C Foods

Grade C: It's OK, Not Great. We Might've Eaten It All, But Wouldn't Get Again.

Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl- $9.50 from Cafe Caribe, 2018
       Good sauce and flavors, wish the tuna was in smaller pieces, good wontons. Would definitely get

       poke after trying this.

All Quacked Up- $12 from Hideaway Speakeasy, 2022
        You know, it’s not bad. The ham’s good, the egg is perfectly basted. But it def feels like something
        we could make at home, and an open-faced runny egg sammich is not something we come to the
        fair for.


Bacon Up Pup- $7 at Granny's Kitchen Fudge Puppies, 2017
       Ok so we really liked the fudge puppy part of this, but the bacon detracted from it. We wished we
       were eating the turtle one instead. It was so fresh the whipped cream was melting on the way
       back to the table

Banana Foster French Toast- $9.25 at Hamline Church Dining Hall, 2018
       It was fine, no big deal. Bananas weren't ripened enough, caramel sauce was good.

Banana Nutella Crepes- $10 at the Crepes Stand, 2022
        A new to us food. The Crepe itself was really good. Packie hates bananas and Sarah really only
        likes ripe bananas, so it tasted “too green” to her. Also expected it to be warm. Would definitely try
        a different crepe in the future.


BBQ Split-$12 from Mama D's, 2018
       The BBQ was excellent but the mac was mediocre and the slaw tasted strongly of parsley. Would

       try their pulled pork sandwiches.

Beer Brat Buddies- $7 at Sausage Sisters, 2016
       Good brats and soft pretzel buns, but we could probably make them at home

Belly Full Nordic Waffle- $12 at Nordic Waffles, 2022
        Rather bland, not much flavor to the pork belly and the jelly didn’t come through at all. Mostly
        just tasted the slaw. Meh.

Bison Bites- $8.75 at Giggles, 2021

        We were pretty split on these. Some of us liked them and some of us didn’t so the grade rounded   

out. They’re like little pizza rolls but bison sausage filling instead. The sweet bourbon sauce is pretty good.

Bison Dog- unknown vendor and price, 2014

       Good flavor. Lean meat made it a little dry. Was also cold.

Blueberry Key Lime Pie- $8 from Farmer's Union Coffee Shop, 2019
        We were very split on it, with some going to B and some to D. Good Key Lime flavor and nice
        graham cracker crust. The spork that comes with it is dumbly shaped, making it hard to eat.

Bowl o' Dough- $8 at Blue Moon Dine-in Theater, 2017
       This was just... we wish this was better. The best part was the potato chip followed by the sea salt
       ice milk (aka salted ice cream) 

Breakfast Buddy Bowl- $8 at Lulu's Public House, 2017
       The first taste had the flavor of something burnt or maybe a smoke flavor. It was off-putting to
       most of us. Could use a bigger punch of flavor. It was pretty meh

Breakfast Sausage Corn Dog- unknown vendor and price, 2013
       Not bad, pretty similar in taste to a corn dog. Maple syrup really made it

Buffalo Chicken Doughscuits- $12.75 from Blue Barn, 2021

        C (at best). Biscuit donut that’s both sweet and savory. SUPER DENSE. You’d think it’d be lighter
than a biscuit with the addition of donut but I guess not. Wavers between savory and sweet which
some of us like and some don’t. Did not taste buffalo at all.

Buzz’n…HotHoney Chicken Sausage Kebob- $11 at Sausage Sister & Me, 2022
        Perfectly serviceable, no real criticisms but nothing in particular stands out about the food. Good
        flavors, nice with the honey drizzle, and the coleslaw was actually pretty nice.

Candied Bacon BLT- $8 at Blue Barn, 2016
      The avocado actually didn’t do any favors as it negated the effect of the candied bacon. Feels like
       something we could make at home

Carolina Pit Smoked Brisket Taco- $9 at Shanghai'd Henri's, 2019
        Split between a B and a C. The beef was tasty but the taco seemed to lack flavor

Celebration Cake-on-a-Stick- $6 or $7 at Mancini’s, 2022
        It was light, but really dry. Needed more frosting to offset it. Kids might like it, can be
        personalized.

Cheesy French Onion Monkey Bread- $7 at Blue Moon Dine-In Theater, 2016
       Sarah and Anne are not fans of French Onion Soup (they gave it a C), but could appreciate the
       quality of this item. Packie loved it! (gave a B). Juicy, melty, cheesy delight with savory juices
       and chewy monkey bread. It was great you guys!

