Lately on our way through northern France we passed by a chip shop not like the others. As LetKiss loves their readers we want to share this secret place with you. We tasted the most wonderful mussels for lunch! We recommend the one’s with the local cheese: delicious! Let’s talk to the chef!
What’s your name?
I’m Jérôme Carlier.
What do you do in life?
I replaced my parents at La Friture du Nord as they retired. I’m the restaurant manager and my father keeps the accounts.
Since when does the chip shop exist?
Since 21 years. We opened in 2001.
Who is the founder?
My father and my mother, Patrick Carlier and Marie Hélène Carlier Fontes. Before opening the restaurant they were kitchen designers and my father was a fairground worker. They stopped their initial jobs and got back to the basics: They started it all here with one deep fryer behind a wooden bar with some wooden table and chairs. It was very rustic. Little by little we got bigger and more modern and changed the interior design.
How did you become the manager?
I was a department manager in a supermarket and fed up with my job. I always loved our chip shop and helped my parents during my holidays and thought taking over the restaurant was the best thing to do when they retired. And I enjoy it!
What’s La Friture du Nord’s specialty?
Mussels and Fries. There is the traditional Alain Ducasse recipe with celery, white wine and onion or else you have our city’s version with maroilles, the local cheese. Then every month we have a mussels special This month it’s the Norwegian Special with smoked salmon and a sauce made with shellfish, all homemade of course.
How much is an average meal?
It’s around 22,- €
Who are your clients?
The good thing is that we have all kind of visitors: it starts with the modest person who only comes to have small fries with a sausage. Further some clients are for example bank managers. We had politicians come too. it’s very eclectic here. Many locals but also people passing through who by word of mouth send us people. We’ve some guests who stop each time at La Friture du Nord when they travel to the north of France on their way to Lille. It has always been this way.
What’s your favorite meal?
Personally it’s the pavé – I love meat ( haha ) but I also like mussels a lot .
What are your future projects?
To totally take over the whole business. I want my parents to retire completely. Further on the expansion of the building to be able to welcome more guests. We are looking for a better accessibility for our disabled clients as well. It’s difficult for them to access the washrooms nowadays.
LA FRITURE DU NORD
20 avenue de la Gare
59440 Avesnes-sur-Helpe
France
_Sara Ghazi-Tabatabai
