incite wrote:

Habibi wrote:Are the fries cut from fresh potatoes in store?

I wish I could answer this, but alas, I'm not sure. I think I may have had about half a dozen of those fries, and although great, I focused on finishing the dog so I could get to their soft serve. The fries were crispy and fresh tasting though.

I just wrote and was ready to post, "I can't say for sure, but I'd be a little surprised if Kim was using frozen fries."

Then I decided to summon up the magic of telephony. Called Belly Shack. Erin answered and to my question said, "Yes, they are frozen."

More than a little surprised.

Those fries looked frozen to me, but I didn't want to believe it. Lame.

The fries, as cooked or purchased, may (or may not, I haven't had them) be good, but it isn't because they're frozen. Restaurants can buy outstanding quality fries (McDonald's being the mass market example) that are frozen.

A few months ago, two (both well known; members here would immediately recognize their names as top Chicago chefs) chefs were at my home and one was opening a restaurant. The debate was to buy frozen fries or have them cut from fresh potatoes. One chef was arguing strongly for the fresh cut fries. "Name the best fries you've had" asked the other chef to his friend. The other chef listed several restaurants, to which his counterpart said "All frozen fries."

Some top restaurants do believe in frozen fries if they are from a superior source and frozen properly. In this instance, it is either the cooking method (e.g. oil not hot enough) or the quality of the product. I don't think you can single out their frozen aspect (as I learned; I too was skeptical before the conversation above).

best fries I've had?

hot doug's, wiener and still champion, edzo's

which of these use frozen french fries?

Inspired by this thread I went there for lunch today. Very good. Fries were tasty. No not "best ever" (that goes to Maude's) but they were fine.

Dutch, while I appreciate the sentiment of your post (don't knock it before you try it), citing McDonald's fries as an "outstanding" example is not going to convince me of your point. To my taste, McD's puts out some of the nastiest fries I've ever had.

In fact, I don't think I've ever had a once-frozen, pre-cut fry that I've enjoyed significantly. Would love to be proven wrong though.

Glad you enjoyed the fries at Belly Shack. I'll have to give it a go sometime when I'm in Chicago.

I recall reading once Thomas Keller uses frozen fries at his Bouchon restaurants.

Habibi wrote:Dutch, while I appreciate the sentiment of your post (don't knock it before you try it), citing McDonald's fries as an "outstanding" example is not going to convince me of your point. To my taste, McD's puts out some of the nastiest fries I've ever had.

In fact, I don't think I've ever had a once-frozen, pre-cut fry that I've enjoyed significantly. Would love to be proven wrong though.

Glad you enjoyed the fries at Belly Shack. I'll have to give it a go sometime when I'm in Chicago.

I knew someone would mention my McDonald's comment, but are you aware how they go about acquiring the potatoes and flash freezing the fries? Also why I added the comment "mass market."

Habibi, you use the language "don't think" you've ever had a once-frozen fry that you've enjoyed significantly and you're probably right; I bet you didn't know. Have you asked some of the places (Bouchon is mentioned below as an example) where you've eaten whether their fries are flash frozen versus never frozen? Apparently they work for Thomas Keller:

http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2007/01/i ... homas.html

And they also are the choice of Danny Meyer for Shake Shack (not haute cuisine of course, but from a quality standpoint, highly applauded) in New York:

"When Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack opened for the season again this year in New York City, along with all the blog buzz about their new pager-wands, there was some quieter talk about revamped fries. Meyer & Co. knew fries weren’t the restaurant's strong suit. As reported on A Hamburger Today, his Union Square Hospitality Group tried 32 kinds of fries before settling on an appropriate accompaniment to the locally famous burger. And they were all frozen." (from Serious Eats)

Let me ask it this way (you may be surprised): Can you tell me places in Chicago (finer dining; not McDonalds) where you've enjoyed the fries? You might be surprised when you get the answer. I understand your (probably naive) disdain but I propose to you its unfounded.

DutchMuse wrote:Let me ask it this way (you may be surprised): Can you tell me places in Chicago (finer dining; not McDonalds) where you've enjoyed the fries? You might be surprised when you get the answer. I understand your (probably naive) disdain but I propose to you its unfounded.

Gleam already answered your question. Now obviously the rank amateurs who run those places can't make fries anywhere near as expertly as Thomas Keller, but thanks to savings obtained by not having to maintain the freezers that hold the fries once they're dumped off the Sysco truck, they are able to offer the fries to the end user at a substantially lower price point.

I guess I didn't know that Sysco is the only purveyor of frozen French fries. Do we know if that's where Belly Shack gets their product from? And, perhaps more to the point, does it matter? If the fries are good, which seems to be the case here, what's the real argument?

Been a while since I've been here. The roast chicken with sweet potatoes, chorizo and chimichurri was really good. I also thought it the $12 price was very fair.

Stopped in right before close and ordered:

Asian Pork Meatball Sandwich stuffed with somen noodles, korean chili pasta and mint

Meatballs are in there somewhere. Same reaction as that of aschie30.

and the:

Mint Brownie softserve

Good, but nothing beats the Vietnamese Cinnamon Carmel

aschie30 wrote:Somewhat discordant combination that I wanted to take apart and eat separately. In fact, the individual parts were good, but I found that I would have preferred the noodles and sprouts to be served as a side, in a separate bowl, the meatballs eaten with a fork, and wished that there was more of the delicious sauce which was drizzled too sparingly over the meatballs into which I can dip the pita.

As a sandwich, I can't ever see myself thinking, "I must go back to have that noodle/meatball sandwich." But each part of the sandwich was well-prepared. As for price, the portion was quite generous at $8. I probably will be back to try other menu items.

Thanks, gleam...that was extremely lazy of me.

Sandwich proved to be too much for me, and I am not a small guy. 3-5 chomps before one hits meatball seems like too many chomps in my book. Everything tasted great, but I still had to call it quits halfway through and package the rest up.

It'll be a blue Christmas along Western Avenue, as Belly Shack (1912 N. Western Ave.) bids adieu after seven years. Belly Shack's last day of service will be Dec. 24.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/re ... story.html