Fry bracket: VOTE IN 4 more!

The Observer's 2010 Tournament of Fries begins with the following 12 teams, chosen after weeks of sampling readers' suggested locations across the land. Don't see your favorite? That's OK, since readers get to vote in four additional teams.

Comment on this blog (only once, please!) before midnight WEDNESDAY (March 10). I'll add the top three vote-getters, plus the place that garners what I think is the most heartfelt, compelling comment. (That's to allow for a Cinderella team!)

The dozen anointed ones:

Big Daddy’s Burger Bar, 1626 East Blvd.
Cafe Monte, 6700 Fairview Road.
Comet Grill, 2224 Park Road.
Crepe Cellar, 3116 N. Davidson St.
Fran’s Filling Station, 2410 Park Road.
Lulu, 1911 Central Ave.
Matt’s Chicago Dog, 435 S. Tryon St.; 19732 One Norman Blvd., Cornelius.
Moosehead Grill, 1807 Montford Drive.
Rooster’s, 6601 Morrison Blvd.
Sub Corral, W. Wilkinson Blvd., Belmont.
Tenders, 18341 Statesville Road, Cornelius.
The Penguin, 1921 Commonwealth Ave.

You’ll notice no national chains in my dozen. I didn’t include them, seeking to emphasize our local offerings, but I’ll let the people make the call -- if you want to vote one in, so be it. Same goes for the places that sell a hybrid fry-like "home fry": If you believe it fits in a classic french fry competition, vote it in. The completed bracket will be in Friday's CLT (or maybe earlier, in this space).

Want to get a look at competitions of years past? Go here for the pizza competition of 2009 and here for wings in 2008.