2019 MN State Fair New Foods Preview Part 2

All right!

Onto the second part of the breakdown of the new fair foods!

You can find Part 1 Here.

Onto our thoughts!

Sarah

Okay, I really love Cubanos (yeah Sarah is all like “I don’t like sammiches” but then she’s also like “here are some of my favorite sammiches.” I’m a fickle bitch, what can I say?)

So, what makes this a fusion I guess is that instead of the delicious bread of a Cubano there’s a flour tortilla instead? And it’s more fajita-y pork?

I dunno. I mean, I think it will be fine but switching out the bread for the tortilla does not a better experience make, in my book.

Presumably this is from Juanita’s Fajita’s since it’s her signature mustard. Yup.

Though, why does a fajita place have a signature mustard? That’s a little strange, right?

Patrick

Hey!  Juanita’s Fajitas!  I’ve always wanted to try her food, and now I get a chance.  Holy crap, is that some kind of Cuban-style fajita?  I, uh…this is embarrassing, I only read the description and just now saw the name.  That is definitely what it is.  That’s like, literally the name.  I loooove a good Cubano sammich, and THIS looks like an amazing variation on the original idea.  I’ve got a great feeling about this, yes I do.  Right into my mouth with you.

Anne

At first, I was an.ger.y at the slab of green pepper in the bad boy, but then I found out it was pickle and I am ok again. So basically, this is like a Cuban sammich (yum), but they’ve ruined it by stuffing it in a flour tortilla. Looks like at least it’s been fried/pressed so that might help. I’m expecting this to be fine. Also, where exactly is the fusion? Is it just the tortilla?

Sarah

The fuck is this?

First off, wouldn’t it be easier to stuff a bratwurst with pickle instead of the other way around? I don’t even understand HOW one stuffs a pickle. There’s no…there’s no hole or anything to fill. It’s not an olive.

So, it’s pretty much a bratwurst corn dog but also it has pickle in it.

Okay. Hmm. I’m not sure. I think it might work. As long as the pickle isn’t too juicy so it makes the batter soggy. I wonder what kind of batter we’re talking about. I hope it’s sweet.

Also, I was really excited it had dipping sauces but upon a second look at the photo I realize it’s just fuckin ketchup and mustard that they put in little cups because they think we’re some sort of jerks who wouldn’t notice.

No way in hell are they giving us little cups for ketchup and mustard. Stop trying to look so fancy, guys. You stuffed meat in a pickle. Just own that shit.

Swine and spuds. Sometimes they make pretty good stuff. Sometimes it’s a bit of a letdown. This could go either way. It’ll probably end up being “okay, not great.”

Patrick

I, uh…what?  Like, how is it….what?  Hold on, pump the brakes.  How the eff do you stuff a pickle with bratwurst?  Shouldn’t that be “a bratwurst stuffed with pickle?”  That’s gotta be a typo, right?  Swine & Spuds, you need to get it together.  This is just…I don’t know what to think about this.  I mean, I guess it should be good?  It’s basically a bratwurst corn dog plus pickle, right?  And, you dip it in ketchup or mustard?  Is dipping pickle into either of those weird?  I mean, they are both on a burger, so not really.  I just…I just can’t with this.  Alright, hand it over, I guess we’re trying this.  Jeez.

Anne

Well I find the name delightful- just makes me happy. I like that this is not bratwurst stuffed with pickle, oh no. They’ve gone and flipped it on us by stuffing the bratwurst into the pickle! Can you imagine??!!

I think it’s always hard competing with State Fair Corn Dogs, so even if this is the best damn Dilly Dog I have ever tasted, I won’t ever get it again because I already am married to Poncho Dog Corn Dogs.

Sarah

Anne’s going to lose her shit because she frickin loves to eat the quackers.

Oh, this is from Giggles! Giggles is (generally) our absolute favorite place at the fair. But last year was a rare miss. And actually, it was a miss because of another duck item.

Giggles seems to be trying to make duck happen.

That makes me just a touch nervous. But also, this is just fricking wings so how hard can they be?

Also, also, though, this is just wings, so I’m not overly impressed.

Still, I like wings so I’m sure these will be just fine. I’m interested to try the dipping sauce.

Patrick

Howdy Giggles, my good old friend.  Last year was a bit of a rare miss, but I’m hoping this year you hit us with a great comeback.  Will duck drummies be the dish that does it?  Maybe?  I really do enjoy a good battered wing and dipping it in sauce.  Seems like a simple food, but usually Giggles comes through with some great flavors, so I’m hoping this really packs a tasty punch.  Either way, Giggles is a staple with lots of great food, so I’m happy to visit either way.

Anne

As soon as I saw it was duck, I knew it would be at Giggles’. I am very happy to try this- how have I never had duck drummies before? I love duck and I love Giggles’ (though they’ve had an off year or two recently), so I am excite.

Why is the tequila lime dipping sauce red? That is not a color I associate with tequila OR lime.

Sarah

Okay, this is obvs from Dino’s since they mention it in the description. Umm, hmm. So, it’s kind of like a Greek cream cheese wonton? I think I could get down with that. I’m not a huge fan of feta so I’m glad to see its dryness is cut with something like cream cheese.

Though I will say the reason I like cream cheese wontons is because you dip it into a sweet sauce, so the fact that this is served with olive tapenade, something saltier, makes me wonder if it will be too much.

But nevertheless, I guess I am intrigued by this, though I suspect it won’t blow my mind or anything.

Patrick

Sarah isn’t a big fan of feta, I think, so I’m betting she’s poo-pooing this on her review.  I really like that Dino has branched out the last few years with some new items, and I feel they have been pretty successful in years past.  I think these feta bites sound like pretty good, but I think it’s going to be that dipping sauce that makes or breaks this snack.  I enjoy olive tapenade, so I’m hopeful this will be enjoyable.

