HopCat's new name for fries: 'Cosmik Fries'

Gastropub HopCat rolled out a new name for its award-winning French fries.

Starting Monday, look for “Cosmik Fries” on the menu at HopCat’s 17 locations. 

In December Grand Rapids-based Barfly Ventures, HopCat’s parent company said that the name “Crack Fries” would go away because of unintended drug reference. 

"While the name Crack Fries was intended to be tongue-in-cheek, drug addiction is not a joke," Mark Gray, CEO of BarFly Ventures, HopCat's parent company, said in a Youtube video and blog post when announcing the name change last month.

"The drug crack has devastated many of the communities that we serve."

But don’t think of the name as a reference to a galaxy far, far away. It’s named after the Frank Zappa song "Cosmik Debris.”

“A big part of HopCat’s history is our relation to music,” said Joe Sonheim, director of marketing for BarFly Ventures.  "One of the founder’s favorite musicians is Frank Zappa.”

The song, according to the news release mentions “the oil of Aphrodite” and “the dust of the great wazoo.”

There's absolutely no change to the recipe for the fries. It's the same beer-battered fries that are sprinkled with their secret cracked pepper seasoning.

The fries will continue to be served with a side of warm cheese for dipping and served with several options: loaded, sloppy and Vladimir Poutine.

Along with the announcement for the rename, HopCat said it would be redesigning menus and signage. Among the menu changes, more vegetarian options are now offered at the gastropub.

Vegetarians will see several new appetizers, including Mexican street corn, which is corn-on-the-cob, crema, ancho chili flakes, grated Parmesan and cilantro.

There’s also a new veggie chili that’s loaded with beans, jalapeño and bell peppers, onion and tomato.

HopCat will also serve the Vegan Impossible Burger with vegan jalapeño mayo, marinated tomato, pickled red onion and spinach. It’s served on a pretzel bun. 

On Saturday,  each HopCat location will celebrate its 11th anniversary with its traditional Fries Eating Contest. The winner at each location will compete for a $2,000 grand prize at July's Michigan Summer Beer Festival in Ypsilanti.

Contact Free Press food writer Susan Selasky: 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMarieCooks on Twitter.