Chicago Fry Tour

Went to  Chicago again recently to make sure their fries were holding up.  Our first stop was Bangers and Lace. Check out the gas faces on the bartender and the guy at the bar as I was taking this pic.

There are some things going on at B&L that I hadn't noticed (drunk) the other 5 or so times I have been there.  Like the strange stuffed creatures:

This deer giving us the double F-U:

And the fact that even though it was 100 degrees (and broad daylight) they still felt it was necessary to put lit candles on the tables.

Anyhoo, the fries were great, the dipping sauce was great, the price is aok, and the amount is acceptable.  A continued strong 7.

Extra points for the all black bathroom fixtures (no reason, I just thought they looked cool).

Next on the list was the Cheesecake Factory on Michigan Avenue. 

The restaurant is located under this famous building (didn't catch the name).

The decor is what I imagine it would look like if the Cirque du Soleil people opened a restaurant.  Weird.

Chachie got this order of fries with his burger.  I was pretty depressed until...

This is the order I got for $2.99.  Basically a large bowl full of fries.  Awesome!  Believe me, $2.99 for anything on Michigan Ave. in Chicago is a bargain.  Hot, good (but not great) flavor, and the amount vs. price was very good.  Overall, an 8 out of 10.

We stopped in at the Boundary for a surprise inspection as well.  Tots=still good.  Fries=still okay.  The star attraction at the Boundary is still the fried mac and cheese, though.

The next day we headed up to Evanston (30 or so minutes up the road) to check out a place called Edzo's. 

Famous for their burgers, the joint boasts no less than 11 different fry offerings!  Sweet!

I ordered the Garlic Fries, the Buffalo Fries, and the Old Fries.  NICE.

The Garlic Fries were a tad pricy at $3.99, but it was a "sharable" amount so I think it is okay.  Lots of garlic and Parmesan cheese (that seemed fresh) get these a rating of 9 out of 10.

The Buffalo Fries were astoundingly good, with curds of blue cheese and a tasty buffalo sauce. $4.69 freaked me out a bit at first, but after trying them I was cool with the price.  Also a 9 out of 10.

The Old Fries were basically just their fresh-cut fries blanched, drained, and re-fried so they were super crisp.  I think all fries should be like this, so I am not giving them any extra points.  That said, $3.50 for a batch of em is okay, but not great.  7 out of 10.

Our friend Shannon got the Truffle Fries (not pictured) which were really good, but not worth a staggering $5.49.  I would give those a 6 out of 10.