The San Diego County Fair is upon us once again and while world-class entertainment, endless carnival rides, a midway larger than The Midway, as-seen-on-TV shopping, pig races and globally dominating athletes may be a draw for some, the overwhelmingly popular reason to return annually (not unlike the salmon of Capistrano) is food.
For those new to carnival cuisine, the majority is battered, deep fried, served on a stick and most probably based on a dare.
If the Fair is like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for fried food - they'd need a Charlie. Luckily, they have one: Charlie's Chicken on the Concourse is a deep fried food lover's paradise. Half of the crazy new food options you hear about each year comes from this stand, and with a brand new state-of-the-art booth complete with a giant animated LCD screen - you can't miss it, really, you can't.
Charlie is where your culinary fair-venture begins, and the menu includes:
Deep Fried White Castle Sliders $4.95: served with fries, bigger than expected and dripping with grease. Good, but I got the feeling it would have been better if left un-fried.
Deep Fried Frog Legs $12.95: also served with fries, this is the exotic portion of your trip. You get it because you just have to try it. They say it tastes like chicken, but it's more like fish - flavor improves with lemon and tarter sauce.
Deep Fried Spam $5.95: thick slices served with sweet and sour sauce and a couple slices of pineapple. It wasn't bad, and if I liked spam to begin with, I'd probably enjoy it a whole lot more.
Deep Fried Oreos $4.50: it's exactly what you'd expect - awesome and you get four of them. Just remember to bring your own milk, trust me you'll need it, and Charlie doesn't have it.
Deep Fried Twinkie $3.50: topped with chocolate or strawberry sauce and powdered sugar. It's even better than the Oreos, and is their best seller.
Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich $5.95: the sandwich voted most likely inspired by a Jim Gaffigan bit - this was my favorite thing on the menu. It's a raspberry jelly filled glazed doughnut with a fried chicken patty stuffed inside of it. This was one of those things I just had to try, but had low expectations for. It was surprisingly delicious - I wanted another, but had to pace myself.
We asked Charlie's brother Tony how they came up with all these crazy ideas. Tony explained, "We have fry parties. We get the deep fryer going and tell everyone to bring something to toss in, whatever comes out great - we put on the menu."
Along with everything being deep-fried, many ideal items can be found "On a Stick" for the convenience of on-the-go fair enthusiasts.
These foods include, but are not limited to: Hot Dog on a Stick, Foot Long on a Stick, Polish on a Stick, Pizza on a Stick, Garlic Battered Mushrooms on a Stick, Garlic Battered Artichokes on a Stick, Deep Fried Jalapeno Macaroni and Cheese on a stick, Pork Chop on a Stick, Fudge Puppy on a Stick, Ice Cream on a Stick, Meat Balls on a Stick, and my personal favorite: Frozen Cheesecake on a Stick dipped in chocolate and covered in your favorite topping.
Insider Tip: The booth just outside of the Plaza de Mexico offers Captain Crunch cereal with Crunch Berries- but it's not on the menu, you have to ask for it.
If you're looking for something grilled instead of fried with the convenience of stuff on a stick, turn your attention to the perennial favorite: The Turkey Leg. A relatively healthier option, you can get your caveman fix by gnawing huge chunks of delicious meat right off the bone. The best place to pick one up is Tony's Southwest Grill, but the Outlaw Grill serves them up as well, cooked on the largest BBQ in the world.
Stop by the Finger Steaks stand if you're looking to get everything you need on one plate. The Fat Darrell open-faced sandwich boasts chicken strips or finger steaks, fries, mozzarella sticks, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on one desperately overloaded hoagie roll for only $8.00.
Insider Tip: The Fat Darrell is a sandwich so amazing - local band Reeve Oliver named a song after it on their latest album.
The worst gastric disaster of the day came from an unexpected source: $3.00 Koolickle. The Koolickle is a giant dill pickle marinated in red Koolaide. I actually had high hopes for the Koolickle, hoping it would cut the grease accumulating in my esophagus. It turned out to be an epic disappointment. The nicest thing I can say is that it's a clever way to ruin a pickle and stain your favorite shirt all in one regrettable bite.
Researching a story about fair fare is not unlike being in an episode of bizarre foods on the travel channel and whilst Mr. Zimmerman may have us beat in the exotic category - we blow his doors off with caloric intake. Many offerings you can't wait to try - others you just have to eat for the experience.
Check out the San Diego County Fair photo gallery here and the Fair Food photo gallery here. And, learn more about what's new at the 2008 San Diego County Fair here.
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