Under the “Starts and Sides” section of Coal Winery & Kitchen's menu, guests will find several uniquely delectable options. The loaded yam fries, which come with unlimited toppings, including bacon, beef, chicken, sour cream, onions, peanuts and cheese, are a great choice. The menu notes that this dish has limited availability, and according to chef Kofi Armah, that's because: “In a nutshell, not all yams make good yam fries.”
Coal, which serves authentic, contemporary West African fusion and Ghanaian cuisine, imports its yams from Ghana, but even when they are available, they may not be the ideal type for frying. “Yams are denser but are as crispy as a French fry,” says Armah. “To achieve crispiness, we need yams that have a low water content.” Armah says that yam fries—or fried yams—are a snack served on the streets and in the households of many countries in the West African region, including Ghana. Coal's loaded rendition of the dish is their own unique twist. While diners can pick and choose which toppings they'd like, Armah says that “The Everything” is the most popular combination ordered.
He recommends pairing the dish with Coal's house-made zinfandel. “We added a winery on site that makes wine for consumption in the restaurant,” says Armah. “This harvest, we did four different wines: a chardonnay, viognier, riesling and rosé (made from grenache, syrah and merlot).” Guests can look forward to the release of Coal's 2021 vintage wines as well as a wine club that's in the works.
81 W. Broad St., Bethlehem | 484.456.1192 | coalbethlehem.com
