[meowzamusic]

I'm surprised blunt isn't jumping all over this one...
Taco Johns on Regent is now what I assume is a fratboy gyro joint. With the closing of two TJ's (University Ave in Middleton, Regent Street) we are now down to the long drive to Monona for our tater tot oles.

[O.J.]

Someone will die if Potato Ole's are eliminated from the Greater Madison area.

[fisticuffs]

You do know that most grocery stores carry both tator tots AND seasoned salt.

[mrak]

You do know that most grocery stores carry both tator tots AND seasoned salt.

Yeah, we know, but unless you deep fry them, they're not the same, and I prefer to outsource my deep-frying needs rather than have to scrub the oily mist off the kitchen surfaces.

That said: If I were to resort to D-I-Y Oles, I would try celery salt rather than the usual Lawry's-type seasoned salt. I detect a definite celery note in the Oles.

[Learned]

And it's not as easy as it sounds to prepare a tiny plastic cup of nacho cheese sauce.

[Prof. Wagstaff]

And it's not as easy as it sounds to prepare a tiny plastic cup of nacho cheese sauce.

Or any kind of quality creamy cheese-food-product sauce. Hence my repeated, but still ignored, inquiries about the state of cheese dogs at MadDog.

[mrak]

And it's not as easy as it sounds to prepare a tiny plastic cup of nacho cheese sauce.

True, but you can buy the stuff by the jar - huge plastic jars, about 3 quarts of trans-fatty goodness - at Woodman's.

And, for the full effect, you can buy the little plastic cups at Kessenich's.

That is, if you're into that sort of thing. I go for a little ketchup on my Olés.

[NullDevice]

I had a friend in college, who, being of northwestern-WI extraction, assumed that "Potato Ole" was pronounced the same way as the Norwegian name.

It was pretty hilarious.

[blunt]

Aw, meowza, I was on it but my posting schedule got waylaid.
Yeah, I am very upset about my P.O. moving further and further from my mouth.
And no, you can't quite duplicate them at home---try duplicating McD's fries or burgers----it's different.
Though you get close with the proper Tot seasoning, and if you can toss 'em in a Fry Daddy rather than an oven, and then use some of my huge stash of Taco John hot sauce to squirt all over them.

But.
I am simply getting tired of all sorts of places putting up signs saying
TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR REMODELLING
and then opening as a new place.
Opening up as a brand new different restaurant is a little more than remodelling.

[TheBookPolice]

I've never taken to Taco Johns. And I grew up in the Appleton area, where Taco John is still goin' strong.

Someone tell me why I should give 'em a shot, and the answer cannot involve Potato Oles.

[mrak]

Someone tell me why I should give 'em a shot, and the answer cannot involve Potato Oles.

Sorry, that's all I've got. Remove the Olés from the equation, and it's just a fast-food place, a notch or two above the Bell.

Well, OK, even with the Olés, that's all it is.

[TAsunder]

It's also a notch above frida, but that's not saying much.

[juanton]

The Monona TJ better not close.

I would have to drive to Beloit or Appleton to get my dogs their oles.

[white_rabbit]

If you truly miss the Potato Ole's and are looking for a reasonable facsimile of the original without traveling to Monona here is what you do. Buy a jar of Lowery's Seasoning Salt, wake up on any given day and prior to 10am travel to your nearest Burger King, order your desired quantity of the breakfast "hash rounds", throw them in the bag, shake in your desired level of "Ole" seasoning (aka Lowery's), shake the bag to disperse the seasoning salt, open and enjoy!

[blunt]

You forgot the little packets of hot sauce.