Cotton Candy Tacos Win Coveted State Fair Fried Food Award

— Over the weekend, the 14th annual Big Tex Choice Awards were hosted at Fair Park, and the cotton candy taco took home the coveted “Most Creative” award. Created by Justin & Rudy Martinez, the over-the-top snack involves a taco-shaped waffle cone that’s filled with cotton candy, chocolate, and marshmallow glaze. The Hoppin’ John Cake won in the “Best Taste - Savory” category, and sweet Arroz con Leche won in the dessert division. Fried food junkies can score the winning dishes when the fair kicks off on September 23. [EaterWire]

— Michael Ehlert, the talented young chef selected to helm the second coming of Downtown dining establishment The French Room, has vacated his post. Ehlert parted ways with the restaurant in July, and said that he has reached an “impasse” with the hotel’s management over the direction of The French Room. Chef Anthony Dispensa been hired to run the restaurant’s kitchen, and is set to debut a new menu in October. According to his website, Dispensa has worked with Gordon Ramsay and hosted the FYI Network’s 2015 show Say It To My Face, a show where chefs “get the chance to defend themselves during in-person meetings with their toughest online critics.” [GuideLive]

— Chef Point Bar & Restaurant, a fine-dining hidden gem located in a Watauga gas station, will open its second location. Featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, the restaurant is set to open a spot at 5220 State Highway 121 sometime later in the fall. This new stand-alone location will boast a bigger footprint, along with live music and outdoor patio seating. [CultureMap]