‘French Fry Fight’ lets Macon restaurants battle for best fries. When is winner announced?
Wednesday night, RJ Marcelona and Nate Bedgood sat outside Ocmulgee Brewpub enjoying a heap of street corn fries in a black styrofoam to-go box.
This was Marcelona’s second fry-stop of the day, and Bedgood’s third. The two debated over whether Ocmulgee’s fries beat Kinjo Kitchen’s fries. The discussion was important for the Macon “French Fry Fight,” an event several restaurants were participating in that encouraged residents to try fries from downtown hot spots and vote on the winner, which will be announced Monday.
Marcelona and Bedgood planned to make one or two more stops for fry specials before they called it a night.
Wednesday was the third annual French Fry Fight downtown. The event was an early celebration of National Fry Day, placed in the middle of a July week to stimulate downtown during its slow season, said Trish Whitley, Visit Macon’s director of development.
For the fry fight, 21 restaurants prepared a limited-time fry entree available from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 p.m., and customers voted on which fry was best.
“I think it’s good for building the camaraderie of the restaurants,” said Piedmont Brewery and Kitchen owner Richie Jones.
This year, Piedmont prepared chipotle mac and brisket french fries made with chipotle beer cheese.
The dish was the first of the night for Evelyn and Zach Lopater, their kids, and Melody and David Green. The group was sharing fries so they all could hit more restaurants.
“We love going to downtown events,” said Evelyn Lopater, “and even in just the last nine years we are super excited about how far the downtown area has come.”
The group planned to jump around to at least three restaurants, and maybe hit a fourth or fifth depending on whether they got dessert fries from the two locations serving them: Felicia’s Cake Factory and Sweet Eleanors.
Dessert restaurants included in the fry fight
It was Sweet Eleanor’s first year in the competition, and owner Scott Mitchell was happy that dessert restaurants were included in the event.
“I think it’s really cool that we’re able to get in on the fun,” said Mitchell.
The restaurant made funnel cake fries with a drizzle of raspberry sauce that looked like ketchup.
“It tastes like a fair,” said Sweet Eleanor’s manager Melissa Mims after tasting a fry.
Mitchell said he appreciates that the event is short, and takes place on a day of the week when restaurants may not be as busy. It allows for a boost in business without putting too much strain on the restaurant like a whole week event would.
To promote the fry fight, NewTown volunteers in orange t-shirts ventured between restaurants, they handed out downtown Macon pins, stickers, and black and white handheld fans.
“I think it’s a really cool concept, doing a fry-off,” said Bedgood.
But there was something he felt was missing from the fry selection.
“All these new restaurants popping up and doing things you know, it’s cool. But I’m like, where’s my poutine at man?”
