It’s not very often that you see a restaurant that focuses on simple fare like French fries. But Arthur Dubois and Nelson Cogels love the deep-fried snack so much that they put up a restaurant dedicated to it. The aptly-named restaurant is called Manfarang, the Thai word for potatoes and a quirky reference to farang, the Thai slang for foreigners. “We both decided to create Manfarang based on a friterie or a french fry shop that are popular in European countries like France and Belgium,” French-born Arthur explains.
The store is located across from Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, its facade fashioned like a pop-up stall with a smiley potato sign. Hidden within, however, are stairs that lead up to an actual dining space. Featuring a table football, a central bar with beer taps, and cool brick walls, it is reminiscent of a European pub. “We wanted to recreate the same atmosphere here,” Arthur adds.
He goes on to say that Manfarang is inspired by the snacking culture in their homelands (His partner Nelson is from Belgium), where people enjoy fries in various styles. “The idea of [Manfarang] is to use western recipes with Thai ingredients.” The restaurant is presently collaborating with local sources, like a potato farm in Chiang Rai, to support domestic businesses.
Not long after, Arthur brings out some fries for us to try. One plate has fried potatoes with a unique taste and aroma—he later reveals, to our surprise, that these potatoes were cooked in beef fat. “Beef fat gives extra flavor to the fries. We cook the fries three times so they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside,” he explains. True enough, the fat gives the fries a distinct umami hit. But don’t worry if you don’t like beef or if you’re vegetarian—the shop also offers fries cooked in vegetable oil.
Following the tasting, Arthur enthusiastically shows us a spread of various sauces to accompany their tasty fries. There are over 20 homemade sauces on the table, each one inspired by a particular culinary culture. There’s Bicky, which reworks the sauce of the Big Mac burger; Algerienne, which mixes a spice from North Africa; Larb, in reference to the Thai spicy salad; and a Chinese palate-numbing mala.
If you want your fries with more than just sauce, then order Load Fries (B149), which comes with flavorful toppings such as mala mayo and ground beef or larb pork.
The menu also includes other snacks apart from deep-fried potato sticks. You can indulge in tacos and burgers or you can also take up Manfarang’s challenge to try the La Mitraillette (B239), a huge sandwich that stuffs Belgian baguette with fries and a protein of your choice. Arthur said that it’s inspired by the late-night nosh that Belgiums have after a wild night-out.
Manfarang also serves drinks on tap that go perfectly well with all the comfort fare on the menu.
** Manfarang is now taken over by cannabis dispensary Four Twenty Thailand. You can visit the shop and still order fries from Manfarang.