Cafe Biere in Emeryville, CA

The Team assembled into this tiny spot on a very rainy, dreary day. It was a bit chilly inside, but our server was great, and the mussels in fennel beer butter were delectable and warmed us up (with bread to sop up the buttery goodness in the bottom of the bowl). I should also add that the fish from the Fish and Chips was the best I've tasted in years.

(Low light photo. That salad was incredible. Or was it a slaw? I'm not quite sure. I just kept eating it.)

The fries though? Hmmm. Not my style. While a fellow Team Member commented that these were "the best fries we've had outside of Delfina" (Delfina reviews are elsewhere on this blog), I could not disagree more.

The fries here are sliced very thinly, which is fine, but I do appreciate a soft inner texture to contrast against a crispy outer skin. These fries--we tried both the regular and sweet potato--were pretty crunchy throughout, and while apparently great for some people, it's just personally not my style.

(Regular fries close-up. Someone told me these close-ups were gross. It's probably what the inside of my stomach looks like.)

The regular fries are coated with some sort of chipotle powder, while the sweet potato fries are coated with what tastes like a chile powder (I was so distracted by my scrumptious fish that I forgot to just ask the waiter for the details).

The best part was that the fries came with ketchup that had what tasted like Worcester Sauce in it, and were also served with a spicy aioli. Cafe Biere gets definite points for the sauces.

If you are a fan of the thin-and-crunchy fry, you will love these fries. It's just not my personal fave. However, I must point out that I ate every single fry (well, there was a lot of food, so I had to take them home and finish them the next day), so it's not like these fries are offensive. And the rest of the food and dining experience was amazing. I'll definitely be back.

+++

Regular Fries (Kennebec potato, according to the menu. Not sure exactly what a Kennebec is, but it tasted like a regular potato to me)

Price: $6.00

Portion Size: Large

Texture: Crunchy throughout

Greasiness Level: 3 out of 5 (a bit greasy)

Seasoning: chili powder; needs salt but comes with 2 great sauces (below)

Fried in: Some sort of vegetable oil

Condiments: ketchup with Worcester and spicy aioli (again, I always mistake aioli for Ranch Dressing)--BONUS POINTS

Overall Quality of French Fries: 6.5 out of 10

+++

Sweet Potato Fries

Price: $5.00

Portion Size: Large

Texture: Crunchy throughout

Greasiness Level: 3 out of 5 (a bit greasy)

Seasoning: chipotle powder; needs salt but comes with 2 great sauces (below)

Fried in: Some sort of vegetable oil

Condiments: ketchup with Worcester and spicy aioli (again, I always mistake aioli for Ranch Dressing)--BONUS POINTS

Overall Quality of French Fries: 6.5 out of 10