Fabled Fries

hosting kiddy birthday parties is challenging when your kids don't eat pizza.* that's why when my son turned 5, we got 10 take-out orders of french fries from toast, then a new-kid-on-the-block harlem restaurant specializing in sandwich fare. the 15 kids and we grown-ups attacked the fries like marauding seagulls.

fast-forward eight years. my son eats pizza three times a week, toast has expanded to a new upper west side "downtown" locale and the fries haven't changed one bit-but that's a good thing. for $4 you get a huge portion that would easily satisfy two hungry adults; and these are quintessential fries, the kind you get at the best boardwalk stands or in a paper cone at a belgian "frietkot." not fat and stodgy steak fries or insubstantial shoestrings, these fries are long, about a quarter-inch thick, with patches of crusty potato skin. salt them and dip 'em in toast's spiced ketchup with its hint of chipotle to kick the flavor up a notch.

once in toast, you can't ignore some of its other offerings, particularly anything with salmon in it-from the fish taco with a slab of grilled salmon ($6) to my favorite, the house-smoked salmon served with capers and herbed mayo on, what else? toast ($6.95). -- toast 2737 broadway (near west 105th street) 212-663-7010

*today my daughter turns 10. happy birthday julie!

got a snack attack to share? contact nbrand@aol.com