Cheesy Nacho Corn on the Cob- $? at Texas Steakout, 2017
       It's like someone said "You know what could be harder to eat? Nachos. Let's throw it on corn on
       the cob."
       Flavor was fine, but it loses points for being sloppy and slimy

Chicken Tandoori Rolls- $12 at Holy Land, 2022
        First, could we just have one for six dollars? We liked the wrap, but filling was a little dry.

Chilaquiles- $10 from Tejas Express, 2022
        You know- this was actually not bad- even Sarah enjoyed it some. Flavors were good- has a kick.
        Where they earn a C is execution. They were pre-assembled so the chips were already soggy. If
        we’d had chips on the side then it’d be a different story.

Chili Chocolate Ice Cream- $? at R&R Ice Cream, 2013
       Good whipped chocolate ice cream with a slow devastating burn. How do you burn me ice
       cream? 

Chocolate Dessert Salami- $? at Sausage Sisters, 2014
       OK. Rich with good orange flavor

Chocolate Ice Cream Soda- $9 at Bridgeman’s, 2022
        This was fine. Nice and smooth when mixed together and the soda made for an interesting buzz,
        but the flavor was kind of mild.

Chocolate Popover with Peanut Butter Spread- $6 at Lulu's Public House, 2017
       Peanut butter good. So good, you can't really taste the pastry or the chocolate. If you love peanut
       butter, you might enjoy this

Cookie Dough on a Stick- Oreo Fudge Flavor for $5, Chocolate Dipped is $1, Peanuts is another $1, from Cookie Dough on a Stick, 2019
        Very rich. If you like cookie dough you'd probably enjoy.

Cuban Fusion Fajita- $7 from Juanita's Fajitas, 2019
        This had mixed reviews. Some thought the cheese wasn't melted enough, or enough sauce, others
        thought it was a pretty good item. Agree to disagree.

Deep Fried Dilly Dog- $8 from Swine and Spuds, 2019
        The batter is excellent which is what's saving it from a D. Falls apart as soon as you start eating it.
        Not a fan of warm pickles, and ours was way overdone compared to the others coming out.

Deep Fried Nachos Supreme- $9 at Texas Tater Twister, 2016
       Perfectly serviceable. Good value. Fun. Wouldn’t go out of our way to get again, but would share
       if someone wanted to share.

Duck Bacon Wontons- $8.50 at Giggles Campfire Grill, 2017
       They were ok, too much cream cheese, first time we got something that wasn't amazing from
       Giggles. As an added, devastating note, they got ride of the chicken fried bacon. A dark year.

Fall Guy Breakfast Panini- $8 at The Hideaway Speakeasy, 2017
       Ugh. Wtf is up with a food vendor on the 2nd floor of the Grandstand? And why do they get to
       feature 3 new foods? 
       Anyway. The cheapest and the best of the 3, it still is just a regular old breakfast sammich that is

       nothing special, especially in the flavor department

Feta Bites- $5.50 at Dino's Gyros, 2019
        This was really just ok. Little dry, as expected with feta. Dip was good, and good value.

Firecracker Shrimp Stuffed Avocado- $14 at the Hideaway Speakeasy, 2018
       Might have given this a B if not for the exorbitant price. Fresh, decent flavor, and good crackers.

Fried Taco on a Stick- $12 from Taco Cat, 2019

        We were all across the board on this one. Sarah hates Mexican food, Anne thought it was too spicy,

        and I really liked it. Real crispy, with a spicy green sauce drizzled on the outside and meaty filling

        inside (it also came in vegetarian, but they don't let you mix and match)

Fruity Fruity Pebbles- $9.50 at the Hideaway Speakeasy, 2022
  Perfectly Serviceable. Sort of like a Grape Ape
Fudge and Fruit!- $11 from Minnesota Wine Country, 2021
        C. Nothing special, tasted perfectly fine if you like this sort of thing. Strawberries were juicy and
        sweet, but they left the tops on, which is dumb

General Tso's Chicken Taco- $12 from Tacocat, 2018
       Chicken was nice and crispy but there was pretty much no sauce. Also super expensive.


The Hot Hen- $8 from RC BBQ, 2019
        Damn this was divisive. Sarah says it's a fuckin F--, but she hates buffalo chicken. Anne and Pat
        thought C and B, and the parents were underwhelmed and confused by the conflicting spices of
        buffalo and jalapeno. But damn- those chips.

