Is tartar sauce on fries an exclusively Northwest thing?
Yesterday I flipped the channel to Man v Food on the Travel Channel. The episode was all about Seattle, so I of course continued watching. To my excitement, one of the stops the host, Adam, made was to Red Mill Burgers on Phinney Ridge. Red Mill is one of my sister’s favorite burger joints, and I went there quite frequently with her while in college, despite our both being short on finances. It’s just that good. The end end of last night’s segment about Red Mill showed the divine combination of onion rings dipped in Red Mill tartar sauce. In my opinion, one of the best things about Red Mill is the burger joint’s tartar sauce.
Tartar sauce is something to be revered in our family. My brothers and sister and I grew up on the tartar sauce at the East Wenatchee Dairy Queen, which is the sauce for which all sauces are judged. I’m not saying Dairy Queen’s is best, it’s just our standard. In fact, the tartar sauce at Larry’s Drive In is my favorite in the valley, and to be honest, I think the stuff at Hart’s British Fish n Chips might also be better.
It turns out that I grew up with the mistaken idea that tartar sauce is, in general, the preferred condiment for French fries, onion rings and the like. In fact, it wasn’t until a conversation between myself, New Jersey native Brian Adamowsky (aka: my fiance) and sports writer, guitar aficionado and Ephrata native Brent Stecker that I discovered that tartar sauce on French fries might very well be unusual in other parts of the country. Much like the shock of the mysterious maple bar, Brian told me that he thought the combination was strange, at first, when Brent told him about his favorite tartar sauce, at Zips. Unfortunately, the closest ones are in Cheney and Richland.
Brent and I were both flabbergasted. Since that fateful conversation, we’ve made serious efforts to convert Brian, and I think it’s worked at least inasmuch as he no longer thinks it’s an odd combination.
14 Comments
Tarter sauce and ketchup mixed together. It’s the perfect combination. Tasty!
Tartar sauce on French fries? In all my 20 years in this area, I have never heard of it. Yes, I know–there’s a lot I haven’t heard of– but I’m learning a lot from the blogs.
I know people (in my family, but please don’t tell anyone)who eat mayonnaise on F.F’s. If we’re in public, I request separate tables.
Ketchup is not boring if you use Heinz and add your own cayenne to it. However, I don’t buy FF’s any more as I am vertically challenged enough. Why can’t we grow upwards in the same proportion that we grow outwards?
My wife dips her fries in her milkshake, or sweet-n-sour sauce. Whichever is available.
My younger brother (okay, my only brother) introduced me to ketchup mixed with Valentina hot sauce. Now I would never even dream of eating plain ketchup.
Oh, and about the tartar sauce–Rusty’s in Cashmere wins, hands down. It’s very obviously a mayo-based sauce, though, which probably explains why I love it so much.
Andrew! You brought back a memory! Back when I could eat all that stuff, a hamburger called for a chocolate shake and fries, and I dipped my fries in the milkshake.
Now I wish I hadn’t read your comment. I can just taste it right now: the salt on the fries with the sweet of the shake. Mmmmm.
Sara: Your tartar sauce and ketchup combo is something my sister and brother taught me to do when I was a kid. I’ll admit, it’s pretty tasty. Thanks for sharing.
Joanne: I’ll try the cayenne with Heinz thing. Ketchup can use sprucing.
Andrew and Joanne: Yep, ice cream and fries, good stuff.
Claudia: Valentina is one of those sauces that improves everything. I have a cousin who puts Valentina on hot Cheetos. As for your tartar suggestion, it’s been a while since I’ve been to Rusty’s. Now I have an excuse to return soon. Thanks!
— Rochelle
In answer to your second and third question…Artic Circle fry sauce.
Becky: Thanks for the reminder, that stuff is divine. I could drink Arctic Circle fry sauce. Do you seek out actual Arctic Circles, or is Buddy La Fleur’s fry sauce acceptable?
— Rochelle
Just regular Arctic Circles. Fortunately there is one located close by and across the street from Jerry’s office…Artic Circle burgers are also one of TJ’s favorite. The price is right too~
Arctic Circle fry sauce was the best but the special fry sauce at Dizzy D’s is just as good!
I know I am a little late posting but love this Blog subject! Growing up in Idaho (in the 60’s!) we were the first to have “Tater Tots”. It was the biggest thing to hit since the push button phone (we were also the first…but am getting off track here..) a REAL vanilla coke and an order of Tater Tots dipped in MUSTARD! Still my absolute favorite! Who serves Tater Tots anymore??
mzkatz: Ooh, I love tater tots! I’ve found a few places that serve them. Rumor has it, they’re at Sonic. Also, Taco Time’s “Mexi Fries” are basically just seasoned tater tots. However, the best tots I’ve found are at McMenamins joints across Oregon and in Lower Queen Anne in Seattle. If you’re ever in the vicinity, try their tots. They’re perfectly fried.
– Rochelle
I’ve lived in the NW for all my seventeen years of life, but I can’t seem to remember why I’ve always had tarter sauce with my fries. My whole family will, but not as much as me. They’ll have other things w/ it, but I’ll only have TS. I’m pretty picky about it too. It can be hard to find a good one, and I’ll only have it if it’s dill. Not sweet. I lived on the East Coast one summer, Georgia another, and California another, and I always got strange looks at restaurants when requesting TS w/ fries.