Thursday, November 21, 2013

Dueling Tater Tots!

Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers:

My name is Lily … and I am in love … with tater tots.

Seriously, there is rarely a tot I don't like.  They are perfect little rounded cubes of potato-ey goodness.  If you hate tater tots, chances are I probably will hate you.  I'm sorry, but it's true.

So when I see tater tots on a menu, I have to have them.  This past weekend was a Two-Tot weekend.  I went to two restaurants with tater tots on the menu.  Had I died and gone to Tater Tot Heaven??

For LilyOnTheLam, I have done comparison posts on pot pies, strawberry shortcakes, pumpkin pies and other delights … so it is about time I did a "Tater Tot Duel" post.

Ladies and Gentlemen … in this corner of the ring … the duck fat fried Tater Tots from Merchants Restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee …


The picture above is a half-order of duck fat tater tots with chipotle mayo, bĂ©arnaise sauce and good old classic ketchup.  The chipotle mayo was my favorite.  A chipotle ketchup would have been a nice addition as well.

I enjoyed these tater tots, but when you tell me something is fried in duck fat I expect a lush, rich, slightly greasy mouthfeel.  I am a fan of duck fat French fries, so for better or worse I know my duck fat fried foods.

These tots were definitely missing that full-bodied, fried richness. They tasted like tater tots cooked in canola or vegetable oil.  Clean and crisp tasting.  If the menu had just said tater tots, I would have been really happy.  But by saying "duck fat tater tots," I was somewhat disappointed with the flavor.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in the opposite corner of the ring … Anise Global Gastrobar of Tampa, Florida's very own Truffled Tater Tots …


First off, I have to make a confession that I love anything that comes in its own basket.  There's something "doll house cute" about a mini fryer basket full of truffle oil infused tots.  

Next, Anise Global Gastrobar serves these yummy little creatures with a lemon parsley creme fraiche that is AMAZING!  The citrus and the richness go so well with the hearty indulgent truffled tater tots.  

The rich, lush mouthfeel that I was missing from Merchants' duck fat tater tots was here in the savory truffle oil tater tots from Anise Global Gastrobar.  Total winner.

Both orders of tater tots made my stomach happy, but if I had to pick a winner in this tater tot duel - I would have to give the prize to Anise Global Gastrobar.  Between the yummy tot and the awesome dipping sauce, their truffled tater tots are insanely good.

If you have a tater tot recommendation, please comment below!
Anise Global Gastrobar on Urbanspoon Merchants Restaurant on Urbanspoon

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