I'm not dead!

I'm always out and about. Keep up with me on TWITTER and FOURSQUARE.


Feel free to join me!*

*Please ask to your doctor if your liver is healthy enough to drink with the BarFryGuy. Common side affects include nausea, upset stomach, individuals becoming suddenly attractive, destruction to public property, public urination, copious amounts of fun, memory loss, impromptu weddings, regretful mornings, and unreasonable credit card bills.


Please drink responsibly

Dalton's

The FryCap:

Place: Dalton’s (43rd St and 9th Ave)

Bleh potato skins. Even Bleh-er service.

Taste: 4/10

Crispiness/Texture: 5/10

Presentation: 6/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Service: 2/10

BFG Factor: 5/7 (outdoor seating always a plus)

BFG RATING: 29/57

My momma always said, “If you don’t got something nice to say, don’t say nothing at all.” Well momma, I got a website so I have to say something but I’ll start with the good stuff first: Dalton’s has outdoor seating and it’s Happy Hour everyday. $4 draft, $5 Martinis and Well drinks. Now if you’ll excuse me momma..

The service was unreasonably slow because the bar wasn’t even half full. It took 10 minutes to get menus. We ordered the Potato Skins with Bacon and Cheese (I set the bar high for anything with bacon and cheese on it) and waited 40 minutes for them to arrive. They were overcooked and they needed more salt. Given the poor service, I would have expected them to take an item off of the tab or offer us a free round, but nope and nope. Two thumbs down.

Pop Burger

Round of applause. POP BURGER serves the tastiest, flakiest, beautifulest, deliciousiest French Fries in the city! I have to thank my friend Stephanie for making me check it out.

The FryCap

Place: Pop Burger (58-60 9th Ave near 14th St)
Taste: 10/10
Crispiness/Texture: 10/10
Presentation: 10/10
Ambiance: 9/10
Service: 9/10
BFG Factor: 5/7
BFG RATING: 53/57


The difference between a good bar and a bad bar, good food and bad food, good service and bad service—the difference is EFFORT. Pop Burger gets an A, B, C, D, AND an E for Effort. The music is good (Pop music of the 80s, 90s and Today). They specialize in ridiculously delicious sliders, which come medium-well with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and special sauce. But they also have tasty cocktails, well thought out appetizers, and let’s not even talk about the fries…

I’m kidding. Let’s frickin’ talk about the fries. Piping hot... Perfectly seasoned... Flawlessly flaky... Heavenly fluffy insides... Hugged by Pop Burger wax paper... Nestled in a tall glass... Served with 57... They’re the best fries I’ve tasted in my travels. They’re a better version of the fries at Latitude. They were $5 but I would have paid $50 for them.

Speaking of price, beers are $8 and the sliders are $15 in the inside bar, but menu items are $2 cheaper in the front fast-food style part of this location. Either way Pop Burger is BFG Tested, BFG Approved.

Concrete

CONCRETE BAR: DRY SPICED FRIES

BFG EXCLUSIVE RECIPE BELOW

The FryCap

Place: Concrete (320 W 37th)

Taste: 8/10

Crispiness/Texture: 9/10

Presentation: 9/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 8/10

BFG Factor: 7/7

BFG RATING: 49/57

Concrete is a nice little bar on 37th between 8th and 9th Aves. Compared to the surrounding areas it’s a quiet street and it feels like a neighborhood bar (even though it is well kept with a clean bathroom and nice furniture).

They serve DRY SPICED FRIES that taste exactly what they sound like which is always a plus. The biggest plus is when the bartender brings the chef out so you can interview him! Samantha was an angel and got the Chef Ed to give us the recipe.

EXCLUSIVE!!

CONCRETE BAR: DRY SPICED FRIES RECIPE*

*Don’t try this at home

HAND-CUT Potatoes (the long way) into 1/4” X 1/4” strips
SOAK them in cold water
SEASONED FLOUR: Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Garlic Seasoning, Cayenne Pepper (to your taste)
COAT them in the seasoned flour
DEEP FRY until golden brown

It’s harder than it sounds, so instead of screwing it up, why don’t you just head down to Concrete and let Ed show you how it’s done? Tell them BarFryGuy sent you!

