Going Out

Photo Credit: Dan Watkins

BY KYLE WRIGHT           

When we first reported on the double-fried promise of Saus last May, it seemed inevitable that snack-happy Bostonians would be getting their frite fix within days—weeks, at the latest. But then, nothing.

The doors at the Faneuil Hall spot have been locked for nearly eight months, but passersby who stop to peek inside the windows on Union Street will probably see owners Chin Kuo, Renee Eliah and Tanya Kropinicki hard at work. “Every month was something new, and it was extremely discouraging.” Eliah says. “More than one person said to give up.”

Fortunately, the trio knows a thing or two about perseverance. They met as colleagues at a software company downtown, and when the ax started swinging, they were among the first let go. “We always wanted a lunch place like this, and we couldn’t find it,” Kropinicki observes. “It seemed like it was now or never.”

Rolls of red tape brought the process to a halt for the first-time restaurateurs (all of whom are under 25), but a January permit approval has them on track to finally get frying come early February. “We’re excited, but we’re pinching ourselves,” she says.

“We’ve had such an outpouring of people excited to try the fries and waffles,” Eliah adds. “It’s been hard to have to disappoint them for so long.”

The menu at Saus hasn’t changed much during the delay, though they’ve used the time to fine-tune recipes. “Feedback from our friends and social media has played a huge role in selecting our sauces,” Kuo says. Among the house-made dips is the Vampire Slayer, a roasted-garlic-infused mayo for the golden fries, and a spin on Nutella, perfect for drizzling on the Belgian liège waffles. They also plan on offering two additional special sauces per week.

The walls host a collage of cartoons hand-selected by the owners, a nod to Belgian comic culture. “It’s Boston meets Europe,” Eliah notes. “Everyone loves fries, no matter where they’re from!”

Saus | 33 Union St., Boston | 617-248-8835 | eatfrites.com