Striking Pink Gold at the Arctic Circle

Fry sauce might’ve stationed itself as an Utah idiosyncrasy, next to green JELL-O molds and soaking, but no one quite knows its true origin. So, allow me to paint you a picture of some Utah lore: The year is 1950, when Don Carlos Edwards was about to make culinary history. By stirring mayonnaise with ketchup lickety-split, fry sauce was born! This pinkish dip launched his family to new heights, as what was their small refreshment stand during a Pioneer Day celebration snowballed into a 71-restaurant enterprise.

Edwards, my MY (step) great-grandfather, put Arctic Circle on the map with its early Americana aesthetic. Dishing out over-the-rim milkshakes, cheeseburgers and of course, our fry sauce, the once family-owned fast food joint ran circles around its competition. However, it feels as if the establishment has taken a 180 while disappearing in the shadows of beefier Greek titans like Crown Burger. Amplified by the West Coast In-N-Out drawing in the crowd, the public has given Arctic Circle the cold shoulder. And you thought the Crumbl cookie war was bad…

Does this mean Arctic Circle should pack its bags and high-tail out of here? I refuse to think so! My childhood was made of its greasy goodness (that and battery acid from that one time I gnawed into one of their kids’ meal Halloween flashlights). After being on a hiatus for almost two decades, I must give Arctic Circle its due diligence. So let’s remove the rose-tinted shades for an unbiased review of journalistic integrity. Because nothing is sacred — not even family ties.

Let’s begin our five-course gut bomb with the picky eater’s first choice, the eight-piece Chicken Rings ($3.99). I’ve had poultry of all shapes and sizes, predominantly a carnivorous chow down on some Dino Nuggets. With a little black pepper and a douse of their ranch (which holds a passing #48 on my best ranch dressing list), it’s a nibbler, but nothing to cry home about.

Next came their bestseller — the Black Angus Ranch Burger ‘n’ Cheddar ($4.79). Now, I’m not entirely sure what the processing difference is between these patties and all-American beef. However, the proof is in the pudding in taste and texture. The meat has a charred broil, beef jerky tongue-tickle like it was grilled on pappy’s skillet in the Appalachias. Combine that with some zest of dill pickles and some all-natural (to a point) squares of cheddar cheese, and this is one hearty burger! Plus, it’s easy on the wallet in a fast food landscape that’s been trimming the value menu fat.

When I asked Chief Marketing Officer Joe Evans about the top five best items, he uttered the Halibut ($9.49) without hesitation. It’s not that I don’t trust the integrity of fish from a landlocked restaurant chain, but do I live off the coast of Maine with my fishmonger pals? Although I might’ve been wary, a couple of bites into the other white meat was decent. There was a light ocean brininess, but nothing bad — extra tartar sauce helps immensely. Honestly, I don’t see myself ordering this again, but maybe when I fit into the 65-year-old crowd.

After hunkering down from the spring showers and nearly gorging myself on some vibrant Yukon Gold Fries (those little spuds looked like radioactive isotopes), I was a tad unfulfilled. The wow factor of Arctic Circle has worn off, but that’s not entirely a bad thing. Those suffering from economic blues, who can’t kiss the rings of the Crown but can’t stomach another pass through the Golden Arches, can enjoy a decent meal — one that won’t freeze your credit card. So do I think Arctic Circle is a barren tundra? Of course not! But do I think it’s still a groundbreaking eatery? I hate to say it, but no… though that won’t stop me from snagging a Watermelon Flavor Burst cone once in a while. 

Read more stories from Alton Barnhart:
Cursed by Spirits: Utah’s Batshit Crazy Cocktails
King of the (micro) Nation