A carne-asada fries hunt from Salinas to the sea yields discoveries.

Crisp fries topped with carne asada (grilled beef), cheese, sour cream, guacamole and fixings like pico de gallo, jalapeños or pinto beans are a good thing, one born in San Diego, home of the Californian burrito (asada, fries, guacamole, cheese and sour cream). An often heaping dish of potatoes, meat and cheese, asada fries are comfort and convenience on a plate, fusing an American classic with the flare, spice and tang of Central and South American cuisine. I found a great spot for them while away for college in the Central Valley, and since I’ve returned to Monterey County, I’ve been on the lookout for a new carne asada fries haunt.

What I’m after is this: skinny fries evenly layered with asada, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and a little heat. After exploring and testing some recommendations, I have five places worth trying:

Original Stonies

Stonies has given me a new reason to visit the mall, not where I’d expect to find great eats. This family-run food-court hotspot offers sinfully delicious and carefully curated food-truck and street-style foods like fish tacos and funnel cakes. Their carne asada fries are my go-to menu item.

Their slender fries are layered with flavorful asada, savory nacho cheese, pico de gallo, chipotle mayo, jalapeños and salsa, which at first is unnoticeable, but contrasts nicely with the milder and chunkier pico. The dish is a library of robust flavors. A word to the wise, however, if you are a slow eater like me: The ooey-gooey goodness is a ticking time bomb, with 10 minutes at best before the fries below become a soggy mess.

10am-9pm Mon-Sat, 11am-7pm Sun; 1594 Northridge Shopping Center, Salinas; 710-1009, alejocatering.com

Papa Chevo’s

As I asked around, I kept hearing about Papa Chevo’s. So I went to their drive-thru location in Marina and on first glance, was reminded of my old spot. The fries here are fluffy and thick, and the asada flavorful on its own, but couldn’t withstand the layers of cheese, sour cream and guacamole. They served two types of salsa, red and green, but both were on the milder side. Papa’s rendition was far from spectacular, but because of the generous and affordable portions – and a fillingly good ratio of cheese to meat and fries – I could see myself driving through whenever I find myself in Marina and need a carne asada fries fix.

6am-midnight Mon-Thur, 6am-2am Fri-Sat, 7am-midnight Sun; 3038 Del Monte Blvd., Marina; 884-9545 6am-midnight Mon-Thur, 6am-1am Fri-Sat, 7am-midnight Sun; 1760 Fremont Blvd., Seaside; 393-1610

Pico De Gallo

With these priced at $10, I hoped I’d get a fair return on my investment, and I did. The fries came right after my buddy’s hefty burrito, and I doubt the food on my plate would have fit inside it. Toppings are compartmentalized, with the olives and jalapeños in one corner, guacamole and sour cream in another, and pico de gallo opposite of that. The chunks of well-seasoned asada sat at the center, atop firm pinto beans and shredded cheese. Ketchup and red salsa (leaning toward medium on heat) also came with it.

The height of Pico’s rendition was the crisp, golden-brown fries. They added a dimension of texture that some others lacked. The asada had visible grill marks. My only gripe with the dish was how the toppings were organized; I prefer mingling flavors with a little bit of everything on the fork.

11am-8pm daily; 2240 Del Monte Ave., Monterey; 643-2000

Rafael Mexican Grill

This spot is relatively new, having opened in 2016. Like the others, they offer the basics: asada, cheese, beans, jalapeños, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream with the cleanest presentation of all the spots. The carne asada was juicy and tender, and the flavors from each layer harmonize nicely. The cheese is generous, and the fries firm yet velvety. The only thing missing was the heat, with the jalapeños and the salsa both on the milder side.

9am-9pm daily; 1927 Natividad Road, Salinas; 442-8939, rafaelmexicangrill.com

Super Pollo Taqueria

This family-run taqueria has been a Salinas staple since 1992. When I took the fries home, and opened up the lid of the styrofoam to-go box to revel in the food, I was greeted with an appetizingly messy assortment of now-familiar ingredients. The thick fries are a little more starchy than I like, and the toppings were assorted into quadrants, in the same style (though not as evenly) at Pico de Gallo. The sour cream was smooth and cool, its tart-sweetness cutting through, but the dish overall could have benefitted from being layered, especially the guacamole. That topping doesn’t add anything special on its own, but does wonders when paired with other flavors, especially the rich carne asada. Combined with a generous amount of jalapeños that tickled my tongue, this spot is definitely worth a return visit, just with a vigorous stir before eating.

8am-7pm; 1070 N. Davis Road Suite C, Salinas; 424-2174 8am-7:30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat; 1237 S. Main St., Salinas; 424-4930