Local fry kings wrest America’s favorite side from fast food mediocrity

BY ROBERT MOSS | CHARLESTON CITY PAPER
FOOD+DRINK  |  DISH DINING GUIDE | AUGUST 2008

[excerpt] … Chris Stewart at the Glass Onion is passionate about his restaurant’s fresh-cut fries. They have to be crispy, and they have to have just the right amount of peel, which means starting with Russet Burbank potatoes and peeling just one half of the spud. One deep fryer is reserved for potatoes only (so no fishy flavors creep in), and the fries get two cookings. The first is a slow dip at 250 degrees for four to five minutes. The potatoes are allowed to cool completely and rest until it’s time to serve them. Then it’s back in the oil — a vegetable blend — at high temperature (350º˚F) for a few more minutes until brown and crispy. The finished fries are seasoned with the Glass Onion’s own spice mix and served in a big basket along with a cup of bright yellow béarnaise sauce. The end result is a remarkable basket of fries. The exteriors are so dark brown that you might think at first that they are overcooked, but one bite tells you otherwise. The outsides are definitely extra crispy, and — sure enough — there’s just the right amount of peel to give a little extra texture, but the insides are soft and fluffy the way great fries should be. A basket with béarnaise is only $3, so you might need to order two. They will get eaten.