It Is French Fry Heaven at Fry Madness

Written by Allison Levine on February 5, 2019

Food

Who does not like french fries? What’s not to love about the perfect salty snack that can be enjoyed anytime!? There are steak fries, shoestring fries, curly fries, crinkle fries and so many other shapes and sizes. Fries can be salted or spiced. They can be served as a side dish or poutin. Fries can be dipped in ketchup, bbq sauce, ranch dressing, truffle aioli, vineagar and more. I thought I had seen it all until I enjoyed a french fry smorgasbord that was pure french fry madness. And where was this? At Fry Madness in downtown Los Angeles.

It is fair to assume that Fry Madness is a fast casual restaurant where you might order at the counter and take a seat. But, Fry Madness, a small restaurant with approximately 20 seats, is a full-service restaurant. Take a seat and the server will give a menu and then take your orders. The only catch is that every single thing on the menu is french fries! Read More +

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Duck Fat Fries at Compline Wine Bar, Restaurant and Merchant, Napa

Written by Allison Levine on October 6, 2018

Food

There is one thing I cannot stop thinking about is the duck fat fries at Compline Wine Bar, Restaurant and Merchant in downtown Napa. If you love french fries, as I do, then there is no wonder that Compline’s duck fat fries are the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Duck fat fries sounds so indulgent. But, in reality, duck fat contains 6.3 grams of “good” monounsaturated fat. It is also free from the additives. It is pure fat from ducks. And at Compline, the fries are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.

Compline Wine Bar, Restaurant and Merchant opened in September 2017 on First Street in Downtown Napa. It was opened by Ryan Stetins, former wine director at Charlie Trotter, and Master Sommelier Matt Stamp, formerly of the French Laundry. Together they opened a place that is casual and friendly but offering fine dining-quality service.

The seasonal, locally sourced menu at Compline is developed by Chef Yancy Windsperger. It is a great place to go with friends and order a number of plates to share, from arancini and country terrine to tostones con pollo and poached egg & polenta to a juicy burger, king salmon or hanger steak. But no matter what you order, the duck fat fries are a definitely must!

And to pair with the duck fat fries….of course, there is a fantastic selection of wines, both domestic and international, to chose from but you cannot go wrong with Champagne and duck fat fries.

I have had duck fat fries in three locations in Napa and hands down Compline has the best duck fat fries and that is why they are the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: The Great American Fries Co

Written by Allison Levine on July 7, 2018

Food

Who doesn’t love french fries? I know I do. But not all fries are equal. To me the perfect French fry is not too thick but not too thin, not wimpy and not burned. It is freshly made, tastes like the potato it was made from and has the perfect ratio between potato and crunch. That is what I found at The Great American Fries Co, the Please The Palate pick of the week.

I was in Santa Monica this week with my 5 year old nephew who told me he was hungry. We were on the pier surrounded by tons of junk food. We wanted something savory, not sweet, but also just a snack as dinner was only a couple hours away. But, everything looked like it had come from a freezer. We walked up the hill to Ocean Avenue and just across the street was The Great American Fries Co charming food truck with its wood panel walls, chalkboard menu and bright red sign.

The Great American Fries Co opened their flagship location on the corner of Colorado & Ocean Ave, across from the Santa Monica Pier at the end of Route 66, just a few weeks ago (June 16, 2018). The Great American Fries Co uses fresh local potatoes and high oleic, non-GMO, 100% pure sunflower oil, which is heart healthy! The fries are fresh, twice cooked and have zero trans fat!

You can order a regular, large or super large order of fries, which are served in a brown paper cone. Once you pick you fries, you can pick a sauce. My nephew went with the classic ketchup but I tried the Coconut Curry, a mildly spiced curry sauce made with coconut milk, ginger and Asian herb. Other sauce options are Jerk BBQ, Hole Mole, Spicy SriRacha Mayo, The Dude Ranch and Truffle Lovers Fries. There are also sweet sauces such as Classic Maple, Chocolate Nutella and Whiskey ButterScotch. All of the sauces were created by co-owner and chef Caroline Artiss.

Brave the crowds of tourists in Santa Monica for some tasty fries from The Great American Fries Co, the Please The Palate pick of the week.