Queens restaurant turns 'Regular' Fry into culinary hot potato

In this era of the updated hamburger, it’s surprising that such short shrift has been given its sidekick, the French fry. But at last a thrilling new fry has revealed itself — in the Chinatown neighborhood of Flushing, Queens, of all places. Xiao La Jiao is a superb Sichuan restaurant better known by its American name, Little Pepper, and its unassuming “potato in hot sauce,” too well hidden at the end of an epic menu, is a fry apart.

Shocking news first: these crinkle-cut lovelies are harvested straight from the Ore-Ida freezer bag. (I asked.) They are then sautéed in chili oil;dusted with cumin, Sichuan peppercorn and other “secret China things,” according to the chef;and flecked with fried scallions. A fire-breathing plate of potatoes, more tender than crispy, this would make most beef patties quake in their buns.