Restaurant Review: Kootenay Fries

While out on a gardening supplies expedition, my SIL and I needed a quick, cheap lunch. Trail is not the local dining mecca, even though Trail's End is excellent (it's also expensive), but Shan had a brainwave: she wanted fries and she remembered that Kootenay Fries & Food to Go had recently opened. She'd heard that they do pulled pork. Off we went.

The menu is small and consists of fries, hot dogs, burgers, a few wraps, and a few BBQ items. The interior was a little...um...decor-challenged... There were two tables and a sideboard where the condiments were located. It's mainly a to-go place, though, so I guess the interior decorating isn't a huge issue.

Shan ordered the cheese fries, which come with gravy and melted mozzarella, and I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and fries. The sandwich was $5.29 and the fries, I believe, were around $3. Shan's cheese fries were $4 or thereabouts.

The fries were made to order and obviously freshly cut and homemade (as evidenced not only by their flavour and appearance, but the boxes of potatoes visible in the kitchen, which is partially open). They were hot and crisp, and very obvioulsy the cook and proprietor had taken the time and effort to blanch them before deep frying them - something a lot of places don't do. They were perfect! The didn't come salted, but rather salt was available to put on as you saw fit. Also available was malt vinegar and apple cider vinegar. Shan really enjoyed her cheese fries, too, and was impressed.

As for my pulled pork on a bun, topped with coleslaw, it was also excellent! I was really impressed. The pork was very tender and flavourful, and the sauce was sweet but not overwhelmingly so. The pork also wasn't drowning in sauce, making for a messy sandwich, but had just enough on it to keep everything moist and tasty. The coleslaw was a nice creamy counterpoint.

With drinks and tax, lunch came to just over $15 for the two of us. The portions were good and I came away full!

Kootenay Fries is a new eatery, and I hope they do well, because they have a good thing going there!