Ok, listen... I worked there for 10 days.
Food
The Tailspin from the Hangar: New in 2019. This was good, but I don't know what it is. It has pork, BBQ sauce, corn, coleslaw, cheese, and... a hash-brown waffle? Who knows.
Caramelized Onion and Gouda Pie from Sara's Tipsy Pies: This was okay. You might get this if it has the shortest line in the Food Building, and you won't regret it.
Frozen Banana with chocolate: Sometimes a frozen banana is so refreshing, y'know.
BLT with Egg from the Farmer's Union: This is delicious! It's expensive, even by fair food standards, but it's actually really, really good.
Duck Drummies from Giggles: New in 2019. Crispy and juicy.
Walleye Cakes from Giggles: A classic.
Waffle Al Pastor from Nordic Waffles: New in 2019. Really good! The thin, crispy waffle is a good vessel for pork and pineapple.
Oofda Taco: A generous portion of taco toppings on fry bread. What else could you want?
Korean Barbecue Taco: A solid taco, with crunchy slaw and the right amount of spice.
Corn Fritters with Honey Butter: A long-time favorite. Always good.
Cream cheese wontons from Que Viet: Very good... They have seasonings in them.
Sweet Martha's Cookies: Yeah.
Smoked salmon on a stick from Giggles: One of my favorites from last year, and still a fresher option than most fair foods.
Carnitas Taco Cone: I was so intrigued by this new food that I waited in a still-very-long line on the last day of the fair to try it. It was alright. Wish there was more sour cream mixed in throughout, and I kicked myself for forgetting to add hot sauce. Also it was $10, which is a bit steep.
Slider flight from the Hangar: They got it right this year. It's actually three different meats! They are also much smaller this year.
Corn dog: I mean, it's a corn dog.
Bacon breakfast sandwich from Salem Lutheran Church: My annual free breakfast sandwich. Very good and buttery.
Shrimp and Grits fritters: New in 2019. These were really good!
Hush puppies: A nice treat, but I wrecked my palate with hot sauce so I barely tasted them.
Gator on a stick: My first time trying this, and I didn't realize it's just a sausage... Kind of dry, but nicely seasoned.
Drinks
Joey Mary from Brim: New in 2019. A cold press with a few pastries on a skewer. It's okay. Expensive, for what it is. The pastries were pretty good though. It's a novelty thing.
Lavendar Lemonade from the Farmer's Union: New in 2019. Pretty good! More expensive than a beer of the same size, somehow, but it tastes very fresh.
Pumpkin Seed Ale from Giggles: New in 2019. Do not recommend. It actually tastes like pumpkin seeds, and you realize pretty quickly that that's not what you want in a beer.
Swedish Egg Coffee from Salem Lutheran Church: For $2 instead of $1, get coffee here. It tastes much better.
Maple Cream Nitro Cold Press from the Farmer's Union: Very good.
Mango Bubble Tea from Que Viet: Too sweet and syrupy. Not worth it. Also the straw was maybe a bit small so getting the tapioca pearls out was a chore.
S'mores Beer: I still miss when this was a chocolaty stout, but the amber ale works well, too. It's a novelty.
Mini Donut Beer: This is still genuinely good, somehow.
Mini donut latte: Perhaps a bit sickeningly sweet, but I liked the little mini donut on the rim. Nice touch.
Flights of craft beer at the Agriculture Building: I love this new-ish addition! Good flight options.
