Hong Kong Stafford VA

By Stefanie Gans

Dish: Fried Pumpkin with Salty Egg Yolk, $12.95

Taste: The promise of beta-carotene and Vitamins A and C compels the inner guilt-ridden indulger to order sweet potato fries over the often-superior standard fries. But the inherent sweetness of sweet potato fries turns me off, lest I smother each stick with spicy mustard or garlicky aioli.

At Taste @ Hong Kong in the massive Sully shopping center on Route 50 (near the ABC store), I found a fried orange specimen that didn’t make me miss a russet. Fat slices of creamy pumpkin fill the center of a bubbly, light—and just salty enough—batter made from egg yolks. They’re crispy and salty. And make sweet potato fries feel like the third-string quarterback.