2015 WINE ENTHUSIAST RATINGS SCORE OUT OF 100 POINTS PTS

Page 31 July 2015 By Josh Cutlip You’ve probably heard of pub crawls and you may have even experienced one, but I was lucky enough to venture on the Valley’s very first French Fry Crawl in order to determine the best French fries around Phoenix. Frites Street, a Phoenix-based food truck run by culinary geniuses Braden Jones and Philip “Flip” Isard, hosted the The Fry Crawl, which took us around the city to four different French fry tastings. STOP ONE: WELCOME DINER 924 E. Roosevelt St. 602-495-1111 welcomediner.net The caravan event started off in downtown Phoenix at Welcome Diner, where hundreds of French fries were dumped onto a paper- covered table. The staff at Welcome Diner then brought out buckets of toppings including Kiltlifter-braised pork, jackfruit, honey mustard barbecue sauce, country gravy, ballpark chili and – the best part – slices of cheddar cheese that were melted before our eyes with a blowtorch from the kitchen. A line quickly formed at the head of the table and the eating began. The jackfruit and pork tasted similar with the tanginess of honey mustard. Although the jackfruit had a texture like boiled cabbage, it was a delicious meat substitute that was vegan friendly. The jackfruit and pork can be ordered from the menu as individual sandwiches or as the pork and slaw fries. I’m not always a fan of country gravy because it can be too thick for me, so initially I was worried when I grabbed a chunk out of the third pile of fries. Boy, was I wrong. The gravy was light and creamy with a good amount of spice, and the melted cheddar made for the perfect combination. I’m already making plans to go back just for these fries (which are on the menu). Lastly, Welcome Diner pleased its guests with a specially made chili, topped with mac ’n’ cheese sauce. The chili was smooth and spicy and paired well with the seasoned fries. The Street Frites food truck also set out a few samples of their thick, square-cut French “frites,” one a chili powder and lime flavor with Cotija cheese, and the other had a thin gravy with pickled red onions and cheese curds. The fries were a bit too thick for my taste but the topping selection alone is enough for me to seek them out for a second round. It was only the first stop, but already there was a party in my mouth and everyone was invited. STOP TWO: PHOENIX PUBLIC MARKET 14 E. Pierce St. 602-253-2700 phxpublicmarket.com Just a short two blocks away from the downtown campus at Arizona State University, the Phoenix Public Market is definitely a hot spot for local Sun Devils, especially with a 20 percent ASU student discount. As a student myself, I can confidently say that the Public Market has some of the best fries I have ever had; Their menu item, Downtown Devil Fries comes as a large bowl (big enough for two) of thick-cut fries topped with grated parmesan, garlic and parsley, and is served with three tangy dipping sauces. However, on the first-ever Phoenix Fry Crawl, they only gave a sample of the traditional salted fries with ketchup. Being the fry fanatic that I am, I was definitely bummed we didn’t get to sample the full effect, but don’t let this review fool you. If you love this salty snack like I do, then go to Phoenix Public Market and grab some fries! Other popular menu items include the King’s Nachos, the Pulled Pork Sandwich, beans and rice or any one of their fresh-baked treats. STOP THREE: CHRISTOPHER’S AT THE BILTMORE 2502 E. Camelback Road, Suite 102 602-522-2344 christophersaz.com As we walked into Christopher’s, I was skeptical about what to expect because this fancy French restaurant didn’t look like a place known for fries. My mind quickly changed however, when I was presented with a fresh bowl of sweet potato fries with ketchup and a horseradish aioli sauce. Those were quickly matched with a bowl of shoestring truffle fries that I ate by the bunch. Delicious. We sat posted around the kitchen, so as we enjoyed our snack we got to see the culinary expertise that went on at Christopher’s. Chef Christopher Gross surprised a few members of the crawl to a delicious sugar molded eggshell, filled with lemon cream on a bed of sugar nesting. A surprise and welcome treat before heading to our final destination. STOP FOUR: THE GLADLY 2201 E. Camelback Road 602-759-8132 thegladly.com This sit down restaurant is only two blocks west of Christopher’s, but I almost got lost finding it. Whether you manage to make the correct turn into their parking lot, or accidentally go through the back entrance like I did, you will not be disappointed. The chef prepared a special batch of fries for us that looked like traditional fries with barbecue sauce and ranch dip on the side. Boy, was I excited for that barbecue. My eyesight failed me in the dimly lit room, however, when I was pleased to find out that the barbecue sauce was really a chocolate drizzle. The ranch? A marshmallow dip! Those weren’t traditional fries either, but sweet potato fries candied in sugar and five- spice powder. The fries were warm and delicious without being too sweet, and the light chocolate and caramel drizzle on top went surprisingly well with the vanilla taste of the marshmallow. The Gladly serves lunch, dinner and a Sunday brunch, with an array of sandwiches, salads, appetizers and a few different meat dishes. If only they served dessert fries every day, but just the sample makes me eager to return and find out what other tasty meals I can find. I love sweet endings, especially when that ending includes dessert fries! This event was one of the coolest things I have ever done in Phoenix. Overall I think we were initially spoiled with such a wide variety of flavor and showmanship at Welcome Diner that it made it difficult to focus on the other restaurants; however, if you’re looking for a hot batch of thick fries with more flavor than just salt and ketchup, Phoenix Public Market is the place to go. I couldn’t help but focus on the steaks and cheeses coming out of the kitchen at Christopher’s, so if you have a taste for French cuisine, then a visit to the Biltmore would suit you well. Make sure to order their sweet potato fries! Also if you find yourself around the Biltmore, The Gladly and their palate-pleasing sandwiches are just two blocks away. Don’t forget to look out for the Frites Street food truck for some original flavors and a friendly staff. Valley’s first French Fry event satisfies sweet and salty cravings