Next Tuesday's Top 10: the St. Patrick's Day Edition
I first gave this the headline "Spuds, spuds and more spuds."
But I don't actually like the word "spud" much. It sounds like it wouldn't taste very good. Still, it was a clue in the crossword I was doing this morning when I should have been making my lunch or doing my dreaded back exercises or something more productive.
That seemed to me a sign that we should do Great Restaurant Potato Dishes as next Tuesday's Top 10, the St. Patrick's Day Edition. (I'll take any sign I can get.) ...
We have to give David credit for first making this suggestion:
Top Ten Potato Dishes or Potatoe for Dan Quayle fans.
Posted by: David | March 6, 2009 9:43 PM
But the idea got several echoes later on under the post where I asked for help.
So potato dishes it is. Suggestions not only welcomed but begged for. And if you have any great potato photos, send them along, too. For some reason our photo archives are short on restaurant potato dishes except for french fries, which, I think we'll all agree, we've covered ad nauseum.
(Lloyd Fox/Sun photographer)
Comments
I know it's sacrilege and an otherwise pretty ordinary dining experience, but the hashbrown casserole at Cracker Barrel is quite good.
Posted by: matt hudock | March 13, 2009 8:28 AM
An OT question - when are restaurants celebrating St. Patricks Day since it's inconvienently on Tuesday this year? Will it be this weekend or next weekend or maybe both?
Posted by: e W. | March 13, 2009 8:37 AM
Although I did suggest the topic I can't think of any restaurant potato dish that is better than an average one I've made at home, including and especially the ridiculously over-hyped duck fat fries at Salt which are bland and without distinction. The problem with those fries is that they are stripped of any potato or duck essence. The fries are thin, denuded and suspiciously uniform. The fat is rendered free of any duck flavor. I guess that's what you get with that kind of processed duck fat. The best potato dish: unpeeled thick potato slices roasted in my toaster oven and then finished in the pan that I made a duck breast in. Very ducky.
Oh my god I am soooooooo neurotic. I think that none of my suggestions are ever going to happen and then when one does I make a case to completely undermine it. Will someone please shoot me.
Well, I certainly know what the No. 1 restaurant potato dish on my list is now going to be. EL
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy 2 – Wasabatini | March 13, 2009 9:56 AM
Thrashers on the boardwalk in Ocean City.
Best use of the potato. Ever.
Posted by: bryanintimonium | March 13, 2009 10:45 AM
Well, I certainly know what the No. 1 restaurant potato dish on my list is now going to be. EL
Vexatious!
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy 2 – Fistful of Dolors | March 13, 2009 10:58 AM
The best potatoes I have eaten in the Baltimore area are the chips at Blue Stone in Timonium. The rest of their food is very ordinary, in fact I don't go there anymore, but the chips are excellent.
Posted by: Elite Elephant Lover | March 13, 2009 11:04 AM
Here are my favorite potato dishes: Ale Mary’s assortment of tater tot dishes (cheesy tots, sloppy tots, loaded tots and crabby tots), Annabel Lee’s duck fat fries, Birches’ baked potato club (w/ 40 toppings), and Prime Rib’s potato skins.
Posted by: MB | March 13, 2009 11:16 AM
MB reminded me, I always enjoy the tater tots at Golden West (though I suspect that's more for the school cafeteria memories than actual quality).
Posted by: matt hudock | March 13, 2009 12:19 PM
e W. (or should that have been Joyce W.?) -- the Baltimore St. Patrick's Day Parade will be this Sunday, the 15th, so you can expect that the celebration will take place all of this weekend (the 14th and 15th) as well as on Tuesday the 17th. Indeed, I suspect that most local watering holes actually would prefer not to have the 17th fall on the weekend, since that would mean one less day of revelry, and, therefore, one less day of pleasure-inducing cash register ka-chings.
Posted by: hmpstd | March 13, 2009 3:19 PM
Hey hmpstd - good call! Don't know what happened to the rest of my name. I agree I'm sure if the parade is Sunday, festivities indeed this weekend (and of course Tues as you've noted!)
Posted by: Joyce W. | March 13, 2009 3:29 PM
MB--crabby tots? Don't they belong over at the Mommy Blog?
Posted by: Dahlink | March 13, 2009 5:36 PM
Best potato dish
In Cockeysville, at the Stil.
Their Irish Nachos!
Posted by: Haiku Man | March 13, 2009 10:25 PM
The St. Patrick's Day parade in Delray Beach will happen later today. (On the Sabbath?????) I'll be on my way to Sun City Center, pausing to view as many alligators on the alley as I can.
By now you know that I am a fan of Ryan's Daughter, and they are very happy to sub a serving of champ for fries when I order a sandwich (usually Rosie's Reuban). What I like about it is that it is not over seasoned, not drowning in butter, but has a nice balance between greens and potatoes.
Posted by: MD Canon (Conferring in Delray Beach) | March 14, 2009 12:32 AM
best use of the spud, Duck Fat Fries, can be had at Petit Louis, Abacrombie, and a few other places, I get duck fat at Wegmans and make 'em at home and follow them up with a call to my doctor for the following day
Posted by: hungry hungry hippo | March 15, 2009 8:24 PM
Potatoes are my favorite food. Here is my short list from places around town, in no particular order
home fries at Gertrudes (served with peppers and onions, what I know as potatoes o'brien)
potato skins at James Joyce and Prime Rib
potato soup at James Joyce (especially with their brown bread)
mashed potatoes at Mama's on Half Shell
roasted garlic potatoes at Samos (wow wow wow... and cheap!)
fries - Waterfront Hotel (thin) and Big Bad Wolf (thick) and bbq fries at Andy Nelsons (fat)
there used to be a baked potato place at Lexington Market where you could get one for a dollar... not sure if it's still there, I haven't been in the past year, but have fond memories
Posted by: LJ | March 15, 2009 10:40 PM
The Tater Tots at Golden West are terrific. So are the Loaded Fries at Della Rose's on The Avenue in White Marsh. It's a large order of French fries--easily enough for two--smothered in Cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and garlic (ranch?) sauce. It's a heart attack on a plate, but a friend and I allow ourselves to indulge about once a year.
Posted by: Dottie | March 16, 2009 12:58 PM