French Fries

I'm a former Montrealer now living in the Toronto area. I just happened on this board and got to dreaming of Broadway Chips. In the 50s and 60s Broadway Chips was the biggest 'patate frites' place on the whole island. Located in Montreal East (or Point aux Trembles...not sure) they always had at least 10 frying machines going. Best damn chips I ever tasted and I LOVE french fries. They also sold steamies (with relish + choux) and pogos.

I visit Montreal about twice a year. So I am looking for great fries. Fries will be my main course with probably a dog or burger as an appetizer. I am non-discriminatory when it comes to french fries. I like them crispy, soggy, with skin, without skin, hot or warm (although not cold), naked or with ketchup, salty or not, malt vinegar or not, seasoned or not, wedge, straight, curly, suzy-q, crinkle or shoestring, etc. EXCEPT, I don't like poutine. Once, in England, I even had a chip booty which is basically a sandwich which has chips as the filling in the middle.

As a kid I remember chip wagons. They were not allowed in the City of Montreal (a Drapeau thing) but you could find them in the 'burbs' and surrounding country side.

Sooooo, tell me WHERE I can find the best fries. Note... please no fancy restaurants.

[SpellMan]

Good fries is a tough one in Montreal. I think the best I've ever had, at Bistro 990 in Toronto, ruined the gooey, greasy fry experience for me...and that's it in Montreal. Frites Alors, Patati Patata are very so-so. But, the home fries at Panama, a wonderful Greek restaurant on Jean Talon not far from Park Ave are very tasty...as is evrything else at this great neighbouthood spot. And honestly...Mr Steer? Strawberry shortcake in a serving size that could satisfy a hockey team is the only reason to hazard a visit there.

I heard such great things about Broadway Chips from my girlfriend father(he worked there to pay is studies).You might want to try a place simular as broadway chips,it is called CHEZ MA TANTE.The location is on Fleury street and corner of St-Michel.

OR

You may as well try a place in the town of Ste-Madeleine on the south shore of Montreal.To go there you take either the 116/blvd Wilfrid Laurier (which goes directly there or the 20 until the exit of Ste-Madeleine.This Place is called CHEZ BERNARD.By the way they are only open during summer times.

OR

The last Place I can tell you to go is at CHEZ GUY LA PATATE in St-Hubert,this is also on the South Shore of Montreal.There is Two restaurant Chez Guy La Patate
please don't go at the one on Edouard street.

When I was going to school in MTL my favorite hangout for fries was this greasy spoon on Decarie Blvd near Cote Vertu. I think its called Miss Decarie(?) if I'm not mistaken, but their fries are fantastic, thick and greasy, crisp on the outside but soft on the inside. I hope it's still there.

Sorry, I remember now...it's called Decarie Hot Dogs.

Lafleur's I find is the best frie in Montreal.
The original one was in Ville St. Pierre.
I live in Ottawa now,but every time I go back
to Montreal(Verdun) I make sure I go to Lafluer's
Ville St.Pierre at least once Have a good day
and Merry Christmas.This is an interesting site.

Yes, I do apreciae foie gras, pleurottes and magret de canard, but let me tell you, McDonald's has the best fries ever. Yes, I'll stay anonymous ;)

You've got to be kidding. They're frozen, they're not even "real" fries. Somedoy needs to go eat some real taters soon.

that's what makes them perfect ;)
(althought I haven't been there in YEARS - nobody will ever find me there)

How long ago is years?

The sad truth about McDo's fries is that they used to be great. (I know this for a fact, since I started eating them as a kid at the second ever McDonald's outlet only weeks after it opened, but even Julia Child said so.) Fresh, not frozen, and fried in beef tallow, not vegetable oil. Then they went into mass-production "quality" control mode and listened to the health Nazis. Feh.

Babaloo in Dorval. Good fries. Good beer. Good price. Great place. Near the golf course.

Belgian frites!?!

What the...!?!

REALLY FRIES -

Patate dorées on the Main (next to the Monument National)

Any Lafleurs location...

Patate Normande on Verdun Ave in Verdun..

You mean Frites Dorées. BTW, they have a pretty good poutine that doesn't look like much but I defy anyone to eat it all. Their gravy is different, like a little tangy, spicy. The fries are a bit bigger but nice and golden brown.

What about Monde o' Frites (or something like that) on the Main, next to Schwartz? I haven't been there for a while, but their fries used to be really good. Anybody here had them lately?

>Monde o' Frites

LOL!

Mondo Fritz (3899 St-Laurent, 514 281-6521).

Ain't been in ages.

Good fries. A bit brownish in color, double-fried. They have about a half dozen types of homemade mayos (black pepper, curry, basil, harissa among others), but it's too bad they don't do plain mayonnaise.

They have a pretty good beer selection. Huge portions for the fries, the to go completely packs a brown bag.

I'm not sure if there is one place that's a holy grail of fries in town that towers over all the others. What makes Montreal the french fry capital of North America is that the fries at an average greasy spoon or at the homespun fast food are quite good.

I would strongly recommend La Paryse on Ontario just west of St-Denis (but beware, they've got some major road work down there for the next few months). You could also try La Banquise on Rachel 1 or 2 block west of Christophe-Colomb. And a last one that is located near where I live, Les Trois Maries hot-dog on Laurier East between Christophe-Colomb and Papineau. The fries are just really good, nice and crispy.

....just make sure you never get fries from L'Académie.......

Another vote for Frite Alors!, though to some extent it depends on the line cook. Still, the fries are made from carefully selected potatoes, cut the right size, double-fried, cooked to order and have that crusty/crunchy texture and subtle savour that only frying in tallow can provide. And the house mayo (garlic and harissa) is killer. Now, if only they'd use sea salt...

On the rare occasions when I need a late-night, greasy Quebec fries hit, I usually end up at Patati Patata. But that's only because Frite Alors! closes at 10 or 11.

Well, there are great thin curly susie-q fries at "Mr. Steers" (St. Catherine near drummond), another great place to get fries is "Normand patatte" (Two blocks west of Verdun metro, green line)they also have great steamies too. The next best would be "Frite Alors"...it's sort of a french fry chain located in the east area on Parc, Laurier and Rachel st., they have many dipping sauces to go with the fries (Garlic mayo, hot mustard, curry etc...pretty good, just don't confuse them with Mondo Frits, not very good fries at all. BLAH. That's all I have for now...happy potato hunting. :)

When I was visiting Montreal, I went around looking for good fries, and ended up at Frite Alors, but was not very impressed. I've definitly had better fries for a better price elsewhere.