Ba'bacon Sour Cream + Onion- $14 from Baba's, 2024
A! Man, this is peak Baba's. If you are not a big hummus fan, this will win you over. All the toppings
really add to the creamy hummus and make for a fun and tasty scoop with their soft pitas. The bacon
is great, the onions are great, and when you get the tator tot in that big bite...mmm, perfect.
At first this was a solid B. Sweet, but not too sweet. Good bacon. And then we got a patch of
peanut butter. And it was crunchy peanut butter. And omg that just elevated this for all of us.
The Sandwich Stop never disappoints
Bama! Lemon Sweet Tea- $7 from Summer Lakes Beverages, 2021
A! This is what we want from a refreshing summer drink. Good lemon flavor with an interesting
undercurrent of something else. Not a very strong tea taste (if that’s your jam or not). Had to
take shelter due to severe weather, glad to have some great food and drink to weather the storm
with.
Ba-Sants in Two Varieties: Everything Cream Cheese and Sweet Corn- $7 at French Meadow Bakery
Just kidding, they were out of the Everything Cream Cheese option. So we got the Sweet Corn one
and it did NOT disappoint. The ba-sant was flaky, buttery, and perfect. The sweet corn filling was
delightful and Sweet without overpowering the pastry
Beer Battered Onion Rings- $5.75 (with BRBB) from Ballpark Cafe, 2019
Not new, but new to us. Great batter, nice and crispy and tasty. Wonderful onion rings. Drowned
our sorrows in onion rings (no more deep fried ribs).
Blueberry Mint Jamnade- $7 at Jammy Sammies by Brim, 2023
🎵Now we find out if we're gonna drink jam🎵
Verdict- unclear? Might've been jam, might've been muddled blueberries?
Either way this was great- sweet but not too sweet to ruin the refreshing nature. Feels hard
to give a drink an A for some reason, but this is a good one
Breakfast Double Double- $8 from LuLu's (new to us), 2023
Thanks to inspiration from Dann Food Haiku we decided to try this new to us food on a whim. Boy
howdy are we glad we did. The mouthful of the double patties and cheese is excellent. The English
Muffin Bread is toasty and buttery.
This really fixed our mood
Caramelized Banana Pudding- $8 at The Blue Moon Dine-In Theater, 2021
Oh how we loved this. Good amount for the money, too. Just really great pudding. The only con
was the Cocoa Krispies were stale but even that wasn’t enough to make us change our opinion.
Great final food of the day
Carnitas Taco Cone- $10 from San Felipe Tacos, 2019
Barring Sarah who doesn't like tacos, everyone loved this. The shell was amazingly crispy.
Disappointed it didn't come with the taco holder in the original pic. Reallllllly long line.
Cheesecake Curds- $9 at LuLu's Public House, 2023
THIS IS ITTTTT!!
THIS IS THE BEST THING WE WILL EAT ALL DAY!
FIGHT ME!
For real y'all. Sarah is waiting to see if something savory steals the day but she'll be waiting
in vain. I wanted to cry as it passed my lips and I crunched through to the pillowy
cheesecake with a tart, strawberry chaser.
Heaven.
Cheese Curds- $6 from Miller's Cheese Curds, 2019
Cheese Curd Stuffed Pizza Pretzel- $9 at Green Mill, 2023
Man, Green Mill has done it again. The mouthfeel of the pretzel rolled pizza dough is bomb, with the
cheese curds it just amplifies that more. The spices and seasoning is just so on point. Can't stop eating
this.
Chick N Swiss Sausage- $8 at Gass Station
Grill, 2022
A!! Oh man! We LOVED this sausage! Moist, slight zip from the jalapenos, slightly
sweet from the
pineapple. Wish we could regularly fire these up on our grill.
Also a good size dog.
Om nom nom. Delicious bun with tender crispy fried chopped Kramarzuk hot dog. Came with
good chips. Will definitely recommend
Cotton Candy Float- $6 at German
Root Beet and Popcorn, 2022
A-
wow, this was as great as we had hoped. The soda tastes like liquid cotton candy
and when you
mix in the ice cream it becomes oh so creamy and delicious.
