Best Homemade Mashed Potatoes?

I'm one of those elusive lurkers who have only posted a time or three, but now I speak up on a matter of grave importance to me (or is that gravy importance?).

We've had best burger, best Thai, and best sushi discussions.

I want to know who makes the best homemade mashed potatoes in the metro?

I'm thinking of the comfort food version, but feel free to suggest any place that has excellent taters that are worth a visit.

p.s. A side discussion could also revolve around whether good homemade mashed potatoes should have lumps.

Not sure who has the best in town, but my vote is that they should have lumps and the skin.

The Best Homemade Mashed Potatoes are made at home!

Wow this thread makes me miss Azalea's mashed potato of the day.

They definitely have to have lumps and lots of butter! I have to concur that Irish Rover probably has some of the best locally, I love their Bangers and Mash.

Believe it or not, but Molly Malone's has the best mash. It has to live up to the mash that co-owner Donal Ryan's mother makes back home in Ireland. There bangers and mash, a mountain of perfect mash surrounded by lovely bangers. Now I'm hungry.

When we have them, not that often though. ours are the best hands down... sorry to toot my own horn, but the truth is hard to ignore. Check on Wed. for our comfort foof specials.
Bill,
Shady Lane Cafe

I have to have gravy with mashed potatoes. Without them, I just can't eat them.

Mine. No, really.....
Deb

Perhaps the OP should have asked:

Best 'Homemade' Mashed Potatoes in a restaurant. IF one had to answer....

I assumed restaurant was implied since I doubt most of you would invite a stranger into your house to sample your potatoes.

I remember when I was working for SYSCO Foods they had about a bazillion varieties of potato products to offer restaurants. One of them was a mashed potato with skins and lumps. It was a very good product. So, I never assume anything I eat in a restaurant is homemade anymore unless I ask and they say "yes" and swear to it!

The ones I had for lunch at the Z-bar for lunch the other day were probably the best I've eaten out in a long time. Perfect balance of flavor.

I remember when I was working for SYSCO Foods they had about a bazillion varieties of potato products to offer restaurants. One of them was a mashed potato with skins and lumps. It was a very good product. So, I never assume anything I eat in a restaurant is homemade anymore unless I ask and they say "yes" and swear to it!

I'd have to agree with Carla. There are many products out there that you would swear were homemade if you did a blind tasting. There has been marked improvement in the past five years or so in prepared side dishes.
Why would any one use them? While mashed potatoes are pretty easy to make in small batches at home, the amount that a busy operation goes through on a day to day basis can get pretty labor intensive.
They are hard to do in large quantities and keep consistent. I don't care how good you think your recipe is, they never, ever come out the same way twice.
Peeling potatoes is a chore no one really likes so can you imagine doing 2 or 3 cases every day? Also if your kitchen doesn't have a steamer, and most don't, then imagine wielding large, heavy, scalding hot stock pots full of taters from the stove to sink to drain the water off.
Don't even get me started on ricing them.
Then depending on the size of the mixer you have, if you have one; You may have to make several smaller batches quickly before the rest of the potatoes cool off and get really lumpy and starchy.

Yes, I have been known to "buy" mashed potatoes in a pinch. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do to make things happen.

At Spago, I have had lobster mashed potatoes drizzled with a port wine sauce. I wish someone would replicate those taters here locally, they were to die for.