# What is the best Side dish?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** food-cooking
**Created:** [December 22, 2021, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449 "2021-12-22T02:50:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/1 "2021-12-22T02:50:44Z")
Some of you might get all nitpicky about this, insisting what is good with steak may not be as good with chicken or beef or whatever. So be it. List the side dish you most like, specify what you will, justify it if you so please.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/2 "2021-12-22T03:32:20Z")
Removing joke that will get me modded…
Baked potato.
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### Author:  [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/3 "2021-12-22T03:40:09Z")
My mom’s traditional [Newfoundland savoury stuffing](https://www.lordbyronskitchen.com/traditional-newfoundland-savoury-dressing/). No debate. It’s fundamentally a very simple dish, but is just ooooh soooo gooood. It’s probably too late for you all to order the proper Mt. Scio savoury this year, but if you plan for next year, you’ll thank me.
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### Author:  [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/4 "2021-12-22T03:45:33Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#):
>
> Baked potato.
_Twice_-baked potato.
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### Author:  [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/5 "2021-12-22T06:05:14Z")
Scalloped potatoes!
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### Author:  [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/6 "2021-12-22T06:20:05Z")
French bread with unsalted butter
Corn on the cob
Mixed vegetables roasted in olive oil with fresh rosemary
[Mac salad](https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/authentic-hawaiian-macaroni-salad/)
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/7 "2021-12-22T06:42:17Z")
Mac & cheese; duh.
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### Author:  [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/8 "2021-12-22T06:45:09Z")
There are some sides that I make that I sometimes just have on their own.
A supposedly German potato salad with bacon and eggs in it.
Fried potatoes with pepperoni, onions and tomato.
Charred Brussel sprouts with almonds and chili
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/9 "2021-12-22T10:33:53Z")
My most universal side is green beans (I have a couple of versions).
Most OMG so good side dish would be my baked beans made with sausage and peppers.
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### Author:  [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/10 "2021-12-22T11:18:31Z")
Well, if we’re going through potato dishes - pommes dauphinoise. (Or perhaps I should say potatoes au gratin, as the wiki says that’s the American English)
> **[Gratin dauphinois](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratin_dauphinois)**
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> Pages for logged out editors learn more
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> Gratin dauphinois is a French dish of sliced potatoes baked in milk or cream, using the gratin technique, from the Dauphiné region in south-eastern France. There are many variants of the name of the dish, including pommes de terre dauphinoise, potatoes à la dauphinoise and gratin de pommes à la dauphinoise. It is called potatoes au gratin in American English.
> The first mention of the dish is from 12 July 1788. It was served with ortolans at a...
If you can’t be bothered with that, there’s a lot to be said for new potatoes roasted with rosemary.
j
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### Author:  [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/11 "2021-12-22T11:22:51Z")
> **[Funeral Potatoes](https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/funeral-potatoes/)**
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> Easy, cheesy funeral potatoes are a delicious hash brown casserole that makes the perfect warm, comforting side dish!
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/12 "2021-12-22T13:14:13Z")
Potatoes cooked in the French style, aka french fries. My gf sometimes criticizes my love of fries.
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### Author:  [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/13 "2021-12-22T13:24:00Z")
Mashed potatoes with lots of salt & butter and then topped with corn.
Baked potatoes rolled in olive oil and salt (before baking).
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/14 "2021-12-22T14:07:42Z")
This is an inherently paradoxical question, because any sufficiently good side dish will become a main dish.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/15 "2021-12-22T14:58:34Z")
When cooking a serious meal, I try to make every side as good as the main dish. But the main dish differs due to its billing, portion size, attention, possible expense and quality, traditional role and when it is served. Not just its goodness. You’ve also had plenty of meals where the sides outshone the main.
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### Author:  [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/16 "2021-12-22T16:37:53Z")
Rice, be it pilaf, spanish, dirty, whatever. I like baked potatoes but when I have a steak in a restaurant I’m a little bummed if there’s no rice on the menu.
And of course, nothing beats french fries (though oddly enough, I don’t like them with steak).
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/17 "2021-12-22T17:09:38Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#):
>
> A supposedly German potato salad with bacon and eggs in it.
I know a place to get this fantastic Red Potato salad with Bleu Cheese and Bacon. Man, it’s GOOD!
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/18 "2021-12-22T17:15:00Z")
Depends on the type of food. For Mexican food, I love refried beans with basically everything. It would be my go-to side dish. Black beans are also high on my list…in fact, beans in one form or another would be my preference.
For American-type food, I’d go with potato in one form or another (fries, baked potato, etc). Baked beans are also a favorite of mine depending on what the main course is. Mac and cheese is also a favorite of mine, even though I have a bit of an issue with cheese…still love the stuff though.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/19 "2021-12-22T17:24:18Z")
Yeah, I went there too. 😋
French fries, properly done. Goes with anything.
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### Author:  [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2021, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/20 "2021-12-22T18:28:00Z")
Hot, fresh potato kugel. Absolutely melts in your mouth.
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