I have to admit that I love French Fries.
Not frozen french fries.
Not the grease laden fresh fried potatoes at 5 guys.
Both of my favorite places for fries have long since gone down hill in the fry department. Both used to cut them fresh in the morning and both used Russets, and parboiled them in salted water to keep them from browning, then dropped wet into the deep fryer when ordered. The water evaporating out of them as they fry seems to inhibit the absorption of too much grease. Jimmy's of Savin Rock used to do them this way back in the 50s and early 60s. Last time I went, they were still cutting their own, but cutting to order. Ended up slightly undercooked and greasy. Kinda like 5 guys.
Even better than Jimmy's was Frankie's Diner on Barnum Avenue in Bridgeport. They were the fry by which all other fries were judged. 15 years or so later, a bunch of us were reminiscing and got the hots for some Frankie's Fries. Drove 20 some odd miles, ordered about 10 orders. The cook comes out and asks who ordered all the fries. Asks if we're looking for a memory, and tells us not to bother. Says we weren't the first bunch of drunk 30-somethings who came in just for the fries they remembered from the sixties. You would think that would tell them something.
Finally, Rawley's in Fairfield used to has great fries -- maybe a step down from the aforementioned places, but still very good. But you had to know about them, and specifically order the hand cut fries. Otherwise, you got crummy, frozen fries. Never understood why they did it that way. Kinda like the in-and-out secret menu, I guess.