Indie Frites- $5 at Taste of Midtown Global Market, 2015
       The sweet potato fries were not bad, but the russet potato ones were not very good. A little too
       spicy too. Probably would not get again.

International Tacos (Korean BBQ style)- $8 at Shanghaied Henri’s, 2015
       We disagreed on this so we averaged out to a C+. Sloppy, too much parsley, double wrapped in
       tortillas so a lot of tortilla in each bite. But the overall flavors were pretty good and we would try
       one of the other varieties

Irish Tater Kegs- $8 from O'Gara's, 2018
       Not bad. Texture was great and we finished it. We're just not that big Reuben fans (if you are,

       you'd probably like it more than we did).

Irish Whiskey Boneless Wings- $8 from O'Gara's, 2019
        Yeah this was fine. We ate it all but probably wouldn't get it again. Unbalanced- needed to be
        either 
sweeter or tangier. Pretty good heat level.

Iron Range Pierogis- $? at the Blue Barn, 2014
       Mediocre at best. Not really worth the money. The sauce is horsey sauce so if you don’t like that
       you’re SOL (they definitely need sauce)

I-Scream Waffle Sandwich and Chicken & Macaroni from Nordic Waffles- $9 and $12 respectively, 2021
Not because of flavor but because of execution. Both really hard to eat. If the chicken leg (which    was baller) had been a tender, would’ve probably been an A. Ice cream sammich was frozen solid
and hurt our teeth. But all around flavors were good.
       
Italian Bomba Sandwich- $8.25 at Mancini's al Fresco, 2017
       We liked the meatiness and the mouth feel but wasn't very flavorful. And some of the meat was
       cold. Also, don't you dare call it the Boomba 
       #goaheadandorderitthatway #seehowthatfuckinggoes

Joey Mary- $8 from Brim, 2019
        NOTE: requires mixing!! Otherwise too bitter.
        Cold coffee. Not much of a slush. GF almond cookie not great. Those of us who liked cold coffee
        drinks liked it more than others.

Kulfi (PBK flavor)- $5 at Hot Indian, 2022
        First- unimpressed that it’s prepackaged and purchased from a wholesaler. This was…interesting?
        We liked the nits and creaminess, but there was a flavor (the saffron?) that was interesting and kind
        of weird. We would like to try a different flavor maybe.

Lamb and T-Bone Chops- $6 from Holy Land, 2019
        Very small chops. Not particularly exciting, unless you're a big fan of lamb.

Lemon Cookie Tortilla Chips- $9 at Blue Moon Dine-In Theater, 2022
        We wished the chips were thinner and crispy, more chip/cracker than cookie. The cream dip with
        the lemon curd was great, though.


Loaded Garlic Cheese Bread- $5 from Green Mill, 2019
        This was perfectly fine. We just wanted it to be more garlic bread and less pizza. Less sauce and
        crispier bread would have helped

Maple Cream Cold Press Nitro Coffee- $6.50 at Farmer's Union, 2017
       A cold pressed coffee with heavy whipping cream and pure maple syrup. A very smooth and
       slightly sweet, cold coffee. Packie rather liked it, and even Sarah and Anne who don't like coffee
       thought it was ok. Nice energy boost

“Meat”and Balls Marinara- $12 from French Meadow Bakery, 2022

        Eh. The marinara was good- especially liked that piece of garlic bread. The vegan Meatballs had a
        good meat texture- Anne was not a fan of the flavor (and Sarah was not a fan of the red sauce).
        Smelled great.


Meatloaf Hash- $8.25 at Blue Barn, 2015
       Too many peppers, but if that's your thing then not too bad

Memphis Totchos- $9 at Snack House, 2017
       Let's be clear, they were potato rounds, not tots. Our opinions were very mixed on this and it
       averaged out to a C. The sauce tasted more like peanut butter than like a Thai peanut sauce, and
       the bananas were overpowering, but the potatoes were salty and bacon was good

Mini Deep Dish Pizza- $7 at Green Mill, 2022
        Unofficial new food. This was fine. It maybe sat under the heat lamp too long so the crust dried
        out a bit too much. But Green Mill is good at making that pizza flavors pop.

