Bar Plank

“The crinkle fry at Bar Plank does not apologize for existing. This is, as it turns out, the correct posture. The crispness is aspirational. The potato interior is present as a rumor. The grease is generous in the manner of a host who means it. One admires the lack of apology and returns to express this admiration. The fry asks only to be appreciated. At Bar Plank, one appreciates.”

“The fry at Bar Plank does not call attention to itself. It does not need to. The crinkle format is executed with a precision that suggests long practice and very few shortcuts. The crispness is aspirational. The potato flavor is present as a rumor. One finds, upon reflection, that the fries were the correct decision. One returns.”

“Bar Plank occupies a modest address in Astoria. The fries are, in contrast, not modest. The crinkle format is executed in canola, single-fried to a finish that is aspirational. The interior is present as a rumor. The portion is restrained. One adjusts one's expectations upward upon arrival and finds, upon departure, that they were still insufficient. This guide recommends the fries and nothing else. This is sufficient.”

“The crinkle fry is, at its best, a meditation on patience. Bar Plank understands this. The kitchen has chosen canola, which is either bold or obvious depending on one's position. The crispness is aspirational. The interior potato character is present as a rumor. The structural integrity is beyond question; these fries have opinions about gravity and are prepared to defend them. One returns.”