Whole Foods Market: the little health-conscious grocery store that could. It's hard to believe that what once started with a single family-funded vegetarian supermarket has now expanded to become synonymous with Big Business and Industry itself, thanks to it's recent acquisition by Amazon. But what I like about the company is that even though it might falter and draw criticism every now and then, it always (eventually) remembers its original goal of serving high-quality sustainably-raised and ethically-acquired foods. It has taken the steps necessary to stay in business after almost 40 years, good or bad, and ultimately leaves the deciding power in the hands of the customers.
With that said, if you're a customer of the Burbank location, you can decide to visit a restaurant unique to this store: Stage 71! Yes, a restaurant inside of a store (which is on top of a parking structure, if you're really keeping track). Using an extremely minimal theme, Stage 71 alludes to its nearby studio neighbors (Warner Bros., Universal, and Nickelodeon to name a few) with subtle décor and an industry phrase scattered here or there. But it's a full-service restaurant with large glass walls and a view of the San Fernando Valley, and it's tucked away behind the express checkout lane!
But none of that matters. Let's get to the fries!
The options for fries at Stage 71 are narrow, so let's hope that they're good! You've got regular fries for $3 and certified Vegan, and you've got sweet potato fries also for $3, but not labeled Vegan. Why? It's unclear, but The Frequent Fryer has seen this situation before. Other restaurants will serve sweet potato spuds with an aioli sauce or with bacon bits, but always as an option. That's not the case here, but the label is still mysterious. Either way, both of these are some of the cheapest things you'll find at Whole Foods.
Both fries arrive in undersized frying baskets which are assuredly only for show, but they're piled in plentifully, and I'll tell you right now that this simple order is very filling. Two sides should be shared, and one side is enough for most people. A side note for those who prefer ketchup as their condiment: Stage 71 offers Sir Kensington's brand of gluten-free ketchup, which has the same taste as most over-the-counter ketchups without processed sugar. Also, a main ingredient is green peppers, so don't be surprised by the tingling sensation, because it's a nice change!
The regular fries are great! They're cut restaurant-style and long, and the skins are flaky and audibly crunchy. There is very little salt sprinkled on, but the potato's taste is bold and wonderful, if somewhat oily. They taste how fries should taste, even though they don't do anything particularly exciting. The interior remains soft despite the excellent outer frying, and they don't limp out after cooling down. Not what you would have expected from a grocery store food court, huh?
The sweet potato fries are also pretty good! There's not as much crunch to them, unless you find a thinly-tapered fry that's been compressed to a sharp edge. The fries are tender as if they've been baked instead of fried, and while they're not as long as the other fries their form stays just as intact. Again, there is some salt, but the mild sweet flavor of these spuds is what will stay with you. They're not sugary either, so you won't feel like you're cheating on your diet. These would actually make a good healthy snack, so keep that in mind while you're shopping in Aisle 5 for that $7 bag of kale chips.
Final rating for regular fries: 4/5 Spuds.
Final rating for sweet potato fries: 4/5 Spuds. read more