Feasting Friday: Frites

Seattle has become a great french fry town. What makes a great french fry? It's the double fry. That's right - the double fry. The first fry cooks the potato just fine, but it's the second fry that gets them superextracrispy and that my friends, is the key to great french fries.

Last Friday, Gavin and I went to Restaurant Campagne down at Pike Place Market. We had a gift certificate that we've been meaning to use for months. Actually, it was a "discount" gift certificate we bought online. We decided to sit at the bar rather than the restaurant because a) we could maximize our budget by taking advantage of the happy hour prices and b) we actually find their bar menu more appealing.

It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon, so the place was empty. They offer free "snacks" in the bar on Fridays (crostini, Marcona almonds and the like), but I was in a carnivorous mood. Gavin got the Steak Frites and I ordered the lamb burger. I have to mention that Gavin will ALWAYS order a Steak Frites if it's an option. He didn't think he liked French food until a couple of years ago. He's a french fry afficionado (hence my knowledge of the "double fry"). Once he realized that French restaurants often have fries on the menu (even though they are Belgian...but I digress), he was all for it. Throw in a nice steak and consider it DONE.

The lamb burger was delicious. I've only started to eat lamb recently, and even then only the mild cuts. This burger was a bit gamey, but you know what? I liked it! The meat was so tender and juicy. The burger came with a mountain of semi-pickled red onions and of course those incredible fries. I was pleased to see it made Seattle Magazine's Best Burger list

The bar was definitely easier on the wallet than the restaurant, yet we still received A-plus service. I'm a sucker for good service and Campagne does it right. We declined on dessert, but were pleasantly surprised to get a sweet treat with our check...