Josie Woods Pub

CLICK PICS TO SEE MORE ON FACEBOOK!

The FryCap

Place: Josie Woods Pub (11 Waverly Place)

POTATO SKINS

Taste: 10/10

Crispiness/Texture: 9/10

Presentation: 8/10

WAFFLE FRIES

Taste: 8/10

Crispiness/Texture: 6/10

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Service: 8/10

BFG Factor: 4/7

BFG RATING: {SKINS} 46/57 {FRIES} 40/57

Josie is a little gem “hidden” under one of the last buildings in the Village not owned by NYU. This pub is so Irish that we had trouble communicating with our waitress Eibhien (huh? .... Exactly.) #Sidenote I spend so much money in Irish pubs, I think they should make me an honorary citizen.

I ordered Josie House Ale which went well with the Stuffed Chili Cheese Potato Skins and Waffle Fries. The Waffle Fries were slightly overcooked but still quite tasty. The
Skins were utterly spectacular. Baked then topped with Chili and two cheeses, you just put a lil salt and 57 then let the party in your mouth begin!

Heartland Brewery: Union Square

CLICK IMAGES TO SEE MORE PICS!
 
The FryCap

Place: 35 Union Sq. W. at 17th St. (map)

Taste: 9/10

Crispiness/Texture: 5/10

Presentation: 6/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 9/10

BFG Factor: 7/7 (AMAZING Beer selection)

BFG RATING: 42/57

Heartland Brewery is exactly what it sounds like, a local brewery. If you’re a beer enthusiast, you’ve already tried one of their signature brews like the Cornhusker Lager, Mothers Milk Maibock, and Smiling Pumpkin Ale. My buddy Jess suggested the Farmer Jon's Oatmeal Stout. With overtones of espresso and hints of oats, it was interesting to say the least.

We had the DEElicious sliders and the fries. They serve an interesting rendition of spicy fries. They seasoned them with Cajun seasoning BEFORE deep-frying them. Literally every other bar does the opposite. They get the E for Effort. The regular fries are more “edible” than the spicy fries because they’re softer and more palate-friendly. I will definitely make return trips to try their seasonal brews and other food selections!

Brother Jimmy's 31st St

Click picture to see more on Facebook!

The FryCap

Place: Brother Jimmy’s 31st Street (416 8th Ave)

Taste: 7/10

Crispiness/Texture: 4/10

Presentation: 8/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 9/10

BFG Factor: 5/7

BFG RATING: 41/57

My buddy Jamie, his sister Erin and his girlfriend Amanda are all from North Carolina. When I ask where we should meet, naturally his answer is “You ever been to Brother Jimmy’s??” Well, his answer was more like a question, but that’s beside the point. Brother Jimmy’s has a great southern feel to it from the twang they use on their menus to the small glass jars they serve their liquor in. It’s especially awesome if you’re an ACC alum or fan.

Their thin sliced Fire Fries are well seasoned. Not as spicy as their name suggests and good enough to eat without salt and pepper. They’re not as crispy as they could be but there are a perfect compliment to the hot wings and the famous Charlotte AP Sweet Tea.

"PUT SOME SOUTH IN YO' MOUTH!"

Playwright III

click pic to see more photos on Facebook!

The FryCap

Place: Playwright III (27 W 35th Street)

Taste: 6/10

Crispiness/Texture: 8/10

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 8/10

BFG Factor: 4/7

BFG RATING: 41/57

This was a bittersweet night out because it was our buddy Dave’s last day with our company. Perfect reason to drink!
I ordered both of the fry options on Playwright’s menu; the Cajon fries and Hand Cut fries. I love spicy food but the Cajon fries disappointed. They were just the plain fries with Cajon seasoning. Not special. I honestly rather the bar not serve them than try to pass them off as something else. That’s like dousing fries with salt and calling them Salt fries. Ok I’m done. Until next time Fry Kids..

