The List

The List

    Out of all the questions I've had about this blog, "What is your top 10 list?" is the question I get the most.  Here's the current list.  Before you read, there are some important rules to know.  No toppings allowed other than salt.  Most of these entries are from the Lexington, KY area.  There may be some deserving places that aren't on this list.  That means I haven't had them, or I disagree with you.  My blog.  I'm right.  Also if you have fries you want me to try, contact me.  I'm ready to eat.  Enjoy the list!

 1.       Charlie’s Fish Market 

 Located in Lexington, KY, this is a fish store that doubles as a carry out restaurant.  When you walk in, it is like looking at the fish version of a butcher.  There are no seats, but there is always a line for their gigantic fish sandwiches.  The bonus is that they happen to have the best french fries going today.  These are large golden crinkle style fries that are served in a styrofoam box (fries > environmental concerns).  Some of the fries are as long as the box is wide.  The fries have a slight crisp to the outside, and they are soft and fluffy on the inside.  The fries are not cooked in the same fryer as the fish, so there is no taste mixing here.  The purity of the fries here keeps me coming back at least once a week.  They aren’t stingy with the fries when you order with the sandwich or other choices, but you can also just get a box of fries on their own.  This is a family owned place with a friendly staff, so you get the plus of being treated well while they are serving you with their own little piece of perfection.  Oddly enough they had no idea that they had the best fries going, and the owners were humble about the honor.
 

2.       Detroit Coney Island

 Detroit Coney Island is another Lexington, KY institution (noticing a trend?).  This unassuming little restaurant sits on a side street next to what used to be busy thanks to a mall that has now been renovated into a few box stores and doctor’s offices.  This is still a place that locals know to hit due to their friendly service and great food.  This includes their magnificent golden crinkle fries.  While Charlie’s has them beat on the purity of the fries, Detroit Coney Island gets points for the taste of their grease.  These fries have an almost smoky quality to them.  They are shorter golden crinkle cuts with a fatter circumference.  Detroit Coney Island loses points due to the quantity of fries that are served.  I’ve been there when I was satisfied with the amount, but I’ve also been severely disappointed when the fry total has been lacking.  Despite this lack of consistency in the serving portion, the taste is always delicious.
 

3.       Red Robin

The first national brand to hit the top 10.  Red Robin has advertised their restaurant in a perfect way – Bottomless Steak Fries!  In case you don’t believe it, go check out Red Robin for yourself.  They will continue to bring out orders of fries, as long as you can keep putting them away.  In my larger days, I once put away 8 refills.  These fries are the classic steak fry cut of approximately a ¼ inch thick rectangles.  In the past Red Robin has made the mistake of adding their own house spice to the fries which had a reddish look.  Thankfully my local Red Robin knows better than to make that mistake.  These fries are crispy with a nice cooked meaty interior.  They sit well in your stomach allowing for more orders to be consumed before you feel like Thanksgiving is over.  Red Robin would potentially rank higher if it was safe to order without the fear of the spices being added before the fries are served.  Otherwise they have found themselves close to perfection.
 

4.       Texas Roadhouse

Another national brand hits the top 5.  Texas Roadhouse scores with a steak fry that oddly enough has no crisp to the outside.  These fries come out soft the whole way through, but they are completely cooked.  Texas Roadhouse is generous with the portions, and with most entrees you are asked to order 2 sides.  You can order double fries, and even the biggest consumer will be satisfied.  From time to time, you will find a cook who tries to be creative with tossing some spice or cilantro.  Make sure to order your fries with no spices, and you will be sure to be happy. 

5.       Parkette

Continuing with the Lexington tradition, this place has been in existence since 1951.  Fans everywhere are drawn in by their large neon sign drawing you in for an old school car hop style experience.  The fries are a medium sized golden crinkle cut that are classically fried to a nice golden brown color  There is a slight crisp with a good fluffy interior.  They will supply you with little salt packets, but they do not salt the fries ahead of time.  This leads to a good consistency that will keep you coming back. 

6.       C & P

This is a more recent addition to the top 10, and it is definitely a deserving fry.  C&P follows the model of many of these top fries by using a golden crinkle cut fry, but they change it up with the style of delivery.  C&P is a little market on a small reviving street in Lexington. It looks like a grocery store from the outside, but the inside shows that about 10 feet is a grocery.  The rest is a diner that the locals line up early for.  The fries themselves are placed into a hot dog sleeve, but a good handful is tossed into the bag after that is filled.  The fries are soft and cooked through with a well done flavor that has been mixed with the other selections on the menu including onion rings and chicken tenders.  The bag you get normally gets soaked with grease which just makes the experience better. 

7.       Nathan’s/Great Wolf Lodge

This is a recently reviewed piece of excellence linked here. 

https://yourfrenchfrylist.blogspot.com/2018/03/number-3-with-bullet-i-had-joy-or.html

8.       McDonald’s 

This is the standard that was set before I was even born.  McDonald’s is probably more responsible for the popularity of fries than any other restaurant.  McDonald’s would be much higher on this list if they ever went back to using beef fat for their fryers.  Fries everywhere tasted better back then.  Unfortunately, the Health Police made all of the fast food places use “healthier” grease.  Of course, now studies show that the supposedly healthier low cholesterol grease may be worse for you.  I will say that McDonald’s has stayed delicious while their competitors have suffered more taste-wise (see Wendy’s).  McDonald’s also succeeds with consistency.  The fries are always cooked the same way with the only variance being the amount of salt used. 

 9.       White Castle
 White Castle opened their first location in the Cincinnati area back in 1927.  By the time I started enjoying White Castle’s fries, they had taken the time to learn how to do things right.  These are thin crinkle cut fries that are about the same length as your classic McDonald’s fries.  These have more heft to them internally, but the outsides are not as crisp.  These are normally soft throughout with a few that may be left in the fryer long enough to get crispy.  Extra credit goes to White Castle for serving a large order as a sack.  There is a great feeling when you tell the drive through, “I’ll have a sack of fries please!”  Just don’t order a soft drink, as they use the Coca Cola Freestyle machine.  I guess they don’t clean out the hoses, as every drink has a strange after taste. 

10.   Frisch’s
 Frisch’s has recently changed their fries, and I recently reviewed their fries in an earlier blog linked here. 

https://yourfrenchfrylist.blogspot.com/2018/03/welcome-back-to-learning-more-than-you.html

There you have it.  The List.  I'm open for comments and invitations to potential new arrivals to the list!