My husband went to germany several years ago and was raving about pomme frites.

Now that we are going to Paris he is really looking forward to getting the best 'french fries' ever.

We live in San Diego, so there isn't anything comparable to what he had; suggestions?

What - no McDonald's in San Diego?

What makes pomme frites special in Europe are the sauces served with the fries. My favorite is the curry with red pepper.

If you want the best fries ever, take the train to Amsterdam.

nettie, bird is not being entirely fair.

pommes frites are ubiquitous in Paris.

often served with moules [mussels]. steak [as in steak frites] or chicken [poulet]. or just about anything you like.

regards, ann

>>not being entirely fair?

HORSEFEATHERS!

Pommes frites are so many places in Paris, there's no way anyone would want to list them. Literally any cafe will have them.

Bird -

I don't think even the french serve pommes frites with horsefeathers.

but they do serve them with horse.

S:-

regards, ann

ooops, should have been

I doubt you'll find pommes frites with red curry sauce in Paris, but that wouldn't be much of a loss, IMO. In fact, you won't find many of them with any kind of sauce - that's typical of other places in Europe, not France.

They're originally Belgian, by the way.

And you'll hardly be able to walk 10 feet without running into pommes frites, so I certainly wouldn't make a grail out of it. I think some of the best I've had were at the Rotisserie d'en Face, but good ones are to be had in many, many places.

Have to second the person that said Amsterdam. I had them several times there and they were the best I've had. Never been to Belgium but have had them many times in Paris. But Amsterdam with that mayo they have and a white beer, outstanding.

The pommes frites we had in Bruges Belgium were the best we have ever eaten....it was at least 10 years ago and I still have not had any as good!!!

Thanks guys, as a matter a fact he did visit amsterdam, so I am sure thats where he had them. I will have to tell him not to expect the same thing.

You can't wave a dead horse by the tail in Paris without hitting a shop that sells pomme frites.

No sauce in France? You're kidding - right?

<<No sauce in France? You're kidding - right?>>

No, not kidding. Are you?

Well, I'm pretty sure that it was in Paris that I had some frites with garlic mayo....

....could I have had an out-of-body experience?

Nah.

Mayonnaise, probably, but garlic mayonnaise? Dunno. We are usually just offered plain mayonnaise. But wait...in Provence one can get aïoli, the true garlic mayonnaise, with potatoes and cod and all sorts and conditions of food.

Frankly I think the fries in Belgium are better - but any decent cafe in Paris serves excellent pommes frites. It's only in the US that we tolerate bad ones.

I've never been offered any kind of sauce with pommes frites in Paris, except ketchup (rarely).

I've had aioli with pommes frites, but never in Paris. Wouldn't pass it up, though....

StCirq,

Didn't mean to be rude. I've only been to Paris twice, and only ordered frites once, so I'm hardly an authority.

I do admit to sometimes being a blow hard.

I didn't find you the least bit rude, Dutch - enjoyed the back and forth. Just was curious, as my experience - and yes, it's been considerable - hasn't involved sauces with pommes frites. And I've been there a bazillion times with my kids, and guess what they've been ordering all over the city?

We were just in Paris and had some of the worst fries in Paris and Bruges. The ones you're looking for are in Amsterdam, at the little street carts. But I have to say, the best fries ever were in San Diego, which is where we are moving in less than 2 weeks. It's a place in Pacific Beach called Belgian Frie. They have all different types of sauces and the greatest fries you'll ever have.

Neighborhood: Pacific Beach
4614 Mission Blvd.
(between Emerald Ct & Felspar St)
San Diego, CA 92109