Mini Donut Latte- $7 from Anchor Coffee House, 2019

        Fine if you like cold coffee drinks. But Brim's Joey Mary was better


Mini Variety Cheesecurd Bucket- $18 from Solem Concessions, 2021 Wow are these the most expensive cheesecurds ever?? No bc they had a $25 option also. Variety pack includes Original, Ranch, Cajun, and Garlic. All curds are good but the price edges these out of the running, and there are superior options elsewhere.
Molotes- 2 for $10 at Midtown Global Market- Andy’s Garage, 2022
  B- the elote filling was good corn flavor and they didn’t skimp on the toppings.
        C- the chipotle chicken filling was king of dry and the toppings didn’t help.
        This was mostly Anne’s call on these, since elote makes Sarah and Packie cry.

No Bologna Coney- $6.75 from Mancini's Al Fresco, 2019

        The sausage and bread were real good, but the muffaletta was cold and overpowering and kind of

        took over the whole coney. Damn shame.


Paneer Pakora- $8 from Hot Indian, 2021 Another one that was mixed. Some liked it more than others. Paneer is a drier cheese which makes it not quite great for deep frying. But the tomato butter dipping sauce was wonderfully flavorful (though it had a slow burn).

Papalon con Limon (limeade with cane sugar)- $7 at Arepa Bar, 2022
        We were pretty split on this. The sourness is great and refreshing but it has an odd finish that we
        didn’t overly like and reminded us of applesauce. But we drank it all.

Pina Colada- $8 at Manny's Tortas, year unknown

       New to us in 2017 but not new to the fair, this virgin pina colada was made fresh from the cored
       out pineapple. Too much pulp, no enough coconut flavor, and it left us wishing it was alcoholic

Pizza Dough Balls- $7 at Tino's, 2018
       This non-featured new food item was alright. Balls of fried pizza dough with red sauce and lots

       of mozzarella cheese. Sauce was ok but a bit too tangy, and the cheese wasn't melted.

Pizza Tots- $? at Green Mill, 2014
       Not bad. Good sauce, texture interesting

Pork Belly Sliders- unknown vendor and price, 2013
       Not bad, good flavor, a bit pricey. BBQ taste with crunchy coleslaw

Porketta Pig Wings- $? at Famous Daves, 2013
       Tender with subtle seasoning. Nicely cooked, good meat flavor, but a little bland in Packie’s
       opinion 

Prime Rib Taco- unknown vendor and price, 2014
       Packie really liked it- tasted like a fajita with some good spicy flavor. Sarah and Anne were not
       fans- all they could taste were peppers.

The Queen Arepa- $12 at Arepa Bar, 2022
        Really fresh, flavor was not bad, the arepa was crispy. Was surprised it came cold. Kind of on the
        fence for this one between a C and a B.

Red Velvet Funnel Cake- $12 from Salem Concessions, 2022
        New to us (thanks Lauren and Michelle!) Yeah it was fine but ours was clearly overdone- crunchy
        through and through. Also wanted some more drizzle for sweetness. Would’ve prob rated a B if
        better cooked. Pricey like all of Salem’s stuff

Reuben Roll- $10 at O’Garas, 2022
        Chewy as opposed to crispy. Wrapper was a bit too thick. But flavors were not bad, even though
        we don’t like reubens. Packie is mad at them because he hit his knew on the barrel table.

Sashimi Tuna Taco- $15 at Scenic 61, 2021
        Not bad but not great. Sashimi tuna, wonton taco, avocado, slaw. Perfectly fine, though pricey as   
        expected. BUT. Service was great AND THEY HAVE A FOOD SLIDE.

Sheep Dog- $8 at Lamb Shoppe, 2016
      This averaged out to a C (Packie gave it a B, Sarah a D). Just a bunch of crap on what seems like
       might be a good dog.

Shrimp & Grits Fritters- $5 for 3 from Funky Grits, 2019
        Dipping sauce was almost too spicy for some of us. Fritters were a little soft but not bad. Literally
        no 
line.


Sidecar Sandwich- $11 from the Hideaway Speakeasy, 2021

        Grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and orange marmalade. The marmalade was divisive, some   

        didn’t think it worked with the sandwich, others liked it. A decent grilled cheese sandwich with quality cheeses, but nothing special in execution or flavor. Probably the cheapest thing we have ever gotten from the Speakeasy.


Slow Roasted Pork Mole Tamale- $10 at Tejas Express, 2017
       Not bad, but not great. The pork and mole was good, the tamale was meh. Not a lot of food for
       that much moolah. 

