Gazedibles: Tater time

February is designated Potato Lovers’ Month, and Feb. 2 is National Tater Tot day. Celebrate with seven unique interpretations of the humble potato.

By Jacob Threadgill with provided and Gazette / file photos

Chick N Beer
715 NW 23rd St.
chicknbeerokc.com | 405-604-6995

The best dishes come with texture contrast. Chick N Beer’s signature kimchi fries has texture overload, as the crispy fries are topped with melted cheddar, bacon, kimchi, red and green onion and spicy ranch. It’s the perfect way to start a meal at this Uptown 23rd eatery, but don’t forget that you can substitute the regular fries with sweet potato waffle fries for a fun food adventure.

Oso on Paseo
603 NW 28th St.
osopaseo.com | 405-309-8226

Even though tater tots are made with the leftovers of other potatoes, there’s no doubt the would-be also-rans are one of the best potato preparations. Oso offers a unique preparation that can be a meal, as the tots are topped with red chile butter, goat cheese, cheddar-jack cheese blend, bacon, avocado cream and a sunny-side-up egg for good measure.

Anchor Down
30 NE Second St.
anchordownokc.com | 405-605-8070

If you’ve got a craving for tots, no restaurant offers more variety than Anchor Down. Chili cheese tots are topped with ghost pepper ranch, while the pizza tots feature marinara and Swiss cheese garnish with rosemary. The loaded baked potato tots utilize cheese sauce, bacon, green onions and sour cream while the Thoughtful Tots are topped with marinara, mozzarella, ranch, red bell peppers, onions and mushrooms.

Redrock Canyon Grill
9221 Lake Hefner Parkway
redrockcanyongrill.com | 405-749-1995

The “red” in Redrock Canyon Grill might as well stand for the restaurant’s mashed red potatoes because the item is so good that it has built the majority of its house specialties around the side dish. You know the potatoes are good because the Hal Smith Restaurants concept can now be found in six locations (Norman and OKC locally) and has expanded to Kansas and Texas, as well.

Big O’s Pork & Dreams
285 S. Santa Fe Ave., Edmond
porkanddreams.com | 405-657-2235

Owner Owen Wilson’s goals are as large as the overstuffed baked potatoes available at his restaurant, which builds on his time as a youth counselor to mentor kids with job opportunities. The Big O is a choice of brisket or pulled pork with butter, cheese, sour cream, baked beans and barbecue sauce. The Fatt Butt is the Big O with a choice of hot link or Polish sausage and two spare ribs.

The Mantel Wine Bar & Bistro
201 E. Sheridan Ave.
themantelokc.com | 405-236-8040

Julia Child is one of the most influential chefs in U.S. history, popularizing French cooking stateside and giving home cooks confidence because of her background. Her gratin dauphinois recipe is timeless and is on the menu at The Mantel as “Julia Child’s potatoes.” The potatoes are baked with Gruyère cheese, cream, garlic and thyme until bubbly and crispy.

El Fogon de Edgar
7220 S. Western Ave.
405-602-6497

This Colombian eatery offers empanadas that are different from other South American varieties. The dough is thinner and receives a flavor and color boost from a little bit of saffron. Whether you get chicken or beef varieties, the star of the empanada is creamy potato that melts in your mouth. On the weekends, check out the ajiaco, a stew made with two types of potato and chicken.