Town Tavern

CHILI CHEESE FRIES!!
MORE PICS ON FACEBOOK

The FryCap

Place: Town Tavern 

Taste: 9/10

Crispiness/Texture: 8/10

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Service: 8/10

BFG Factor: 5/7

BFG RATING: 44/57

Our Lovely Bartenders GRACE and REBECCA

Located at 134 W. 3rd street, Town Tavern is officially the closest bar to the W4th Street Station (A, B, C, D, E trains). "All the better to stumble home from my dear..." It's a great place to catch a game (they play the TV audio upstairs) or to have your Fantasy Drafts. They also have incredible Happy Hour deals - $3 Bud, Bud Light, Coors Light and PBR! Don't forget to ask about Beer Pong :)

The heavenly plate of Chili Cheese Fries pictured above is made with lightly seasoned home cut fries and real chilli. Like, chilli chilli. Beans and all (if you've ever had a BS plate of chilli fries, you know what I mean.) The fries are so-so by themselves but adding chilli and cheese makes them irresistible!

Latitude Bar

The FryCap

 

Place: Latitude Bar

Taste: 9/10

Crispiness/Texture: 10/10

Presentation: 8/10

Ambiance: 9/10

Service: 8/10

BFG Factor: 6/7

BFG RATING: 50/57

MORE PICS |||| MORE VIDS

Firstly, Latitude is HUGE. Lastly, Latitude is HUGE. I took a virtual walk-through of the place so you can get an idea of what I mean. The video is after jump.

The fries are heavenly. They are your simple straight cut variety, but they have an exquisitely crunchy coating and great-tasting fluffy innards. They deserve their 50 of 57 BFG Rating. Latitude took the extra care to serve them with three dipping sauces (Siracha Mustard, Citrus Aioli, and of course Good Ol’ 57).

Latitude has a great Sunday and Monday Happy Hour for my football fans. Check out their site http://www.latitudebarnyc.com/ for more info.

