BLT 2

All this talk about the perfect BLT and no talk about sides? If you imagine a plate with a perfect BLT, you’ll likely dream up some pretty tasty fries and a crunchy pickle to go alongside it.

The variety of delicious fries in this city span from thick to thin, spiced to truffled, roasted to fried. Check out Florent for classic, thin, diner fries that are made once, and sometimes, twice a day. For waffle fries, brave the mob at Crif Dogs. Spotted Pig has renowned shoestring fries that are flecked with bits of rosemary and garlic crisps; Stanton Social dusts theirs in herbs and serves them with red chili mayonnaise. Jerry’s adds truffle oil to make for extremely decadent fries, while Good World fries come thick, hand-cut, and roasted in their skin each night. They maintain more of a potato taste and texture than the thick ones at the White Horse. Here, thick fries are served more in the style of country club, pre-made fries, which are always best with a hefty portion of ketchup. Balthazar takes seriously the issue of French fries and has a special machine bolted to the wall for fry fabrication. Raoul’s fries are of a similar caliber: always crispy and thin, and best with a steak.

On to the subject of pickles, New Yorkers have pickles as steeped in tradition as well they are in brine. At Guss’, tasty cukes are displayed in massive barrels outside of the storefront. Guss’ dominates the pickle market, though Rick’s Picks is the leading choice for specialty pickled vegetables such as beets and green beans.

The cool crunch of a tangy pickle and the crackle of a fresh fry top off every BLT experience.