In search of the perfect french fry

Most people love french fries. But there are so many varieties, shapes, sizes, and seasonings for these tasty potato treats. So I decided to test them all over the Valley and see whose fries were the best. 

I went to five different restaurants that serve fries in Amherst and Hadley: Bistro 63 for fine dining, The Hangar for a casual sports bar, and three fast food restaurants–Five Guys, McDonald’s, and The Skinny Pancake. Who won? Read on to find out.

First, some history. French fries originated in either Belgium or France, though most evidence points to Belgium for the modern dish. The name “french fries” actually came from the American soldiers who came across the fried potato in Belgium, so named because they heard French spoken there. French Fries were first introduced into America around 1802, with Thomas Jefferson bringing a fried potato into the White House. As a result, french fries became more popular and were added to cookbooks in 1856. 

Now you can get fries at almost any restaurant, regardless of the cuisine. Though you can go wild with french fries, I ordered mine plain in every restaurant so as to make the taste test more fair, asking only for ketchup as my sauce.

The first restaurant I tried out was Five Guys. I ordered a small cup of fries, which cost $5.74, a little pricey for a small fry cup. However, the restaurant pours beyond the cup, offering a small extra amount of fries in each bag. Five Guys fries are made fresh each day, and have a natural, brown appearance and a range of fry sizes and shapes. Their motto on their fries is “never frozen and never pre-cut.”

The fries on this day were a bit sad-looking and not as crispy as I would like, while also being slightly burnt. The ketchup with the fries gave them an added flavor, but my rating would still be 2 stars out of 5 for Five Guys. 

The second restaurant I tried out was McDonald’s, ordering the medium-sized fries, which were $6.19. Their fries are pre-cut and frozen and come out a lighter color and skinnier as a result of their uniform production. The price seems like a lot, but this was a slightly larger order of fries.

The quality of the fries was good; they put a lot of salt on their fries, which the ketchup helped tone down. I would give their fries a 3 out of 5. I think what’s good about McDonald’s is that their food has the same quality almost anywhere you go, so you know what to expect. 

The third restaurant I tried out was Bistro 63, which bills itself as “a New England eatery that highlights local ingredients & regional brews in a cozy setting.” I ordered the hand-cut fries, which were $6.75, the most pricey yet.

But the amount of fries given was good, and the quality of these fries was amazing. They had a perfect crisp, and they weren’t too salty to the taste. In addition to ketchup, they also offered a delicious Chipotle sauce with the fries. Their score of 4.5 out of 5 does not advantage them for the special sauce. Their fries were just amazing! 

The fourth restaurant I tried out was The Hangar. I ordered the fries, which were $4, the most reasonable cost when compared to the other restaurants. They gave me a normal amount of fries, but the quality of the fries was just okay.

They got a little soggy from the condensation in the bag, but they kept their form. The taste of the fries was bland, though, as they had barely any salt on them and desperately needed the ketchup to save them. I wondered if the fries came out of the freezer. This made me rate this fry as just a 2 out of 5. 

The fifth restaurant I tried out was The Skinny Pancake. Their fries were by far the most expensive at $8.79. The quality was just okay, and my research indicates their fries are frozen and then fried. While not soft, the fries were not crispy enough. They were salty, but not too salty. Ketchup with the fries made them better. I rated them a 3.5 out of 5.

Overall, I would say Bistro 63 has the best fries out of these five restaurants, hands down, and you can’t go wrong supporting a local business. If you want crispy fries with great sauce in a nice location, that is the restaurant to try. While The Hangar and Five Guys had the least satisfying fries in my opinion, they do have other food at both places that is better than their fries. 

On my list to explore next: Johnny’s Tavern’s $11 fries and Pita Pockets’ $5 fries. The hunt continues.