Regardless of where you fall on the foodie spectrum, it feels like everyone has their go-to joint when it comes to indulging in a crispy serving of golden french fries. Sure, with the right tools, and a disregard for some inevitable oil splatter, you can whip up a homemade batch of french fries to rival the restaurants and fast food hot spots. Still, when the craving hits, and let’s face it, it usually hits hard, no one wants to be slicing and dicing potatoes when a perfectly fried heaping basket is usually within reach i.e. a short drive away. Even celebrity chef, Bobby Flay, has his trusty “I don’t want to make ’em myself” spot for fries.
When Bobby Flay, who owns multiple restaurants and even a burger joint (that serves fries), doesn’t want to go through the inconvenience of making his own fries, he goes to his favorite fry place on earth: Balthazar. Balthazar is a long-standing New York City institution, known for serving traditional French fare, including escargots, duck cassoulet, and, yes, pommes frites (for $14), or as we know them, french fries. Flay isn’t the only TV chef who has Balthazar on his favorites list; Geoffrey Zakarian says the East Coast brasserie is the only place he’d attend for brunch.
What makes Balthazar’s french fries so good
Not only does Bobby Flay have an affinity for fried food, but he believes that the french fry is “the pure essence of perfectly fried food.” Don’t disagree with you there, Bobby! On an episode of “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” a show hosted by Flay where chefs share their favorites, Flay delves into what makes the fries at Balthazar stand out from other restaurants. The chefs at Balthazar use Idaho russet potatoes, which are perfect for frying due to their low moisture content and ability to hold shape in the lava-hot oil liquids they are submerged in. Idaho russets also have a softer texture, which gives each fry an airy, steamy middle.
Another thing that Balthazar does, that you might not be doing at home, is soak its fries in water overnight to help get rid of the starch. By de-starch-ifying its fries, Balthazar can get a better crisp in the fry. The chefs at Balthazar also take the time to blanch its fries in peanut oil (which is on the more expensive end) allowing them to cook through and develop a hearty core before frying. The blanched fries are crisped to order and served with a healthy portion of salt. This simple, yet meticulous, combination of steps is what gives Flay his favorite fries in the world.
