Want Fries with That?

You can find french fries at pretty much any restaurant (or gas station) in the country. You can order french fries with Chinese takeout, with Mexican fast food, or with gourmet Italian cuisine. We followed the unmistakable smell of fresh fried potatoes all over town and discovered a few favorites along the way.

Siesta Key Summer House Steak & Seafood

Siesta Key Summer House is always busy. Always. There are more than a few reasons for that, but we keep coming back for the excellent service and the over-the-top cuisine. We’re talking Colossal Shrimp Cocktail, Lobscargot, Pinot Noir Braised Short Rib, and Prime Angus Bone-In Ribeye Dry Aged 35 Days. On a menu filled with highlights and showstoppers one might overlook the side of french fries. One would be wrong. Hand-crafted Wagyu-beef-fat french fries. You’ve heard of duck-fat french fries, right? These are next level. These are french fries fried in Wagyu beef tallow from Snake River Farms with homemade garlic butter and seasoned in parmesan black truffle seasoning. Be still, my heart.
> 149 Avenida Messina, Siesta Key; 941-260-2675; summerhousesiestakey.com

Jack Dusty

There’s nothing like a visit to Jack Dusty at The Ritz-Carlton on a special occasion, especially when that occasion is an impromptu Tuesday lunch with your friends. Grab a seat on the patio overlooking the marina and order a plate of Jack’s Fries and a round of Sirens for the table. The Siren is an exceptional cocktail (which you should go and try immediately) but we’re here to talk about the fries. We asked Sous Chef Noelia Mastrangelo to tell us their secrets. Jack Dusty’s signature steak fries are twice fried, tossed in garlic olive oil, covered in grated parmesan and chives, and served with a housemade garlic aioli. You absolutely can’t have just one.
> 1111 Ritz Carlton Dr, Sarasota; 941-309-2266; ritzcarlton.com

Tony’s Chicago Beef Company

Have you ever ordered food to share with a loved one and then had to go back and order more because you ate it all before you made it home? This happens to me when I order the cheese fries from Tony’s Chicago Beef Company. I love running in to order from the always-friendly team at Tony’s, then taking in all the Chicago memorabilia that adorns the walls of the small space in Gulf Gate. I have to get a Chicago Fire Dog because I love the spicy giardiniera but then I order the cheese fries (fully intending to share them). The fresh-cut fries are smothered in this melted cheddar sauce that defies description—because that’s the description: fresh-cut fries and melted cheddar. I don’t know what to tell you, but I eat them all before I can leave my parking spot.
> 6569 Superior Ave, Sarasota; 941-497-1611; tonyschicagobeef.com

FOOD + BEER = Gulf Gate

The simplest of equations is not 2 + 2 = 4 as previously thought. The simplest equation these days is FOOD + BEER = YUMMY. I know, I know, “yummy” is such a lazy food adjective but sometimes it just fits. How else am I to describe PBR Fried Pickles with jalapeño ranch or The Diplomat Burger stuffed with fontina cheese and topped with caramelized onions and a black pepper & cognac cream? How do I describe a brunch menu that includes fried chicken with a red velvet waffle? How, indeed, am I to describe a giant paper bag filled with hand-punched Idaho potato fries seasoned with Magic, Old Bay, and salt? These fries are YUMMY. I can’t stress this enough.
> 6528 Superior Ave, Sarasota; 941-952-3361; eatfooddrinkbeer.com

Hamlet’s Eatery

Kim Alexander Livengood has created a charming small town the likes of which could be found in a Hallmark movie or an episode of “Gilmore Girls,” but she’s contained the entire small town within The Bazaar at Apricot & Lime, which boasts a variety of local vendors and live music. You can outfit yourself and your house and your Christmas shopping list with one trip to the Bazaar and then avail yourself of what can only be described as this small town’s town square: the giant outdoor patio that houses Hamlet’s Eatery. This is one of my favorite places in town to grab a bite and work on my laptop. The daily specials are always seasonal and worth an order but make sure to get a side of fries. Hand-cut rustics brined in saltwater and twice fried to order make for fries that are crispy on the outside and buttery in the center. Feeling fancy? The truffle upgrade is truffle oil, real shaved parmesan, and microgreens.
> 821 Apricot Ave, Sarasota; 941-445-1938; hamletseatery.com

Suncoast Café

Tucked away in a corner of the Venice Municipal Airport is the delightful Suncoast Café run by Caribbean Chef Tony DuBoulay. The café has an unobstructed view of the runway, which means incomparable people-watching— you can see who’s boarding PJs in their PJs! The best part about Suncoast Café isn’t the helicopter landing right next to the window—even though that’s always a cool sight—it’s the food and the atmosphere that make this a must-see dining destination. The air is filled with enticing aromas and upbeat melodies. You can order anything from a patty melt to oxtail stew depending on your mood, but a cup of Chef Tony’s Award-Winning Chili and a side of perfect sweet potato fries always hits the spot. I like to dip the fries in the chili and dream about where I’d go if we had access to one of those jets ...
> Venice Municipal Airport, 400 Airport Ave E, Venice; 941-484-0100; suncoastcafe.com

Opus Restaurant & Lounge

Chef Kyle Harrington doesn’t like to do anything halfway. He’s never going to look at a side dish such as a humble plate of french fries and say, “That’ll do.” Take the “48 Hour Frites” on offer at Opus Restaurant & Lounge in Gulf Gate. I ask Chef Kyle why these fries are so irresistible. “They’re simple rustics, we wash them really well and then put them through our potato cutter before giving them an ice bath for 48 hours to get rid of all the starch. We dry them really well and we use a high-quality olive oil with a high smoke point as our frying oil. They’re twice fried to order. Then we season them with sea salt, black pepper, and parsley and serve them with harissa ketchup and garlic aioli.” Are the 48 Hour Frites served in a cone or on a plate? Absolutely not. “I serve them on a charcuterie board in a mint julep cup. They’re piled high in the cup and overflowing on to the board. Fries everywhere.” A sexy order of fries befitting Gulf Gate’s sexiest dining destination.
> 644 Gateway Ave, Sarasota; 941-925-2313; opus-srq.com