This Spud’s For You: 5 tater-topped sandwiches around Columbus

For those enlightened few who know French fries are more than just a sidekick to burgers or a vehicle for Heinz’s red sauce (which are very, very important roles of their own, of course), I offer you a greasy high five.

Because I have a confession to make: I’m obsessed with French fries.

When I call the bank to clarify a charge, I first answer the security question, “What’s your favorite snack?” with a proud, “French fries.” And when it comes to fries as a topping, I can’t get enough. There’s something about that slight crunch, that starchy flavor, that touch of fryer grease that only adds to everything it’s paired with.

And so, you can imagine my delight upon realizing how many restaurants around town observe taters as toppings on their entrees! Here are 5 of my favorite French fry-garnished sandwiches around town.

Pittsburgh Princess
Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace • 248 S Fourth St., Downtown; 2836 W Broad St., Westgate

The hot dog that makes yinzers proud—and makes any fry-lover start to salivate. In all of my visits to Dirty Frank’s, I’ve literally never not gotten this royal delight. (Including the time I went the night before I had my wisdom teeth pulled. #lastmeal) Why? Because an all-beef hot dog in a steamed poppyseed bun is then stacked with fries and coleslaw and doused in malt vinegar, that’s why.

Fat Caveman
PJ’s • 15 E. Frambes Ave., Campus

Plenty about PJ’s is potentially offensive—including, but not limited to, sandwiches whose names all start with “fat,” and sandwiches packed with meats, mozzarella sticks, fries, onion rings, and egg rolls. Okay, fine, that second one’s only really offensive to your arteries. Your inner meat, cheese, and grease fiend will be going nuts the second you bite into one of these fully loaded concoctions. Here, there are 31 potato-topped options to choose from (I’m including potato skins here because, well, obvi), and the Fat Caveman doesn’t skimp on fries—or grilled chicken, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, cheese, mozzarella sticks, or marinara. Honorable mention goes to the marinara and cheese topped “pizza fries.” (Somehow, it works.)

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Wallie Hoagie
The Walrus • 143 E. Main St., Downtown

You know it’s good when the namesake sandwich is loaded with fries and comes with fries on the side. Hellooo, Wallie hoagie. Thinly shaved steak covers a bisected hoagie roll and is sprinkled with cheddar and coleslaw (I could have gone for more and/or had it be a bit more mayo-ey) before the cook heaves a serving and a half of french fries both onto the sandwich itself as well as piled alongside. Heaven. Horseradish mayo on the side adds an interesting twist.

Steak ‘N’ Fries Salad
Gresso’s • 961 S. High St., Brewery District

Steak. Fries. Salad. Yes, it’s true. And Gresso’s embraces this other spuds-covered Pittsburgh classic like they do every other transplant to Columbus: with flag-waving gusto. That means fresh greens, cooked-to-order sirloin, a hearty helping of salted fries, and a liberal sprinkling of cheese. The steak and fries cause the lettuce to wilt ever so slightly, the cheese gets all kinds of melty and the perfect bite involves spearing all four. (Although some solo, cheese-covered fries aren’t so bad, either.)

Boise Surprise
Yellow Brick Pizza • 892 Oak St., Old Towne East

Potatoes on a pizza? Oh yes. And while they’re in the shape of discs, not strips—and baked, not fried—the Boise Surprise definitely deserves its place on this list. That’s because those discs are joined by an olive oil sauce and plenty of mozzarella and bacon atop Yellow Brick’s signature crust, then sprinkled with chives and a swirl of sour cream after it comes out of the oven. So you can get your Pittsburgh fix via pizza that’s essentially the equivalent of a loaded baked potato.

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