BarFryGuy on J Blog

BarFryGuy was recently featured on the venerable J Blog a sophisticated blog that chronicles the musings of one Jada Gomez-Lacayo (@GoldenLadyJ). Check out the article HERE

~~~~ ^_^ ~~~~

I know you're on Facebook!

Take a look at the BarFryGuy page the next time you log on. :)

LIVE FROM THE BRONX: 27th HEAVEN

Words can't describe what it was like to be there when the Yankees won their 27th World Series. So this video will have to do :)

Watch more on the BarFryGuydotcom YouTube page

New Yankee Stadium

BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK

PHOTO ALBUM | VIDEOS

GARLIC FRIES

The FryCap
Taste: 4/10 (8/10 if you LOVE garlic)
Crispiness/Texture: 7/10
Presentation: 5/10
Ambiance: 9/10
Service: 4/10
BFG Factor: 5/7
BFG RATING: 34/57 (38/57 for garlic lovers)

JOHNNY ROCKETS

The FryCap
Taste: 4/10
Crispiness/Texture: 5/10
Presentation: 4/10
Ambiance: 9/10
Service: 4/10
BFG Factor: 5/7
BFG RATING: 31/57

Let me start by saying this; I am a HUGE Yankee fan. The new stadium is a palace fit for the baseball royalty that the Yanks are, but the fries and service? There were long lines on everything except regular stuff like hot dogs, pretzels, and popcorn and I missed a Derek Jeter homerun waiting for the Garlic Fries. :(

Speaking of which, the Garlic Fries live up to their name. A LOT of garlic and no salt. I suggest you stay away unless you reeeaally love garlic.

Johnny Rockets fries were nothing special. They come out the same way they went in so you have to add your own salt and pepper and a healthy helping of Good Ol’ 57.

McFadden's NYC

BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK

Let’s get down to Beez-Nass. My eyes lit up when I saw “Spicy Curly Fries” on the menu. What’s better than fries, you ask? Curly Fries. And what’s better than curly fries? Spicy curly fries. I was practically drooling at the thought of them, until they came out…

The FryCap
BFGs 35 of 57
Place: McFadden's 42nd and 2nd Ave
Taste: 4/10
Crispiness/Texture: 4/10
Presentation: 5/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Service: 8/10
BFG Factor: 6/7 (Incredible drink special and awesome staff)

“There wasn’t too much flavor,” said one innocent bystander. “Actually more oil than anything and they were too crispy for so little flavor. They were supposed to be spicy curly fries but there were no spices :( We needed a lot of salt and pepper and 57 for decent eating.” I couldn’t agree more. If the menu had said “Crispy Waffle Fries”, this is a different review. Unfortunately, they need to do a better job of managing expectations. Oh, and actually serving what’s on the menu.

We came because my buddy Brandon won a half price happy hour (Email my friend Dina dina.mcfaddens@gmail.com for more info). Translated that means Jack and Cokes and Vodka Cranberrys for $4. Translated that means DRINKS ON ME!! My little brother JR had just finished taking his MCATs aka he's a future doctor. So I did what every forward-thinking, alcohol-guzzling, fry-eating critic would do... I put a down payment on my future hospital bills.

Ode to That Good Ol' 57

As my faithful Fry Kids already know, I rate bar fries on a scale of 1 to 57 (thanks to @JamieWarner for the idea). I’m sure you all are just dying to know why I’ve chosen this obnoxious number. Well, 57 is the number you will find on every bottle of Heinz Ketchup. My choice is fitting since ketchup is the perfect companion to the French Fry and, of course, any friend of the French Fry is a friend of mine.
Ketchup aka “Good Ol’ 57” is perfect because it satisfies all five tastes of your precious palate. That’s right FIVE. It is salty. It is bitter. It is sweet. It is sour. And the ripe tomatoes used to make it gives it the fifth taste umami which is the full-bodied taste that “turns a soup from salt water into a food.” This quote says it best:

“The taste of Heinz ketchup began at the tip of the tongue, where our receptors for sweet and salty first appear, moved along the sides, where sour notes seem the strongest, then hit the back of the tongue, for umami and bitter, in one long crescendo.”

That’s music to my tongue…

Read the full article The Ketchup Conundrum by Malcolm Gladwell

Village Pourhouse Downtown: So nice I had to do it twice!

BFG FryCap
Place: Village Pourhouse 63 3rd Ave at 11th St.

BFGs: 45 of 57
Taste: 8/10
Crispiness/Texture: 8/10
Presentation: 8/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Service: 8/10
BFG Factor: 6/7 (more Beer Pong :) )

Become a Fan on Facebook!

On my boy Jamie’s birthday, I got a text that read “Open bar tonight at Village Pourhouse from 7-8, just do the following…” It was from my good friends at @BuzzTxt who do drink specials and open bars just for showing the hostess a text message on your phone at the door. (Text BTX to 95495 to join) I have no idea how it works, nor do I care. All I know is it is very easy to lose count of how many drinks you consume when you don’t have to pay for them, like [insert tasteless joke about girls at bars here].

This is the Village Pourhouse located downtown on 3^rd Ave and 11^th Street. It is classier than its 109^th Street fraternal twin but the menus are identical. Do you know what that means Fry Kids? Another order of Village Pourhouse Smothered Fries! (Check out the review from the previous posting for more on this Three Cheese and Bacon creation.) Then we all stumbled, erm, “walked” to Bar None on 3rd and 13th for a few games of beer pong and great music.

BarFryGuy's Jenga: How To Eat Cheese Fries

