I can truthfully say that there are fewer things that bring me greater joy than the humble potato. Beautiful in their own simple and sturdy way, these starchy brown dreamboats are perfect because they can appear in so many different varieties, but we’re here to talk about just one – frites. Not French fries, not chips, but frites. Specifically, Belgian frites. If for whatever reason, you somehow have it in your head that it’s a cliché to go to Belgium and get frites, that it’s overrated and will be disappointing – we suggest you let that falsehood go.
Impossibly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, what makes them so special is the double fried technique. Belgian frites are fried once, then refried again just before serving. I’m firmly in the camp that a good frite (or fry, in other circumstances) doesn’t actually need a sauce, BUT part of the Belgian frite experience can be the sauce dolloped on top. Mayonnaise is traditional, but depending on which friterie you visit, you’ll have a wide selection – Belgian favourite Maison Antoine in the European Quarter has 30 different sauces on offer! Whatever sauce you choose, you absolutely eat them out of a paper cone with a mini-fork. This is non-negotiable.
During our weekend in Brussels in mid-July, we controlled ourselves for only going for frites once. Escaping from a freak July rainstorm, we stood on the cobbled Rue de la Fourche, under the awning of Café Georgette, we ordered two cones (each €4) – salt, no sauce, to taste a real Belgian frite in its purest for the first time. And they did not disappoint. Fantastically crisp and delectably creamy with a gorgeous gold colour. The one-size portion was not messing around – we both had to go for a nap once we braved the rain to get back to the hotel.
You might get bored of us saying "to get the best version of xyz, get out of the city centre", but with frites it's a little different. They're often served street-food style from a window of a café - cooked in front of you behind a range of sauces to agonise over. There are so many tucked in and around the cobbled streets of the Place de la Bourse across the city, you could easily plan your whole trip around finding the perfect one #fritecrawl
Hear us out with frites. We get that most food stereotypes around the world can be overhyped, but frites don't hurt the pocket and are a delicious snack to keep you going when wandering the city.