Everyone can agree that a quintessential part of college is getting all of your unhealthy eating out of the way before emerging as a "true adult," and there's no better way to do that than to make fried potatoes part of your daily diet.
But now that the days of UC Berkeley's on-campus dining locations serving fried food are long gone, how can one achieve such a lofty goal? Although tater tots and French fries can occasionally be found at the dining halls, sightings are rare. If you truly want to reach the pinnacle of fried potato heaven, you must turn away from Croads and go in search of greener (or, in this case, less green and more fried) pastures.
Not an adventurer at heart? Don't fear, here's a list of the best places to fulfill your fried potato cravings in Berkeley, regardless of the shape they come in.
Best French Fries: Saturn Cafe
These are hands down the best French fries in Berkeley. A bold statement, but you won't be disappointed. Simple, yet perfectly crispy, with just the right amount of salt makes Saturn's fries unbeatable. If you're afraid because Saturn Cafe is a vegetarian restaurant, don't be. Fries taste just as good without a meaty burger alongside them.
Best Poutine: Smoke's Poutinerie
An imported Canadian classic, all of the poutines at Smoke's Poutinerie come with fresh hand-cut fries, squeaky cheese curds, and the signature gravy. Smoke's Poutinerie also has a wide array of meat, veggie, and sauce-y topping combinations on the menu, so that you can eat the poutine of your dreams. Plus, it is conveniently open until 4 am every day. Drunchies, anyone?
Best Curly Fries: I.B.'s
Newly renovated, and with a few menu updates, I.B.'s is open once again on Telegraph. Serving a wide variety of hoagies and burgers, it's hard to go wrong with a side order of curly fries. And, you are offered a choice of sauces aside from the usual ketchup so don't be afraid to branch out. I recommend the garlic sauce to add a bit of bite to your curly fries.
Best Tater Tots: The Tatery
While technically based out of Oakland, one could make the argument that since The Tatery is a food truck, it belongs to the whole East Bay. It's simple tots are the best around, perfectly golden and crispy, likely because they're made fresh with each order. The Tatery also offers more grown-up choices such as the "Holy Shawarma!" with grilled chicken, sautéed onions, mint tahini yogurt, spicy green sauce, salata, feta cheese, parsley, and paprika. Pay attention to The Tatery's Twitter feed to see where it'll be popping up next.
Best Potato Puffs: Grégoire
Unique to Berkeley, Grégoire is well-known for these fried little balls from heaven. With a crispy exterior giving way to a soft, melt-in-your-mouth inside, they taste like the ultimate comfort food. You can also add parmesan, garlic and parsley, or white truffle essence. Each order is large enough to share with a friend but I won't judge if you feel like keeping them all to yourself.
Best Waffle Fries: The Snack Shack
A hidden Northside gem, The Snack Shack is the perfect place to fulfill your burger and fries craving without having to go to a fast food restaurant. The restaurant has a plethora of gourmet burgers and milkshakes on its menu, but the fried potato star of the show is the waffle fries. My personal favorite is the Shack Fries, crispy waffle fries topped with garlic herb aioli and chives. It's just enough of an addition to stop them from being boring without going over the top.
Best Loaded Waffle Fries: Koja Kitchen
If you're a fan of waffle fries, but you want them with a little more something something, then head on over to Koja Kitchen. The Kamikaze fries are topped with Korean BBQ beef, kimchi, green onion, Japanese mayo, and spicy "red sauce." Basically, it's an explosion of umami in your mouth. They can also be turned into a vegetarian option upon request.
If you want to make your own, healthier, fries at home, check out these sweet potato fries. And if you're traveling across the country for this summer, don't fear, here's a list of the best French fries in each state.
With all of these options, there's no reason to refrain from indulging your fried food cravings. Plus, with midterm season only just ending and dead week fast approaching, we need as much comfort as we can get. If that means eating our weight in fried potatoes then who can really judge?