Dallas restaurants pile on to all kinds of decadent loaded fries

Editor's Note: In prior stories, CultureMap contributor Lila Levy has chased down the top bagels in Dallas, sampled lavender lattes, tackled hot dogs, and checked out Korean BBQ. Now she bravely takes on an artery-busting challenge: loaded fries.

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There are fries — and then there are loaded fries, a dish with which Dallas has a long tradition. Restaurateur Gene Street, who served them at his longtime Oak Lawn hangout Snookie's, gives full credit for their invention to Pat Snuffer, founder of Snuffer's.

"The first time I had them was when when the Big Swede, that's what I called Pat, had Snuffer's on Greenville Avenue when it was still just a little dive," Street says. "That's back when I still had a couple little joints and Black Eyed Pea and Dixie House. I’d go in there and he'd be in back, he'd put on a little bit of a show, throwing everything on the table on top of the fries, I think he even put on a little chopped green pepper and lots of cheese and jalapeños. That's the first time I’d ever heard of a loaded fry. We eventually put them on the menu at Snookie's. Everyone copied him."

Lots of places do loaded fries now, not just in Dallas. It's a dish that's hard to beat, with multiple flavors and textures, and these days you can find all sorts of culinary spin-offs.

Here are 8 essential loaded fries in Dallas that you must try:

Snuffer's - cheddar fries
Now owned by restaurateur Mike Karns, Snuffer's is home to the original loaded fries, topped with grated aged Wisconsin cheddar cheese over hand-cut Idaho potato fries, with bacon bits, chives, jalapeños, and ranch.

Starting with the fries: They were 1/4-inch thick but plump; firm but not soggy; and they really ladled on the cheese, creating a "pull factor" that was stringy (versus gooey). Toppings were laid down in "rows": chives, then bacon, then pickled jalapenos, with two ramekins of ranch on the side. (If you order a small, for some reason, toppings come on the side.) Each ingredient seemed of good quality, and as the original, it deserves respect. But it felt eclipsed by some of the newer, innovative versions we tried.

Loaded fries from Snuffer's.Lila Levy

Bbbop - Kimchi fries
Family-owned Korean concept in Oak Cliff does a craveable Asian twist on loaded fries featuring curry ranch fries topped with meat, kimchi, cilantro, pickled jalapeños, spicy mayo, and an over easy egg.

Their fries were skinny McDonald's-style and topped with clumps of chewy flavorful Bulgogi beef and shreds of kimchi judiciously spread throughout, along with a big pinch of pickled jalapeños, chopped cilantro, drizzled spicy curry mayo, and the fried egg, which was fine but unnecessary. The true appeal was the melding of the fries with the beef, the tang of the kimchi, and the curry mayo mixed in, making for a uniquely flavored, crave-worthy twist. Would go back for this dish.

Poutine from Maple Leaf dinerLila Levy

Maple Leaf Diner - Poutine
North Dallas diner with a Canadian theme does the Canadians' spin on loaded fries: poutine, featuring French fries topped with cheese curds and brown gravy.

Maple Leaf is all-in on poutine with four versions, including three meal-sized options topped with pot roast, fried chicken, and CFS. I stuck with the Classic with cheese curds and gravy. The fries were 3/8-inch — thin but not McDonald's thin — with a soft though not soggy texture. Avoiding sogginess was no small feat given the payload on top: heaps of brown gravy plus cheese curds that melted into a soft morass, rather than staying solid. I wished the curds had not melted so quickly, as I would've liked some textural contrast.

Loaded fries from Jakes GamedayLila Levy

Jakes Gameday - Cheddar fries or tots, optional loaded
Sporty spinoff of the Jakes Burger chain does cheddar fries (and cheddar tots) which can be ordered loaded, with chives, bacon, jalapeños, and chili.

Jakes' rendition of "loaded fries" is definitely a departure in that it comes with beef chili. It's a hearty dish and great if you love spicy chili. However, if you just want loaded fries with the usual bacon-jalapenos-chives, be sure to skip the chili, because its flavor is so dominant that it even overwhelms the bacon. Their fries were good: 6-8 inches long, skins still on, a golden brown, and well cooked, neither over- nor underdone.

Angry Dog loaded friesLila Levy

Angry Dog - Cheese fries, loaded
Deep Ellum old-timer bar does Snuffers'-like cheese fries with cheddar, which you can get topped with add-ons including bacon, green onion, and jalapeños.

This version seemed inspired by Snuffer's. Fries were about 3/8-inch thick, clearly made in-house, with skin-on, and most stayed crunchy. They were a little greasy but this was not surprising as there was much shredded Cheddar layered throughout. We appreciated the fresh cut-up bacon pieces in a variety of sizes; it made them so much more than bacon bits out of a bag. Also lots of nice chopped green onion. Pickled jalapenos came on the side. Angry Dog is into loaded things: They're known for their heaping nachos, and also do a fusion poutine topped with cheese, chorizo, & jalapeno-cream gravy.

Easy Slider - Loaded Tots
Food truck outfit does a fun tater tots version of loaded fries covered in cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, and chopped green onions.

Using tater tots was a nice change of pace, although it came in high at $12. The tots were maybe too well cooked, but we appreciated their crispy edges and still soft centers. The bacon had nice chewy bits, and the cheddar cheese was generous, especially in the center, although it hardened; that's what you get when you use real cheddar. They also drizzle on ranch dressing, and I like ranch, but it overpowered the taste. Next time I would request a lighter hand on the ranch.

Loaded fries from Roy G's. popmenucloud.com

Roy G’s - OG Fries
Restaurant-bar from the famed Street family does a slightly foodie "OG Fries" which they describe as "the original cheese fries of Dallas served at our family restaurant for 28 years" [referring to Snookie's] with a pound of hand-cut Idaho potatoes loaded with cheddar, bacon, and jalapeños.

The fries were slender, less than 1/4-inch width, and still crispy, with toppings - cheese, bacon, jalapeños, and chopped chives - mixed and melded together. There was also a hint of garlic, a nice touch. The cheese being cheddar was a little chunky and less melty than processed cheese. These were loaded fries we could eat without a fork. They offer full and half orders. We ordered the full and found it to be on the small side, making us wonder what the half order looked like.

Joey Eat Fries by Crimson Coward www.crimsoncoward.com

Crimson Coward - Joey Eat Fries
California-based chain is a hot chicken place but they do a crazy spicy-hot loaded fries topped with Nashville fried chicken, slaw, pickles, cheese, and spicy mayo.

The fries were fast-food style and dosed with a spicy Nashville-hot seasoning. Many stayed crunchy despite a mountain of toppings — a feat they achieved because of how they applied the cheese, which was like melted Velveeta: They ladled it into the center, where it became a creamy foundation for the dish. The chicken was a boneless breast, crispy and moist, cut into bite-sized cubes. You specify spice level; we got medium, and boy, it was hotter than expected. Pickles were crinkle-cut slices and seemed like an odd touch. But the pickle and very good coleslaw added a tang and fresh crunch to your forkful of spicy fries and chicken, for a vivid combination of flavors: pickle and slaw tang, chicken heat, and sublime cheese sauce.