Seriously, give this a try, a lovely,
sweet treat!
This was just fantastic. Beef, chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, crispy onions. Om nom nom
Crab Boil Wings- $20?! from Soul Bowl, 2024
These were slammin'! Great flavors, crispy wings, nice combo with the potatoes, sausages, and corn.
Add a drizzle of hot sauce for an extra kick (just Packie, no one else). A lot of food, which it should be at that price point. Honestly, too much food if you're not looking for a whole dang meal. Bringing
home the leftovers for this one.
New to us in 2017, these are fantastic and we've had them twice already
Cream Puff- $4 at Cream Puff stand, year unknown
New to us in 2016. Chou could have been a bit fresher but that cream. Dayum. A across the
board
Curry Turkey Bacon Melt- $? at The Sandwich Stop, 2013
Tasty sandwich with awesome crispy, fried bread and tangy sweet sauce. Lot of sammich for
your buck
Deep Fried Ribs- $9 at Ballpark Cafe, 2015. RIP 2019
Ribs were fall off the bone tender. Breading was salty and crispy. Immediately wanted more
A- heard this little market on the fairgrounds made a good deli sandwich, and hooo boy was that
your liking. Made for a great dinner to bring home and eat later. think we might do this again in
the future, or hell, do it every time. Refreshing after a long day of crazy foods.
Double Decker S'more- $3.50 at S'more stand, year unknown. RIP 2022
New to us in 2016. Man…for just being a s’more it was so freaking good
The Doughnut- $5 from Peachey's Baking Company, 2023
Yooooooooooo! This is like eating a Krispy Kreme for the first time. This donut is warm,
soft, pillowy. The glaze is dripping off as they hang before being purchased. Absolutely no
criticisms.
...might be our favorite donut.
We also got their Sweet Tea which was $6 and very sweet (until you eat the donut lol)
Doughsant- $? at French Meadow Bakery, 2013, RIP 2017
Delicious! Possibly the best thing at the fair this year, certainly the top of the sweet list. Perfect
fusion of croissant and doughnut. A must have!
Dragonfruit with Sno Cream- $7.50 from Minnesnowii Shaved Ice, 2019
This flavor was fantastic and the sno cream drizzle was a nice, sweet added touch. Love this place.
Dreamsickle Hard Malt- $6.50 from Coasters, 2019, RIP 2023
A!!! We frickin looooooooved this. Kind of like a creamier, adult orange julius. Will definitely get
again.
Dual Berry Shortcake- $7 from Lulu’s Public House, 2021, RIP 2022
A. Soft, flavorful biscuit with sweet whipped cream and slightly tart berries. This was amazing!
The biscuit was so flaky, soft and perfect, and add in the sweet whip and berries and you get so
much flavor that you can’t stop eating it. Great price for a good amount of food.
Earth Wings- $7 at French Meadow Bakery, 2018
A for food, F for Service. Had to wait 45 minutes for these and their organization was a hot mess.
Other than that, these were great! Crisp, tangy sauce, real satisfying. Just make sure the line isn't
out to next week.
Eclair Pair- $25 for both, or $15 for Lobster, 2024
Lobster one is packed full of lobster. Slight heat but flavorful and tender. Like a smaller version of
their excellent lobster roll. Packie's least favorite thing for both is actually the eclair shells.
(butter with cinnamon and sugar)
Not new, but new to us in 2018. What a great breakfast! The mouthfeel is like bread pudding
and fantastic. The berry sauce is sweet without being overpowering, and the pop rocks add an
auditory element without ruining the food.
Fried Bee-Nana Pie- $6 from Sabino's ($8 with ice cream), 2024
OMG this fried pie is everything. Crispy, soft, pillowy. On the edge of too sweet for some of us but
finishes with a nice honey taste. Could maybe use more banana, actually. Gonna definitely get again
this year.
