Say you walked through the kitchen of the only french fry restaurant in Kansas City. What would you expect to see on the shelves? Stacks of burlap sacks filled with potatoes. Maybe jugs of oil.
What if you saw boxes of brown sugar, cans of chili sauce, cheese, and crushed pineapple? Then, on the counter, bubbling pots of gravy and sauce bottles colored red, white + purple? You’d know you found something special.
Earlier this year, we told you about some of the best fries in KC — but maybe the best development in the local french fry scene happened about a month ago.
The Fry Lane ghost kitchen is the only restaurant in Kansas City that specializes in french fries as the main dish. What we tasted may upset the sensibilities of those who have lived their whole lives eating fries as a side. We all deserve more than a side of fries.
The perfect fry
It starts with the perfect fry. Everything about the Fry Lane’s signature dish has been curated through more than five years of research. Think:
- One fry oil for flavor, another “non-penetrating” oil to keep the fries crispy
- A secret seasoning blend — we can tell you that The Fry Lane is the only restaurant in KC allowed to use it
- Straight cut fries so savory toppings + sauces reach every fry, steak cut to stand up to heavier fixings, waffle cut fries to hold dessert toppings
- House-made ingredients and local suppliers — we had the TC Fryway poutine, and its KC Bier Co. Dunkel brown gravy came through
The result is spectacular. As the chef told us: the fries might get soft, but never soggy.
Whole fried world
One classically trained chef, one home chef, both former truckers. The Fry Lane team has been all around the world of french fries, and they’re pulling recipes and approaches from everywhere. Not just coast to coast — with their take on Philly cheese steaks + In-N-Out “Animal Style” fries — but as far as Brazil, South Korea + Australia.
Case in point: the “Fryway to Hell,” inspired by Dutch “war fries.” Usually topped with peanut satay, ketchup, and raw onions, the “Fryway to Hell” cuts the peanut satay altogether (The Fry Lane is obsessively allergy-friendly) and uses its own combo of sriracha, garlic aioli, and blackberry coulis.
Why does it work? We have no clue. But it works. So. Well.
Why fries?
“Every restaurant, french fries are an afterthought,” Mike, the Fry Lane’s head chef, told us. “They’re our main thought [...] If you can put it on pasta, if you can put it on bread, if you can put it on a hoagie or a bun, [we’ll] put it on fries and make it better.”
We were convinced. You will be, too. All in all, here’s what we tried:
- The TC Fryway poutine with KC Bier Co Dunkel bier brown gravy
- The Dutch war fry-inspired Fryway to Hell with blackberry coulis
- The Atlantic Fryway “dessert fry” with cinnamon sugar + honey butter
And in case you think we’re exaggerating: while writing this story, we had the TX 281 Fryway, with smoked pulled chicken, salsa fresca, and crema drizzle. We got two full meals from one “Heavy Haul” order — equal to four McDonald’s large french fries by weight — and despite being delivered steaming in the rain, we could still hear the crunch when we bit down.