If you’re in the US and you’ve never heard of take-out joint New York Fries… I’m not surprised. That’s because it’s an All-Canadian chain that glorifies the potato stick from the viewpoint that all loaded fries are descendants of All-Canadian Poutine!
The Works: “A Hearty meal. Our delicious beef chili over New York Fries, topped with
real sour cream, creamy cheese sauce, fresh green onions and real bacon…”
Go to upper New England and you’ll hear natives of every state – Vermont, New Hampshire and even Maine – claim their home place was the birthplace of Poutine. Sheer and utter nonsense. It was Qué-bec. And there are countless records to prove it. But the modern ‘loaded’ fry is a dish that owes its nurturing and development to the American Fast Food industry.
Nevertheless…
When America took ‘loaded fries’ in hand, as a concept, it also took full credit for they’re invention. In spite of the fact that Poutine was clearly the original loaded fry formulation – and, in fact, the begin-ning of the whole phenomenon.
Even Google AI agrees on that salient point: “Loaded fries evolved from Canadian poutine in the late 1950s, but the American style topped with cheese, chili, and bacon emerged in diners and sports bars during the 1980s and 1990s, before becoming a mainstream global food-truck and social-media stap-le in the 2000s.”
But we who study human nature, history, the swing of the cosmic pendulum, and the tendency for ‘things’ to move in circles, have recently noted a classic example of how Fate has brought loaded fries full-circle.
A quirky reversal…
So it was quirk of fate that led two Canadian brothers, Jay and Hal Gould, to take particular note of a New York City loaded fries shop during a trip to the Big Apple in 1983. Within a year, they’d purchased the US brand rights from the NYC fry store, and opened their first location, at a Greater Toronto Area Mall.
Jay and Hal managed to secure the global rights to ‘New York Fries’ by 1987, and put classic Poutine (see photo, top of page) on their permanent menu in 1989.
Why ‘New York’ Fries?
The guys wanted to pay homage to the original fry stand in NYC in their efforts. Though they don’t say so, it’s widely suspected they also wanted to cash in on the ‘New York’ cachet as a marketing point.
Aside from that, their approach to cooking fries and devising topping combos remains true to the concept that so impressed them 43 years ago. And you have to admit, their menu is still truly unique among fries joints…
The menu
The bill of fare includes Plain Fries, in three sizes, backed up by an array of signature dipping sauces. The aforementioned Poutine is there, as a separate category, available in Classic, Butter Chicken and Chili versions.
But the real stars of the show are the New York-style ‘loads’ including such luxe delicacies as: Triple Cheese; Flamin’ Bacon; Bacon Double Cheese; Truffle Fries; and Chili Cheese.
Standouts include The Works, described modestly as, “A really hearty meal. Our delicious beef chili over New York Fries, topped with real sour cream, creamy cheese sauce, fresh green onions and real bacon.” And their ‘uncompromising’ Veggie Fries: ‘A fresh, vegetarian alternative. New York Fries top-ped with our creamy cheese sauce, real sour cream, and fresh green onions and tomatoes.”
Not a big menu… But a thoughtful, enticing and well-crafted menu!
Okay prices, too…
Here in my home town, Premium Fresh-cut fries start at around $5.99, regular poutines and specialty loaded fries cost about $8.99, and combo meals range from $10.49 to $17.29.
As you might have glommed, from the preceding price list, NY Fries has recently embraced another New York Fast Food tradition: The Hot Dog. The Plain Premium Dog is $6.49. And the Bacon Double Cheese, Nacho, and Chili Cheese Loaded Dogs are $8.99.
My take
You can fill yourself up on an order of New York Fries, at a price that meets or beats the cost of a ‘Value Meal’ from most other Fast Food joints in town. And the toppings – though some are heavy on fat and salt, are made mainly from fresh ingredients.
I’ve decided NY Fries is an indulgence I can afford, both financially and dietarily, at least a couple of times a week…
~ Maggie J.
https://www.recipeunlimited.com/en/franchising/new-york-fries.html