Raleigh, N.C. — The perfect sweet potato fry is difficult to come by. They have a tendency of not getting as crispy as regular french fries, which can leave you with a mushy pile of potato. However, when done right, sweet potato fries can be the perfect salty side item or a sweet, sugary dessert.

Exploring this somewhat less popular finger food brought me to many restaurants that got it right.

O'Malley's, in the Oak Park Shopping Center on Glenwood Avenue, delivers great sweet sweet potato fries: dusted with cinnamon and brown sugar and prepared to crispy perfection, they're really out of this world. I can eat these fries plain, or in ketchup, or with ranch and they still taste great. 

The Pit in downtown Raleigh is known for its barbecue, but the sweet potato fries passed the test too. The fries are cut with the skins still on, which helped make the fries crispy. The Pit's sweet potato fries are the perfect balance of salty and sweet. 

Nofo in Five Points delivers some truly spectacular and crispy sweet potato fries that would be great on their own, but what makes these fries stand out is the sauce. The mellow sweetness of the fries is the perfect backdrop to the explosion of flavor delivered by their Cajun citrus mayonnaise sauce, which is creamy, spicy and tangy all in one dip.

Boylan Bridge Brewpub's sweet potato fries are a great option for those who like to keep things simple. Not too greasy and not too salty, the brewpub's fries are thin-cut and served in their own cute little brown bag. 

I took note of Yard House's sweet potato fries when we had an Out & About lunch there a few months ago, and I'm including them on this list because, like Nofo, they come with a unique and delicious condiment. These sweet potato fries are served with a creamy bacon-maple dip and the sweet-salty combination is fantastic.

So there you have it! This was our first visit to sweet potato fries, and although they aren't as common as french fries, I'm sure there are some other restaurants out there serving up great sweet potato fries. Let me know where I should check out next!