Food fight: French fries

Food fight: French fries

Written by Joe Torok

Wednesday, 04 June 2008

French fries are the quintessential American side dish. So ubiquitous, in fact, politicians use them to make juvenile political points.   But last Friday, politics was off the table and fried slivers of potato were on it, as City Pulse staffers made the rounds to a few Lansing eateries known for fresh, hand-cut French fries. From thick cuts to thin and ketchup to herbed mayonnaise dipping sauce, four reviewers sampled the popular, greasy yet delectable side dish. Reviewers used a scale of 1 to 10 (ranging from blah to wow) to rate the taste, texture and presentation of the little slices of fried heaven. Below are the overall scores and a summary of judges' comments. The Fleetwood Diner's hand-cut fries with homemade seasoning were the favorite in our recent sampling (Eric Gallippo/City Pulse). Fleetwood Diner – 8.25 out of 10. 2211 S. Cedar St., Lansing.  $2.20 for a large basket. Judges noted the crispy outside and homemade seasoning salt in our highest rated fry. A large basket of thinly sliced Idaho spuds was more than enough for the four judges.  Fleetwood fries in vegetable shortening and uses No. 2 Idahos for their ability to shed their starch, unlike No. 1s. Shedding the starch makes for a crisper, better cooked fry. One reviewer thought the tasty seasoning might have been a little heavy, but the group as a whole enjoyed their side dish in Fleetwood's retro kitsch, blue-collar atmosphere. These fries were ranked highest by three of four judges based on a combination of crispiness, seasoning and just the right amount of greasiness. Moriarty's – 7.75 out of 10 802 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing. $2.75 for a large basket. City Pulse readers recently voted Moriarty's fries a favorite, and the judges agreed.  Reviewers noted the most generous portion of the day had excellent potato flavor and crispy skins with soft, bready insides that were piping hot. Sliced thinly and uniformly like Fleetwood's, Moriarty's fries came unsalted and were rated the favorite of one judge, who noted their rich potato taste. One taster thought the sampling was a bit overcooked, but in the dark confines of a booth with a beer in hand, patrons might not notice such minor flaws. Two reviewers appreciated the abundance of fries with plenty of skin on them, providing an added dimension of flavor. Dagwood's – 7.5 out of 10 2803 E. Kalamazoo St., Lansing. $2 for a large order Cooked in lard, the finger-thick slices of spud at Dagwood's took on an almost burnt orange appearance. While the crew loved Dagwood's bright atmosphere, a visible coating of grease made for a heavy fry. Reviewers noted an excellent outside crunch that complemented a soft inside nicely. A muted potato flavor hurt the overall rating, despite earning two judges' votes as their second favorite overall. One reviewer felt the sample was a bit overcooked, but another enjoyed the offering and noted a rich flavor despite the absence of a strong potato taste. Sawyer's Gourmet Pancake House – 6.5 out of 10 608 W. Saginaw St., Lansing.  $1.50 to $1.95 per order. Quickly making a name for itself with its self-proclaimed "Worlds' Best Blueberry Pancakes," this relatively new café also serves homemade fries. By far the thickest cut fries, Sawyer's was also the smallest sample and got mixed reviews. Judges immediately noted their homemade appearance and generally enjoyed a serving of fresh basil mayonnaise. While one reviewer enjoyed the softer texture, another felt they were too mushy. While one highlighted a strong potato flavor, another judged the fries a little greasy and undercooked. Sawyer's also offers sweet potato fries, which bring a touch of lightness to a side dish. Again, the sweet potatoes were deemed a little mushy, but one reviewer suggested they could easily be transformed into a dessert with a touch of butter and cinnamon. While the cheery, down-home atmosphere complemented the spirit of the homemade fries, reviewers unanimously rated this fry their least favorite. (Note to readers who wonder about journalistic credibility: Three out of four of these businesses advertise with City Pulse. Fleetwood, which won top honors, never has. And Sawyer's has spent the most.)

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