It’s hard to find a good french fry, and while slicing, soaking, and double-frying potatoes seems like a straightforward process, most people are hesitant to go all out when that urge to snack calls.
That’s where Fried and Loaded comes in. Open starting in late October, the eatery on San Luis Obispo’s Santa Rosa Street dishes out piping hot french fries and tater tots topped with chicken, steak, sausage gravy, shrimp, and/or Beyond meat. Owner Shay Zepeda told New Times that he wants the joint to be a fun hangout space for the county’s teenagers and college students.
“I felt like we were lacking that niche for the college kids. I want this place specifically for our Cal Poly, Cuesta, and even our high school students,” he said. “I want something fun and different.”
Zepeda has deep roots with SLO County’s community. Raised on the North Coast, the Los Osos resident’s dad went to Morro Bay High School and his grandfather worked at the local prison. During his high school years, Zepeda worked at Sonic Drive-In in Bakersfield. Memories from that job inspired him to create Fried and Loaded.
“They had the classic cars on Fridays. I enjoyed that vibe of community and hanging out with your friends,” he said. “It’s just good, clean, safe fun. That’s what I want to bring here, something that’s not on every corner.”
Zepeda added that he took time to assess the standard of his food. French fries and tater tots are simple, but the sparse ingredients and the cooking technique that go into making them leave little room to hide errors.
“When you do taste these fried foods or fair foods, you do taste the quality. It’s not just another fast food place. You’re gonna get a nice, big plate,” he said.
He’s right. For $13, I ordered the honey garlic steak fries, which is already a customer favorite. I added grilled onions and jalapeños for 50 cents each. Zepeda brought out crispy fries loaded with steak (teres major, to be specific, from the chuck section), bacon, and cheddar. It was spicy, garlicky, fresh, and hot. Perfect for the cold weather.
Zepeda said that anything with the honey garlic sauce on it is a hit with customers. It’s also drizzled on the steak and shrimp fries.
“It’s something special. It’s sweet but there’s a nice little kick. There’s cayenne pepper in it, so there’s a little sizzle,” he said.
Other bestsellers include the buffalo chicken with house ranch. All of Fried and Loaded’s toppings can be put on a choice of fries, tater tots, or a mix of the two. Less than a month old on Nov. 15, the fry spot already has regulars.
“I had a guy that’s been here every day that we’ve been open. The Cal Poly football team has also been here three or four times,” Zepeda said.
But fries and tater tots aren’t Fried and Loaded’s only offerings. Hungry customers can cool off with rolled ice cream, too. From the store’s cold bar, they get front-row views of Zepeda chopping, spackling, and rolling six signature flavors like banana split, strawberry cheesecake, and espresso Oreo chip.
“We’ve been wanting to reinvent it as well. My manager, my chef, and I have been trying to figure out how to offer a deep-fried rolled ice cream,” he said. “That’s hopefully gonna be coming out in the next couple of weeks.”
Cal Poly, Cuesta College, and local high school students get 15 percent off during daily happy hours from 2 to 5 p.m. On Tuesdays, the rolled ice creams are $5 each to complement the $1.50 tacos available next door from Taqueria San Miguel. Fried and Loaded also has a loyalty program. If you sign up for free, every dollar spent accumulates one point. After 50 points, you get $5 off your total order.
Late-night snackers can rejoice because on Fridays and Saturdays, Fried and Loaded is open until 12:30 a.m. Otherwise, they’re open from noon to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.
“Even after 9 p.m., there’s not too much open in our area,” Zepeda said. “Being baseball-throwing distance from all the student housing is nice, and keeps them going down that extra block.”
The interior is matte black with streaks and pops of neon oranges, pinks, and greens. Disco lights illuminate the space, and a sleek TouchTunes jukebox is the finishing touch that make it feel like a roller-skating rink from the ’80s. Zepeda’s parents, who own and operate Gilligan’s Sandwich Shop in Morro Bay, helped him build the layout and paint the floors. Zepeda already has more ambitious plans for his business.
“I plan on even doing a karaoke night at some point. I can see it being a great spot for kids’ sports teams so they can dine out with a personal server,” he said. “I tried to make the bathroom as fun as possible too. It’s covered in chalkboard paint!” Δ
Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal is ready to surf n’ turf with some steak and shrimp fries. Ride the wave at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Nov 24 – Dec 4, 2022.