Galabao- $12 from Union Hmong Kitchen, 2023
"This Bao is the Bomb" Hans said I needed to add this as a tag line so I am. The Bao is sweet, the
filling is flavorful, and there's a surprise egg inside! The dip had a little kick but was very nice. Who
doesn't love a mega Bao?
Garlic Cream Cheese Wontons- $12 from Que Viet, 2024
A! Not new, but new to us. We knew these would be good and they were! Wonton skins incredibly
light and crispy. Filling smooth and creamy with a garlic hint.
This isn't new, but we don't know if we've ever posted about it before. Fun Fact: this is one of
MN Chef Andrew Zimmer's favorite things at the fair. It is awesome! Ground Beef and Italian
Sausage, red sauce, on a toasted Italian roll with melted mozzarella on top. So meaty and good.
Pure comfort food.
Hummus Bi Lahme- $12 from Babas, 2021
A. This hummus bowl was zapped up with Shwarma, oil, almond slices and lemon sauce. Really flavorful, good hummus with awesome toppings and soft pitas to dip. Loved this!
Irish Butter Ice Cream over Brown Sugar Cinnamon Toast- $9 from Blue Moon Dine-In Theater, 2023
This is just...this is just so good, friends. That ice cream is rich and velvety. The toast is crispy and
sweet but not too sweet. And the sprinkled sea salt on the top just launches this over the (blue) Moon
(heh). Delicious.
Iron Range Meat and Potatoes- $8 at Giggles Campfire Grill, 2016
This was great. Giggles never disappoints. Meaty, great gravy, so cheese good. Om nom.
Italian Meatloaf on a Stick- $5 at Green Mill, 2015, RIP 2016
Delicious meaty Italian flavors with marinara sauce and pepperoni on top. It was great. Will get
again
Korean Pork Collar with Kimchi Pickles- $? at Famous Dave's, 2014
So tender and sweet. Delicious! And the pickles. You guys, the pickles. Om nom.
A! Yoooooooooooo. This lobster roll is bangin! Unofficial new food- $20 might seem steep but it’s
pretty much the going rate for lobster rolls nowadays, and honestly it’s not much more expensive
than other fair foods. The bread was butter and toasty, the corn was a nice addition. Plus food
slide!
London Broil Steak Sandwich- $10 from Butcher Boys, 2019
This was great!! Juicy medium rare sliced steak meat in a soft bun. Just so good and so satisfying.
Really good mac n cheese and the cheese curds add a nice chewiness. Patrick and Sarah
gave it an A, Anne a B
Maui-Sota Sticky Ribs- $13 at RC BBQ, 2023
Wow, what a finish! These ribs were so choice! The ribs themselves were fall off the bone
perfect, and that sauce? Daaaamn. A little sweet with a lot of flavor and just a touch of heat.
Oh man, we are so full, but we just picked them bones clean. Sarah would eat a whole rack
herself
Messy Giuseppe- $7.75 at Mancini's al Fresco, 2018
So meaty. The bread was so soft. Even Sarah, who doesn't like red sauce, liked this. Afterwards,
we learned to ask for it on their garlic bread and extra messy, so that's something to look forward
to next year!
Minty Magic Tart- $5.50 with BRBB at Sara’s Tipsy Pies,
2022
A- holy cow this was so good. Cold mint pie with a creamy whip on top and a
flaky crust. So tasty
and the cold dessert was nice for a hot day. Get this!
A! Ok, to be clear, this was recommended to us last year but we forgot to take a pic bc we’re basic
bitches (also THANK YOU to whomever rec’d this to us- we can’t remember but we love you).
Anyway this is like the most amazing, fresh-squeezed Orange Julius you’ll ever have. ALSO the
strawberry is just as baller. Everyone get this.
Peanut Butter Cream Donut- $10 from Peachey's (unofficial new food), 2023
Wowowowowow!
We were already fans of Peachey's from Day 1 and so returned for seconds and to try their gourmet
option.
