St Edmonds

Life is full of surprises and the same applies to chips. St Edmonds – classy, quirky, set in the midst of trendy Prahran and bustling with the upper (and cooler) echelons of society. The menu matches this, catering a mixture of tapas dishes and deli display items. With this mind, we assumed the fries would complement the hip vibe. Unfortunately, we were wrong. The chips were served as French fries style, for those who do not speak the language of potato; this means Maccas chips and was accompanied by mayonnaise. That was the first mistake – the mayonnaise tasted overwhelmingly like egg and was far too thick. The experience continued to plummet when the abundance of salt destroyed any possible flavour of potato, convincing us that we had just developed a cholesterol problem. This compounded by an after-taste that was reminiscent of a hangover deterred us from finishing the bowl!  We chip-gurus were yet to meet a bowl we could not devour and we were disappointed with both ourselves for struggling and St Edmonds for upsetting our stomachs. Sheepishly, we left 1/3 of the fries with an untouched container of mayonnaise. Oh well, maybe we just weren’t trendy or up-market enough.

Quote of the meal: ‘The chips are so salty, when I lick my lips it tastes like I’ve just been swimming in the sea!’

Rating: 1/5 chips

Price: $7.00

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Orgasmic (Summer Holiday Special!)

Whilst holidaying in Byron Bay, the chicks couldn’t help but order a side of chips with their falafels at Orgasmic, a hole in the wall falafel bar we had been to over a number of visits to Byron. With no expectation of even writing a review, we waited with no anticipation of finding something remarkable or special. However, these chips were just too good not to mention! They arrived in a very generous serve, as described, in a ‘basket’ with zaata sprinkled throughout the layers of golden goodness. By the time we had finished our first bite we were obsessed and couldn’t stop talking about their perfect amount of salt, the moorish flavour of the zaata and the heat of every French fry style chip coming fresh from the kitchen. Requiring no accompanying tomato sauce or aioli, the only fault we could find in these chips is that you wont find them in Melbourne.

Quote of the meal: ‘I am making these at home!’

Rating: 4.3/5 chips

Price: $6.00

Galleon

This St Kilda institution is constantly packed with the hip and funky Acland St regulars (and some of the less well-dressed addicts that roam the streets of St Kilda). The peace sign hanging from the window generated a negative impression that the chips would appeal to tree-hugging, vegetable oil-loving hippies. Understated on the menu, simply described as 'chunky fries' without mentioning side sauces or unique flavours, we were dubious as to the Galleon chefs passion and enthusiasm for the fried potato strips. After explaining to the crew I dragged along what comprises the ultimate chip, we were ready for business, with our pens poised and our stomachs rumbling. Initial apathy and doubt quickly transformed into eagerness and approval when the waitress handed down crispy and thick hot chips. Excitement overcame us as the bowl had a combination of beautifully overcooked fries and fluffy, softer fries, providing each palate with their personal preference. This coupled with the mix between thick and thin strips delighted us, compelling us to feel ashamed of our initial reluctance. Served with a thick aoili and a tub of tomato sauce, we were pleasantly surprised by the quality and the taste of the potato chips. The Galleon demonstrates that we chip-loving chicks cannot judge the superiority of fries by a cafe's interior and must always remain opened-minded when it comes to fried strips of potatoes!
Quote of the meal: 'Rate that!'
Rating: 3.5/5
Price: $6.50