By Meghan Santora
For the Diamondback
Mr. Fries Man recently opened in College Park. It’s a new restaurant where you have the option to customize a fry box exactly how you want it or pick from its ready-to-order menu.
Open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, Mr. Fries Man looks to be a popular late-night indulgence, especially for students at The Varsity and University View apartments, located just across the street.
Straight off of the customer favorites menu, I ordered a classic chili cheese fry box. Although it came out piping hot only 10 minutes later, the disproportionate ratio of chili to cheese resulted in a very lackluster cheese pull. However, the amount of chili on the fries was perfect and they stayed nice and crispy with minimal grease.
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The reason these standard-cut fries work for this business is that they don’t lose their sturdiness under the mounds of toppings weighing them down. The chili is made with chicken instead of beef, but I found the switch indetectable.
The chili had a pretty typical flavor, exactly what you want to be smothered over fries. My only complaint was the unusual texture. It seemed almost like it was trying to be smooth — with no chunks at all — but ended up being grainy.
Mr. Fries Man also has a plant-based protein on its build-your-own menu. My friend ordered the junior-size Beyond Meat option with honey garlic sauce.
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This sauce was a great combination of sweet, savory and spicy, and I really enjoyed the plant-based option. Even though the beyond meat fries were half the size of the chili cheese box, it was more expensive because of the protein choice.
Overall, Mr. Fries Man has a unique business idea that tailors well to college students. The fries are great for sharing, but some combinations are expensive for one serving. If you are looking for some flavor packed comfort food, try it out!