I've always thought that the best french fries in Paris are at the Turkish and Greek kebab places, because they are about the last places still using fresh potatoes instead of frozen pre-cut fries.

In restaurants, pommes frites are generally mediocre.

You get the best frites at street stands or in those shabby-looking snack bars.

Most typical would be frites-merguez, that is pommes frites with spicy sausages.

Often, you find a hot sauce in a bowl on the counter. Rule: The smaller the spoon the hotter the sauce.

Do not be surprised if the pommes frites are served in a baguette, like a sandwich.

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nettie113 - For ordinary but very acceptable frites we liked the ones at Leon de Bruxelles, served with moules done dozens of different ways.
But for another style of pommes de terre frites, you will find them at Beirut Down Town, 30 rue des Fosses St.Bernard, 5e., they serve Batata harra - Pommes de terre frites a` l'ail et a` la coriandre, costing 4 euros.
Another pleasant surprise is Heineken beer is only 2.50, & cokes( 33cl) 1.50euros.
By the way - the place is as clean as an operating theatre.

PS. For those on a budget when it comes to food, how is this for cheap from Beirut Down Town:
A sandwich (wide variety)
A dessert called Baklawa
and a Soda (coke, orangina, Oasis etc.) all for 6.50 euros.

Besides the different sauces (OK - not in Paris), the reason that pomme frites are so good in Europe is that they are often double fried. This makes the outsides crisp and the insides creamy.

Ps - I've had fries all over Europe, Canada, U.S., and it is a toss-up between fries I've had in Ontario served with vinegar, and frites in Amsterdam served with mayo.

*In fact, I think I'm to start posting by the name Fry Bird.

thanks everyone!

NJrunr3 - thanks for the PB referral, I will have to head over there soon!

I had some really good French fries on my first trip to Paris over 10 years ago, but they are steadily switching over to the frozen and hence the same quality and taste is not there. As Kerouac says, there are not many places that use fresh potatoes anymore and the secret to the good fries is that they are fried twice.

I still do get good French fries in France when I visit my friend near Nantes because he digs up the potatoes out of his garden the day I arrive and his mother does miracles with them in her kitchen.

Here in the US most Americans have no idea what good French Fries taste like any more.

Most bistros and brasseries have excellent french fries. I see them unloading bags and bags of potatos from the delivery truck onto the sidewalk, so I guess they are going to be peeled and chopped with one of those manual or electric fries cutters.

There must be more to it than just using fresh vs. frozen potatoes. The chain In N Out here uses only fresh potatoes and the french fries still taste like cardboard.

The secret of Belgian french fries is that they are fried in beef fat. This has become quite rare in France, unfortunately.

I've never been offered any sauce with French fries in Paris, either; except sometimes ketchup if they detect my American accent. I do like ketchup with them, I admit, but not when they are with dinner. I think most of the ones I have had in Paris were mediocre, also (too thick and rather tasteless ormealy). The ones I have at home in one of my favorite French restaurants are better. I have had good ones in Belgium, more consistently.

we had them in may in paul bert-they were fried in goose fat and were superb!!

......Belgian Fries...ahhhhh...them two little green carts standing in front of the Belfort...several sauce choices...been to brugge three times and first stop is right there in the Gros Markt....mmmmmm

stu t.

HORSEFEATHERS!

Almost.......... horse fat in the old times (3/4 beef fat, 1/4 horse fat) :-))

In Denmark french fries are served with peanut sauce. I think we also had it served that way in Holland, too. Hot dogs (pulsers) are served with bread on the side, and you dunk the hot dog into the curry sauce or the peanut sauce. Great! We found french fries served just about everywhere in Paris. The key is to get them when they are hot out of the grease. Gotta be hot.