S’mores Funnel Cake- $7 from Funnel Cakes, 2021
        C. Funnel cake was overdone, and it was exactly like we thought it would be- stuff slapped on a     
        Funnel Cake with no understanding of what makes a s’more GOOD. Still tasty bc it’s a Funnel Cake, but eh

Snow Cap Mini Waffle Sundae- $6 from Hamline Church Dining Hall, 2019
        Good waffle and Cream Cheese Ice Cream, but utterly tiny for six bucks.

Sonoran Sausage. ONE. BAD. DOG.- $7 at Sausage Sisters, 2017
       The sausage is great (like it always is from Sausage Sisters) but it's nothing special. You don't
       need the corn on it but without that it's just a hotdog

SPAM Curds- $7 at The SPAM Stand, 2016
       Expensive for what you get. Packie personally hated these with all the passion he gives to SPAM.
       Sarah and Anne thought they were surprisingly good, with nice breading. Packie doesn’t know

       about those two…

Spicy Pork Bowl- $9 at The Blue Barn, 2016
       Perfectly Serviceable. Wouldn’t need to get again

Strawberry Donut Delight- $6 at The Strawberry Patch, 2016
       Sold out on the First Day! Okay. Nothing special. The strawberries were really cold, the whipped
       cream was from a can

Sweet Cheese Blintz- $5 at iPierogi, 2022
        This had a great cream cheese flavor, and the crepe was soft, smooth and wonderful. We just
        wished it had been a little sweeter.

Sweet Corn Blueberry Eclair- $6.50 at Farmer's Union, 2017
       The blueberry glaze was really intense, the cream didn't have much flavor other than a slight corn
       aftertaste, and the kernza flour pastry was not great

Sweet Corn Chocolates- $7 at Honey Candy Stand, 2017

       Sarah would've rated these lower but we all had differing opinions on this one. What we all
       agreed on, though, was that $7 for 3 tiny bonbons was fucking ridiculous

Sweet Corn Corndog- $6 ($3 with coup) at some place that Sarah forgot to record, year unknown
       This was new to us but apparently it was the go-to thing to try this year. The batter was nicely

       sweet- could really taste the corn. But there was too much of it and the hot dog was tough and
       overcooked. Fix these problems and it would be great.

Sweetie Cakes- $7 at Sweetie Cakes, 2018
       We got the peanut butter and chocolate one. A little over-sweet, and not much of a peanut butter

       flavor. Toffee bits were great.

Tailspin- $11 from The Hangar, 2019
        This was perfectly fine. This is the replacement new food (since the original wingwalker donuts
        had 
injector 'needles' and an excessive amount of plastic that received a bunch of backlash- and
        The 
Hangar did the decent thing and actually listened to feedback), and in case you missed it it's
        "BBQ
 sauce, french-fried onions and coleslaw, layered over pulled pork, elote, Oaxaca cheese on a
        hash 
brown waffle". We think this might be just too much stuff.

Tandoor-fired Jerk Chicken Mini’zza- $7 from West Indies Soul Food, 2022
        We liked the thinness and crispness of crust. Had a slight kick. A little small for the price.
        Ultimately it just felt like nbd.

Tipsy Pecan Tart- $7 at Sara's Tipsy Pies, 2019
        $7 for this tiny mouthful?! GTFO Sara. Crust is too thick- I don't know how you eat it without a
        metal fork. Flavor was good.

Tirrokroketes- $7 at Dino’s Gyros, 2022
        Texture was amazing! Filling was a bit intense. Wish it had a dipping sauce to ease that down a bit.

Turducken Sausage Sandwich- $7 from Giggle's Campfire Grill, 2018
       Sausage was fine, fennel bun was pretty darn good. Packie liked the relish a lot but others did

       not.

Turmeric Ginger Lemon Surprise- $6 at West Indies Soul Food, 2022
        Refreshing and sweet, the ginger and turmeric make for some interesting flavors. A fun drink to
        try. Pretty ginger forward.

Up North Puff Pastry- $8 at Sausage Sisters & Me, 2018
       Puff pastry was good, filling was not bad but wish there was more of it.

Waffle Burger- $7.75 at Andy’s Grille, 2021
A solid burger with cheese and bacon with two waffles and syrup to dip. Very tasty and actually nice with the syrup, however the waffles were cold, like they were made in advance and not kept warm. Rather off-putting.

Wild Rice Meatballs with Lingonberry Sauce- $11.95 Hamline Church Dining Hall, 2017
       Good, standard Swedish meatballs. About the same as you get at Ikea. A fair amount of food for
       the price (came with a roll, coleslaw, and mashed potatoes with gravy). Nice seating and A.C. in
       the dining hall


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