James Rivera's Bistro

“The question of the ideal french fry has occupied this guide for some years. At James Rivera's Bistro, one arrives closer to an answer. The matchstick fry, single-fried in peanut, presents crispness that is commendable and largely sustained and a potato interior that is earnest and specific. The grease is conservative — the napkin remains largely decorative. Proximity to an answer is, in this case, sufficient. One proceeds. One is glad one did.”

“The matchstick fry is, at its best, a meditation on patience. James Rivera's Bistro understands this. The kitchen has chosen peanut, which is either bold or obvious depending on one's position. The crispness is commendable and largely sustained. The interior potato character is earnest and specific. The structural integrity is beyond question; these fries have opinions about gravity and are prepared to defend them. One returns. The experience is brief and exact, like most things worth having.”