That is the best way to make a potato kugel, to heat the oil in the pan for a few minutes prior to pouring in the kugel mixture, as this promotes a nice crust.
I like for halavi, mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, potatoes au gratin, and one of my favorite meals for Pesah and year-round is a baked potato with butter, sour cream, cheddar, chives, sauteed broccoli, olives, and other toppings. A Pesah baked potato bar is a fun and interesting option to present to your guests at a halavi seudah. We did that this year- we put out butter, garlic butter, sour cream, different kinds of cheese, broccoli, spinach, roasted red peppers, fried onions, fresh chives, paprika, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes with olive oil, and pesto to go with baked potatoes, and along with a green salad, baked salmon, a hearty vegetable matza ball soup, and a Pesah sundae bar (Klein’s ice cream, fresh fruits, Schmerling chocolate chunks, nuts, Pesah chocolate syrup, fresh homemade raspberry sauce, homemade ganache), it was a memorble Pesah meal to all those who experienced it.