Pomme frites from The Pantry

#FriYAY because it’s #FRYday here at AY About You!

 

Every Friday, AY is choosing a local eatery that is dedicated to bringing Arkansans binge-worthy fries and delicious, homemade sauces. This week, AY heard from The Pantry, a European-inspired eatery known for their delectably classic pommes frites with a garlic mayo and spiced ketchup. And with two locations in the capital city, there is no reason why you can’t join in on the #FRYday!

 

Owner Tomas Bohm told AY that the secret to their perfect fries isn’t a secret at all – in fact, he claims that all good French fries are made the same; it just boils down to the execution.

 

“There’s only really one way to make a good fry,” Bohm says. “It really depends on the potato and the oil you fry it in. All the other stuff is the same.”

At The Pantry, their chefs used fresh Kennebec potatoes – a potato Bohm says is known to have less moisture and sugar, making it a “perfect potato.” They are cleaned, peeled and cut into thin fires in-house before being blanched. This means that the potatoes are cooked in the canola oil – rather than a normal peanut oil – at a lower temperature and then chilled, allowing the restaurant to cook them again immediately before hitting the table. This process is key to the crispy fry Bohm aims for every time.

 

“I want to make sure it is nice and crispy, got a good body inside still, but most importantly that it is crispy,” Bohm says. “When it sits on the table, even after a little bit, it’s still crispy. That is the big thing for us.”

 

Originally from Czech Republic, one way Bohm has integrated the European menu into The Pantry’s dishes is by serving the pomme frites with a garlic mayo and spiced ketchup.

 

“In Europe, they are always served with a curried ketchup or a garlic or just regular mayo as a dipping sauce,” Bohm says.

 

His advice for the classic dish?

 

“A good glass of champagne and good French fries…the perfect pair!”

 

READ MORE: Top 10 French Fries in Little Rock