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In Belgium, Frietkot/Fritkot are quite common. They're small snack stands which sell french fries1. The best place to look for these little gems is usually inside or around a train station.
Construction
Most Frietkot/Fritkot are mounted on wheels and look like a converted caravan. One of the longer sides is an open counter top - the food is served through this opening. Occasionally, some benches and tables can be found next to Frietkots, but traditionally, the fries should be eaten standing or even while walking.
When Real Fries were Still Real Fries
A long time ago, back through the mists of time, the only thing you could buy at a frietkot were fries, in a cornet2, with or without salt and with or without mayonnaise.
Nowadays...
... you are faced with a multitude of other possibilities: most Frietkots offer soft drinks or regular beer in cans and all kinds of meat products that can be eaten hot or cold. These are served with a wide variety of sauces.
| Dutch | French | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meat ball | Bal | Boulette | Served cold or warmed in the oil |
| Meat stick | Frikandel | Fricadelle | Tastes similar to Wienerschnitzel |
| Hamburger | Just the meat, not the bread bun | ||
| Brochette | Meat cubes and vegetables on a wooden stick |
| Mayonnaise | The classic (in Belgium, anyway) |
|---|---|
| Ketchup | The classic (everywhere else) |
| Andalouse | A rather spicy sauce |
| Banzaï | An even spicier sauce, guaranteed to burn your mouth off |
| Mustard | |
| Béarnaise | Hot-ish, and is more flavoursome than mayonnaise |
| Tartare | Creamy mayonnaise-like sauce, but more interesting |
The servers will either ask you in Flemish Om mee te nemen? or in French C'est pour emporter, which means 'Do you want to take away?'. If you agree, your food will be wrapped in cheap grey paper that will absorb all the sauce you've chosen to go on your chips.
| Dutch | French | |
|---|---|---|
| Cardboard cone wrapped in paper to increase volume | Cornet | |
| Rectangular plastic container | Bak or Bakske | Barquette |
| Half a baguette3 | Mitraillette | |
What About all those Calories?
Let's face it, when you go for a snack, you want to enjoy your food. Fries from a Frietkot are real food. Low-calorie food is not as satisfying as high calorie food, so you might as well enjoy them while you can.