Y'allllllllll. The ONLY reason Peachey's didn't get the #1 spot was bc it was just a donut. But THIS
donut? Warm pillowy donut surrounding cold peanut cream with whipped cream and chopped
peanuts. Soft and Crunchy, warm and cold. *chef's kiss*
This is the new Pickle Rick Pizza- the line was 30 minutes long and it was WORTH IT.
Pebbles and Bam Bam- $8 from Nordic Waffles, 2019
Yeah, these were great. Just great. Crispy and delicious pepperoni and the queso was fantastic.
A- holy cow, what a surprise! You guys, this was so good. Very pickle forward, salty, a great
cheese and flavorful crust. The dill was really slammin. Sarah can’t get enough of it, she is crying.
Pizza Lucy- $7 from Green Mill, 2021
Straight up A.
Sorta a fancy pizza pocket. The mouthfeel is fantastic. There was discussion about buying more to
bring home for later. Though the cup with the pizza sauce was too small for dipping. Also my hair
is out of control because hair mediation plans were interrupted by the take shelter order.
Pizzarito- $5 at Green Mill, 2017
Like everything Green Mill makes, this is fantastic. Delicious and pizza-y, would get this at a
restaurant. Plus the price is great!
Pork Chop on a Stick- $11 from Carousel (new to us), 2023
We had heard we should get porkchop on a stick but didn't know from where so tried this location on
a whim. And wow did we get lucky! Tender, meaty, juicy, well-seasoned. We can't wait to eat this
again.
Pork Chop on a Stick- $11 from Peterson's Pork Chop, 2024
A! Now new but this specific shop new to us. This was like a 30 minute line- have never done a
spiral line before. But it was worth it! Charred and tender, meaty goodness.
Pork Rinds- $? at Famous Dave's, 2013, RIP 2014
Might be the best new thing at the fair this year, certainly in the savory category. Crispy and
light with a drizzle of fresh squeezed lemon and a tangy ranch (white BBQ) dipping sauce. Will
get again, highly recommend
Queen B Lemonade- $5 at Soul Bowl, 2022
A blueberry lavender lemonade that is so damn good! Sweet, tangy, fresh, you really
need to try it.
Comes in a resealable pouch with is so convenient.
Rainbow Cloud Roll (chocolate flavor)- $8 at Rainbow Cloud, 2018, RIP 2021
Bahahahahah! This thing is fucking ridiculous and yet so great. The chocolate helps offset the
fruity pebbles (which leave a good taste in your mouth). The cotton candy, by some amazing feat,
does not dissolve. It's just-just perfect.
Sirloin Tips- $18 at Pickle Barrel (new to us), 2023
The only drawback is the price. Tender meaty bites. Salty and good. Want some meat? Eat these
treats!
Swedish Meatball Smorgas- $8.95 at The Blue Barn, 2018
The Blue Barn stepped it up this year! So flavorful and good. The bun was so soft. A bit pricey
but not too bad. Loved this.
Sweet Greeks- $5 at Dino's Gyros, 2018
So sweet but the insides are smooth and not sweet so it balances nicely.
Sweet Heat Bacon Crunch- $13 at RC's BBQ, 2024
A!! Oh this is what we wanted. Nay, needed. A tender bite of meat, crunchy bits of bacon, sweet
sauce, and a slow, slight heat. Rice was broken and, honestly, not really needed, but we'll be getting
this again.
Good ice cream. Fun flavor choices (we went with strawberry midnight). So cold (like dipping
dots). Entertaining to watch them make it. Worth going into the Grandstand for
A! Holy shit y’all. If someone handed us this corndog and we didn’t know it was Vegan WE
WOULD HAVE NO IDEA. The ONLY criticism is that the hotdog lacks the slight snap of a real
dog, but we only noticed because we were looking for differences. The batter is the bomb. This is
the 3rd best corndog at the fair (after Poncho Dog and Big Dog Corndogs).
plan on going back for chocolate and salted caramel. Oh god, it was so jiggly and custardy. We
thought the warmth would be a turn off, but it was the opposite. Fucking homerun. EVERYONE
GET THIS
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