (http://www.olgas.com). Here is a link to a hand operated version to give you an idea of how it works (http://www.bakedeco.com/detail.asp?id=5031&manufacid=435) (thankfully ours had an electric drive to spin and feed the potatoes). We then did a standard double fry on them and seasoned only with salt. Though I see now they sell "Seasoned Curly Fries" (http://www.olgas.com/olgas_menu_sides...).

[mamachef]

I know from a spiral-cut hand cranked machine. I was speaking to what most places serve as "curly fries", processed, extruded potato. Sorry for misunderstanding.

[alkapal]

extruded? very sad fries.

"yep, he got extruded the other day. nobody thinks he'll recover from the shock." http://www.agoosa.com/images/potato-p...

[alkapal]

taters ain't curly? huh? they're as much curly as straight. ;-).

[Tripeler]

Larry and Moe, yes. But Curly? Never!

[Jelly71]

regular, for sure. and if they are krinkle cut, even better!

[nooyawka]

Between the two, I much prefer regular fries. But as far as regular fries are concerned, I much prefer steak fries. The thicker, the better. I like being able to taste the potatoiness inside the fry. But as far as thin-cut are concerned, you can call me crazy, but I think McDonald's thin-cut fries were some of the best I've ever had (this is BEFORE the changeover to using this transfat-free oil, a trend that's polluting our country). The only place where I had better thin-cut fries was at Les Halles.

[braisinhussy]

Sorry for double post - bobbling on the keyboard whilst eating (not fries, unfortunately)...

[Popkin]

I'm not sure if I can pick a favourite. There's room for all sorts of fry love here :D Jack in the Box's curly fries, the occasional over-salted soggy Mc Donald's fry, thick steak fries which are more like giant pieces of fried potato, coated and fried potato wedges from the Chicken Barn, perfectly crunchy/fluffy straight shoestrings......

[jujuthomas]

I'm with you Popkin! I love big steak fries, crinkle cuts, curlys with seasoning, fries with gravy, ketchup, salt, pepper... mcdonald's, if it contains fried potatos I'm there! :)

[pickychicky1979]

regular fries...curly fries always seem rally greasy to me.

[iL Divo]

Straight but not (Dennys straight kind) they're awful

[Uncle Luigi]

1. Straight (Fresh Cut in peanut oil preferred!!!)
2. What about Waffle Fries??? Lots of crunchy surface and great dipping potential. (Chik-fil-A)
3. Any talk of curly fries immediately makes me laugh due to the track/skit on Tenacious D's first album (and funniest album ever) "Drive-Thru" (Jack Black delivers the goods!)

[Emme]

i believe there's a time and a place for both. at jack in the box, say, it's curly fries. and personally, i like their seasoned curly fries.

as a teen, when we'd go out for late night eats, at least one of my friends always seemed to order curly fries and ranch dip. with an oreo shake.

if we're getting straight fries, however, then they best be thin not steak wedges. and some need to be soggy for me.

[mariacarmen]

loooove the occasional soggy fry!

[Perilagu Khan]

Almost as delightful as the occasional crunchy, half-popped kernel of popcorn.

[al b. darned]

Can I say BOTH!?

Normally I like thin, straight, fries, but sometimes I can't resist those crispy curls.

[LindaWhit]

98% regular fries, 2% curly fries. I prefer if I get regular fries and someone else gets curly fries and they let me have a few of them. :-)

[livetocook]

that's me too. If the two are in front of me I'll mostly likely go for the straight but, sometimes, when we are out, say at a hockey game, hubby will come back with some fries to share and I get this "oooooohh" feeling when I randomly reach over and put a curly fry in my mouth. It's kind of fun ;)

[mariacarmen]

Oh yeah, i'll eat them if they're in front of me! they're still fried potatoes, after all....

[Veggo]

Straight, in part for getting the right ratio when ketchup dipping. The curlies hold a great big glob of ketchup the size of frog eggs on a cattail rush.

[280 Ninth]

...And you know how we all hate frog eggs on a cattail rush!

[dave_c]

Maybe I'm burned out on regular straight fries... My preference is for curly fries.
The curly fries I've tried are crispy on the outside with a soft potato center.

If a place offers seasoned curly fries, I usually opt for those over plain curly fries.

However, I'd say crinkle cut fries trumps them all, but rarely seen offered nowadays.

[Pia]

Regular fries generally taste better (maybe because most curly fries are industrial), but curly fries are fun sometimes.

[Perilagu Khan]

Another hanging chad for regular fries. And I generally prefer the "fast food" fries to steak fries or crinkle cut.

[mariacarmen]

i'm ashamed to say it, PK, but i used to LOVE crinkle-cut fries from a fast food chain called Del Taco. I don't think they even exist anymore. But yeah, now i'm all about frites - thin, straight, crispy and salty. Ahhh, the potato. such a sublime tuber.

[Popkin]

I haven't been to Del Taco recently so I can't comment on the existence of their crinkle-cut fries, but rest assured they are still around here and there in California.

[Jelly71]

they still exist. i just had some last week. when they come right out of the fryer, they are heavenly!

[mariacarmen]

right?? with plenty of salt? yum! I've only seen them in So. Cal., not in the Bay Area.... just as well.

[mels]

Regular. The few times I have had curly fries they have been over-seasoned by some sort of super salty spice mixture. Give me hand cut fresh fried potatoes any day over the curlies.

[Sooeygun]

That's what I have found too. The curly fries have that spicy coating on them and I don't like coated fries, curly or straight. And I hate when I order fries and it doesn't say on the menu that they are the 'spicy' fries.

[BiscuitBoy]

Yes! Why do curly-cut potatoes always get the seasoning/coating treatment? Does burger king have a hand in this?!!! Way prefer regular fries

[thew]

regular. not even close

[280 Ninth]

Amen. Frites, baby, frites...

[TomChowhound]

I don't think many people have ever had fries that weren't straight. I haven't.