A Canadian french fry restaurant opened its second U.S. location in Edison
Canadian-owned chain restaurant New York Fries is back home in the United States — and it started its American journey in New Jersey.
The French fry-focused spot opened its second U.S. location Feb. 11 at Menlo Park Mall food court in Edison. A grand opening celebration will take place on Feb. 29.
New York Fries serves fresh-cut fries, made with Idaho potatoes, served plain or loaded with toppings like queso and salsa; cheese sauce and crumbled bacon; cheese sauce and beef chili; and sour cream and tomatoes.
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But its flagship menu item is one that is hard to find on American soil: the Canadian delicacy poutine, which are fries topped with beef gravy and Wisconsin cheese curds.
“The gravy melts the curd and gets it nice and stringy," said New York Fries chief operating officer Craig Burt. "And the cheddar cheese curd is made of a young cheese, which gives it a unique flavor.”
New York Fries cooks its fries in sunflower oil and serves each order in 30 seconds.
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“The fries are golden brown and crispy, and the inside is fluffy like a baked potato,” Burt said. “And the only thing that goes through our fryers are potatoes, so there are no other flavors coming in. You’re tasting the true Idaho potato flavor.”
New York Fries may be new to Americans (there is also a Long Island location), but it’s a staple in Canada where it has more than 100 locations. It also has 25 Middle East locations. In Canada, fresh-cut fries are found everywhere from ball parks to roadside stands, said Burt.
The brand, which is owned by Canada’s largest restaurant company Recipe Restaurant Group, originated in New York when it was founded in the early 1980s.
The New York location closed in 1984, but by that time, it was already flourishing in Canada after a Canadian was licensed to open stores.
By April, a Jersey City restaurant location will also be open, as will another Long Island location.
Go: Menlo Park Mall food court at 55 Parsonage Road, Edison; us.newyorkfries.com.
Contact: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com
Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, after becoming a blogger-turned-reporter following the creation of her award-winning travel blog. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. You can also follow her on Instagram at @seejennaeat and on Twitter at @JIntersimone.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: New York Fries opens second U.S. location in Edison
