The countdown to the 2015 State Fair of Texas opening day is on. As usual, the Fair will be serving up a whole host of strange new culinary creations, from chicken-fried lobsterto S'mores beer. If you can't wait for opening day — or just can't stand the crowds and all that walking in the heat — here are 10 deep-fried foods around town that will remind your tastebuds of the State Fair (and that Big Tex would certainly approve of).
Many of the dishes on Armoury D.E.'s menu are Hungarian-inspired, but the pork fritters are pure Americana: tender chunks of fatty pork belly are dipped in a a funnel cake-esque batter and deep-fried to crispy perfection, then served with a unique Aperol-spiked dipping sauce (you certainly won't find that at the State Fair).
Fried pies get the royal treatment from CBD Provisions' pastry chef, Ruben Torano. Extra-flaky pie dough encapsulates a variety of fillings like pecan pudding, sweet potato marshmallow, and pear honey and then takes a trip through the deep-fryer; they're then dusted in either powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar and served up piping hot. Available all day at $8 for two.
A deep-fried burger sounds pretty obscene, but this burger spot next to Alamo Drafthouse does it right: a burger patty is battered and deep-fried — tasting not unlike chicken-fried steak — slathered in jalapeno-bacon cream gravy and served on a buttery bun. A beer to wash it down is practically required.
Consider this John Tesar's take on the State Fair's infamous fried guacamole: Fat wedges of avocado are tempura-battered and fried to crispy, greaseless perfection, then served up with chipotle aioli for dipping. They make a perfect side to accompany the Ozersky burger, or a mean bar snack all on their own.
Fletcher's corn dogs are legendary, but you can get your corn dog fix every Monday year-round at Brian Luscher's Deep Ellum haus of sausages. The sausage hiding inside the crispy cornmeal batter is made by hand and extra-flavorful; don't forget the mustard.
Big Tex would definitely approve of the Moth's bacon on a stick: Thick-cut slabs of Nueske's smoky bacon threaded on skewers and served over morsels of deep-fried funnel cake with a sweet-and-savory maple hollandaise.
Corn on the cob isn't an unusual offering at a barbecue joint, but Off the Bone takes the unusual step of sending theirs through the fryer. It comes out with a crackly and crispy caramelized outside and is then sprinkled with spices; be sure to hit it with a squeeze of lime before devouring.
Frat boy taco purveyor Torchy's has exactly one dessert on the menu, and that's really all you need. The "Lil Nookies" are balls of cookie dough that are breaded and (duh) fried, then topped with powdered sugar and maraschino cherries. Be sure to eat 'em while they're fresh.
Fried milk sounds like a State Fair creation (a la the infamous fried butter), but it is in fact a tasty idea from the brain of Uchi pastry chef Andrew Lewis. Breaded and fried capsules of a sweet milk custard share the plate with bittersweet chocolate wafers, milk sorbet, and chocolate powder for a dish that eats like Big Tex meets Ferran Adria.
Everybody's talking about the State Fair's chicken-fried lobster tail this year — meaning it's sold out by 5 p.m. most days. Your chances are better at the West End's Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse, where the chicken-fried lobster tail is served with lemon-caper butter, mashed potatoes, and green beans. It's $39, which seems pretty reasonable considering you'll spend 60 tickets ($30) on the State Fair version.
Many of the dishes on Armoury D.E.'s menu are Hungarian-inspired, but the pork fritters are pure Americana: tender chunks of fatty pork belly are dipped in a a funnel cake-esque batter and deep-fried to crispy perfection, then served with a unique Aperol-spiked dipping sauce (you certainly won't find that at the State Fair).
Fried pies get the royal treatment from CBD Provisions' pastry chef, Ruben Torano. Extra-flaky pie dough encapsulates a variety of fillings like pecan pudding, sweet potato marshmallow, and pear honey and then takes a trip through the deep-fryer; they're then dusted in either powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar and served up piping hot. Available all day at $8 for two.
A deep-fried burger sounds pretty obscene, but this burger spot next to Alamo Drafthouse does it right: a burger patty is battered and deep-fried — tasting not unlike chicken-fried steak — slathered in jalapeno-bacon cream gravy and served on a buttery bun. A beer to wash it down is practically required.
Consider this John Tesar's take on the State Fair's infamous fried guacamole: Fat wedges of avocado are tempura-battered and fried to crispy, greaseless perfection, then served up with chipotle aioli for dipping. They make a perfect side to accompany the Ozersky burger, or a mean bar snack all on their own.
Fletcher's corn dogs are legendary, but you can get your corn dog fix every Monday year-round at Brian Luscher's Deep Ellum haus of sausages. The sausage hiding inside the crispy cornmeal batter is made by hand and extra-flavorful; don't forget the mustard.
Big Tex would definitely approve of the Moth's bacon on a stick: Thick-cut slabs of Nueske's smoky bacon threaded on skewers and served over morsels of deep-fried funnel cake with a sweet-and-savory maple hollandaise.
Corn on the cob isn't an unusual offering at a barbecue joint, but Off the Bone takes the unusual step of sending theirs through the fryer. It comes out with a crackly and crispy caramelized outside and is then sprinkled with spices; be sure to hit it with a squeeze of lime before devouring.
Frat boy taco purveyor Torchy's has exactly one dessert on the menu, and that's really all you need. The "Lil Nookies" are balls of cookie dough that are breaded and (duh) fried, then topped with powdered sugar and maraschino cherries. Be sure to eat 'em while they're fresh.
Fried milk sounds like a State Fair creation (a la the infamous fried butter), but it is in fact a tasty idea from the brain of Uchi pastry chef Andrew Lewis. Breaded and fried capsules of a sweet milk custard share the plate with bittersweet chocolate wafers, milk sorbet, and chocolate powder for a dish that eats like Big Tex meets Ferran Adria.
Everybody's talking about the State Fair's chicken-fried lobster tail this year — meaning it's sold out by 5 p.m. most days. Your chances are better at the West End's Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse, where the chicken-fried lobster tail is served with lemon-caper butter, mashed potatoes, and green beans. It's $39, which seems pretty reasonable considering you'll spend 60 tickets ($30) on the State Fair version.
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58680609/Benny_3.55.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67708027/The_French_Room_Dining_Room.7.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68793487/image_15_03_23_10_19.14.png)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47241384/porkbellyfritters.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62478317/porkbellyfritters.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59362979/chelsea_corner_bloody.13.jpeg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65931918/standard_pour_whiskey.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62478318/cbdhandpies.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55290291/Georgie_Filet.20.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56078915/sassetta_pasta.12.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62478319/haystackchickenfriedburgerFB.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62478320/Screen_Shot_2015-09-22_at_1.46.18_PM.0.0.0.png)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62357979/bobs-facebook.0.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62478321/luscherscorndogFB.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62478322/mothbaconlollipopsFB.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57930383/Al_Biernats_steak_dinner.14.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69852517/DAL_Alice_Buns__1_.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62478323/offthebonefriedcorn.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62478324/torchyslilnookies.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62478325/uchifriedmilkFB.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59738107/ARLO_F_B_7935_071.53.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59446115/Namo_1.27.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62478326/Chicken_Fried_Lobster_YO_Ranch.0.0.0.jpg)