Anne

Hmmm…I am not sure about this one. It’s like a Greek Cheese Wonton. But Feta is a tough cheese- it’s so damn dry. Also, I like olives, but I’m not sure as a dipping tapenade. I’m doing a shifty side-eye at this one…

Sarah

Okay that’s a third taco new food. I’m calling it as the official new foods theme this year. Motherfuckin Tacos!

Bleeeeeeergh. I want to like this so much. I love the idea of a deep-fried taco, and I love guac. But I’m not a chorizo fan, and black beans are right out. So, I’m pretty sure I’m going to one bite of these, love the texture, but kind of want to cry because of the flavors.

Maybe these will be a big hit and they’ll roll out other taco flavors in the future so then I can partake.

Oh wait, it’s Taco Cat. Which, now that I think about it, doy. But Taco Cat is one of those rotating food vendors that only stick around for a few years before switching out, which means there go my dreams.

Also, the rotating vendors are almost always a disappointment.

Patrick

Taco Cat carries on the tradition of making something that looks good, but usually tastes mediocre or has some fatal flaw.  Last year it was a tasty general Tsao chicken taco that lacked sauce.  This year, its stuffed, fried tacos on a stick.  The green chorizo one sounds good, but the vegetarian one sounds kind of boring.  The stick on this thing just seems pointless.  The first thing you’re going to do is pull that out and eat them like you would regular tacos.  Just get rid of the stick.  Not everything HAS to be on a stick, people!  I’m calling this now, it’s not gonna get above a C grade if that.  Yeah, yeah Sarah, we get it, you hate Mexican food.  God, settle down.

Anne

 Last year Taco Cat gave us the General Tso Chicken taco (I believe- fact check this) and it was good (but needed more sauce and was expensive). So, I’m glad to see they’re back this year.

But damn Sarah gonna be piiiiiiissssed about these tacos.

I am most excited for the bean and corn one, and I like how crispy these fried shells look. But it’s always so hard/sad to have one final new food at the tail end of the bunch- we’ll all be done caring by the time this food makes an appearance.

Sarah

Ummm. Okay? I guess? I don’t really know what to think about this. I assume it’s from O’Gara’s because it’s, like, the only place trying to serve up Irish fare (and generally failing.) 

You know what? I can get behind this, assuming it’s good. I like a good soda bread, and Cinnamon nut butter is good and so are blueberries.

Wait. Is the theme this year actually blueberries???

Because the pie competition was blueberries too…

Oh, fuck this actually ISN’T from O’Gara’s! Well color me an asshole. Is Brim a new place? The name doesn’t sound familiar. If it is new, then I’m actually pretty excited for this.

Patrick

Well hello there Brim and welcome to the fair.  Up at the North End too?  Great, it’s nice to have more eat spots up there and spread some of this food out across all that acreage.  This-looks-great!  I don’t know what about it excites me so, but I’m hella excited.  Maybe it’s the cinnamon nut butter, or the crispy grilled bread.  I’ve never had Irish soda bread grilled like that before, but I’m excited to shove this in my face.  Please be great.  I need you to be great.  I need it!

Anne

Well well well. Who are you, Brim? You’re in the North End, so I’m assuming a brand-new restaurant as part of their ongoing efforts to bring crowds out that way.

This looks cute. A 3^rd blueberry offering- that’s tying tacos right now for the theme this year. I wonder what kind of nut butter it is. I’m always glad to see GF offerings for my GF friends, so thanks Brim! I wonder what kind of food stand you are. Sammich shop? GF shop? I am excited to meet you.

Sarah

This looks like someone trying to cash in on the amazing thing we had last year that was all cotton candy and ice cream and cereal that shouldn’t have been good but really, really was.

Unless it’s from the same place? Then it would be less cashing in and more just doing what they do best.

Okay it IS the same place. Which makes me think this will probably be a hit!

And I like ice cream and candy toppings and cotton candy so I am excited to shove this sweet sweet confection right in ma mouth.

Patrick

Hahahaha, ok ok ok ok, prepare for a bi-polar post here.  Ahem…

What the fuck Rainbow Ice Cream?  This is LITERALLY the same shit as last year.  You just didn’t roll it up this time.  So, you made the same thing, but got lazier with the production.  Different ice cream flavor, I guess, but otherwise, all the same damn components as before.  Well, there’s a gummy bear in there, I guess, but still.  Got some real balls calling this a “new” food item.

OHMYGOD I WANT IT!  Rainbow cloud roll was fucking delicious last year.  I said it would be dump and just for kids, but it’s not.  It’s like a dessert unicorn!  Mystical, magical, and sweet.  Blue raspberry soft serve?  Sure!  Gummy bears thrown into the mix?  Fucking gummy bears!  Throw whatever crazy shit you want on this, you know what you’re doing!  You are a sweet confections genius!  Your only fault is I can see that shit-dump Speakeasy Hideaway from your doorstep.  Those asshats, amiright?  Yeah, you get it.  Fuck their trifle too.  You’re my best friend Rainbow.  You get me.  Haahahahah, ooooh Rainbow.

Anne

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! FUCKIN YES!

I assume this is the same shop that brought us my fave Rainbow Cloud Roll last year (just changed their name to Rainbow Ice Cream so we can understand that they’re more than just the Cloud Roll).

Well of course I can’t wait to try this, and I know it’s going to be bananas awesome because they knocked it out of the park last year.

The only thing I’m a little sad about is now I have 2 delicious cotton candy/ice cream concoctions to choose from, and that looks like it’s going to be a hard choice

And that's it for today! Check us out tomorrow for Part 3!