The best fries in town

Like politics, fries stir up deep feelings in Asheville, a kind of passion usually reserved for Duke Energy and Pat McCrory. Below are a few Ashevilleans’ takes on local fries:

  • Libby de Caetani, who grew up in Iowa, tags the frites at Bouchon: “Major yum. Crispy, salty, potato-y avec les herbes de Provence.”
  • Lorraine Krause — originally from Pittsburgh, so she knows fries, at least those squished on sandwiches — likes the truffle fries at Fig.
  • “Table’s fries are the best anywhere,” says Asheville resident Jude Berger, originally from Cincinnati. (Don’t even ask her about Cincy’s famed chili fries.) “Just potatoes, good frying grease and salt. They need nothing except for me to eat them and go, ‘Yum, yum.’”
  • Sally Cochran, a former Virginian, likes Bouchon’s pomme frites. “Thin and lavender-laced served in a silver cone — a fry taken to a different level,” says Cochran, whose childhood fries cost 15 cents at the first American fast-food restaurant, Burger Chef, now defunct.
  • Chef Steven Goff of King James Pub is stumped for his favorite: “I don’t get out much — and if I did, I wouldn’t eat fries because I eat them at work, at least one from every batch.”

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.