When you order a basket/plate of fries for the table, everyone’s natural inclination is to reach out and grab a fry. This is all fine and good until... [Enter: Cheese Fries] People reach out then pause. Perplexed with brow furrowed and hand hovering over the basket, they concentrate in search of a dry portion of a fry sticking out. You can see in their eyes that they are weighing the level of pleasure they will receive after successfully securing a fry covered in cheese (and chili, bacon, etc.) and the level of dismay they will feel if/when they make a mess of the table, or worse, themselves. I call this Jenga.

I know what you’re thinking. “Why not just grab a fork?” Think, young padawan. We’re in a bar. What if you have to ask the waitress for the fork and wait for it to show up? That, grasshopper, is the difference between winners and losers. By the time you get a fork, BarFryGuy has already eaten all of the good parts--my table and shirt be damned! That’s why God made Wet-Ones and Jesus made Tide-to-Go. So you (loser) can watch me (winner) enjoy my cheese fries.

David Rossitter = Winner

The moral of the story is you can’t play Jenga with a fork. Now go out there and be somebody!

Happy eating Fry Kids. ~Your friendly neighborhood BarFryGuy

LEAVE COMMENT

BarFryGuy is on the Map!

I'm back on my grind Fry Kids. Don't believe?

GOOGLE ME!

BECOME A FAN of BarFryGuy on Facebook

FOLLOW BarFryGuy on Twitter

WATCH BarFryGuy on YouTube

CHECK OUT BarFryGuy on Flickr

Join me on my quest to find the best Bar Fries in the World!

Village Pourhouse Uptown

Hey, remember me? I was in rehab this summer trying to reform this whole fried food and alcohol diet. If you’re reading this, CONGRATULATIONS! You’re the reason I relapsed!! Go ahead; pat yourself on the back. I’ll wait. ...… Ok, back to business! :)

I’m an honorary member of the Nickelodeon softball team (still undefeated at the time of this communication) and after winning a game uptown at 108th and Riverside we headed over to the Village Pourhouse on 109th and Amsterdam for celebratory drinks and frites. Before I get into that though, a word of advice. Don’t be like me when you grow up. I had not one but TWO Makers on the rocks before going to the game, got there right before we started, and prayed the ball didn’t get hit to me. I did, however, hit the game-winning single so I guess I have favor with the Alcohol gods… but I digress.

We ordered two beer bongs (or Hi Toppers) of Bud Light for only $20 each. Peaking at the menu, it only took me four seconds to decide what I wanted. I ordered the Smothered Fries. Oh. My. Jesus… If you’re on a diet, please cover your eyes.

Village Pourhouse’s Smothered Fries are handcut and deep-fried then drowned in three cheeses and (wait for it….) BACON. As teammate Jeremy Schloss so eloquently put it, “If you put cheese and bacon on something, it’s impossible to suck.” This is a bit of an overstatement, but I like where his head’s at. What’s amazing about them is there’s cheese and bacon throughout the dish. Unlike other bars that just put cheese atop the fries as a mere afterthought, Village Pourhouse said smothered and they meant smothered. They are served with sour cream, Ranch, and Good Ol’ 57. They also come with a warning to consult your doctor to make sure your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. Oh wait, that’s Cialis… Either way, these fries are not for the faint of heart, and I don’t recommend them to any Calorie Counters. :D

LEAVE COMMENT|BEER PONG VIDS|MORE PICS

BFG FryCap
Place: Village Pourhouse 109th St. and Amsterdam Ave.

BFGs: 45 of 57

Taste: 8/10
Crispiness/Texture: 8/10
Presentation: 8/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Service: 8/10
BFG Factor: 6/7 (Several games of Beer Pong! VIDEO)

Sutton Place Rooftop Bar

On a beautiful Monday Night after our game at Roosevelt Island where the Crazy Lizards softball team pummeled some woebegone opponents 19-7 with the help of my 3 hits :) , we ended up at the Sutton Place Rooftop Bar which is walking distance from the Roosevelt Island Tram. Speaking of the Tram, I'm afraid of heights and all I could think about was what I'd do if the Green Goblin showed up and tried to make Spiderman choose between us and Mary Jane Watson, but I digress...

Sutton is a great scene. This was a Monday so it wasn't crazy and we got to enjoy good conversation without the pretentious people that normally frequent a place with $7+ Beers and $12+ Cocktails. It would have been awkward wearing our Crazy Lizards tees surrounded by cocktail dresses and business suits.

Now, I'm not one for rules, but I do have one (yes, only one). When drinking outdoors, drink something that requires a fruit. If you close your eyes, it feels like you're on vacation. Our waitress Cyce from Frisco suggested the Steak Fries which she informed me were "seasoned with Magic". I doubt this Muggle knew the first thing about magic, but I ordered a basket and a Corona (of course).

They came fresh and hot. They had just the right amount of crispness for Steak Fries. You need their innards (that's right, innards) to be soft in order to really enjoy them, but you don't want them to be soggy and formless. As I suspected, there was no "magic" on them but they didn't need it. A little S & P and that good ol' 57, and they were good to go!

Place: Sutton Place Rooftop Bar
BFG Rating: 45/57
Taste: 8/10
Crispiness/Texture: 8/10
Presentation: 6/10
Ambiance: 9/10
Service: 9/10
BFG Factor: 5/7