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    Fried Foods

    Fried ranch tops list of State Fair of Texas 2018 Big Choice Awards

    Teresa Gubbins
    Jul 31, 2018 | 8:46 am
    State Fair of Texas fried Jell-O
    Who could forget the 2016 entry, fried Jell-O?
    Photo by Jason Hays

    The 2018 fried-food contest at the State Fair of Texas returns, and for the first time it has a sponsor.

    We are talking about the Big Tex Choice Awards, the annual competition among State Fair concessionaires who submit innovative treats for a final taste-off that will take place August 26.

    But this time, according to a press release, it's the "14th Annual Big Tex Choice Awards, presented by Vistaprint." Does the State Fair need a new revenue stream?

    After a first round of judging, 31 semi-finalists have been named, who will compete for one of three winning titles: Best Taste–Sweet, Best Taste–Savory, and Most Creative.

    Among the contestants are three entries with bacon; two with Kool-Aid; and one with lobster. There are at least two alcoholic beverages, including a savory corn dog ale and a sweet beermosa.

    And finally, in the biggest fried condiment news since 2009's award-winning fried butter and 2014's fried Sriracha balls, there is deep fried ranch. You can blame that one on Jay Jerrier, owner of Dallas' Cane Rosso pizza chain, who has rightfully banished the presence of ranch in his restaurants, and thereby created an unbalance in the ranch dressing world.

    Finalists for savory are as follows:

    • Corn Dog Ale
    • Deep Fried Bodacious Bacon Bombs
    • Deep Fried Chicken Tetrazzini Parmesana
    • Deep Fried Lobster Pops
    • Deep Fried Ranch
    • Deep Fried Shepherd's Pie
    • Deep Fried Skillet Potato Melt in a Boat
    • Fried Cup of Corn "Elotes"
    • Fried Kool-Aid Pickles
    • Hoppin' John Cake with Jackpot Sauce
    • King Crispy Coconut Crab Sliders
    • Pico Frito (Deep Fried Pico de Gallo)
    • Southern Fried Chicken Nachos
    • Texas Fried Hill Country
    • Texas Twang-kie

    The finalists for sweet are as follows:

    • Bacon Brittle
    • Cherish Erbert Champagne
    • Cotton Candy Taco
    • Deep Fried M&M's
    • Deep Fried Raspberry Brie-ret
    • Frosty's Frozen Hot Chocolate
    • Fruity Dessert Nachos
    • Kool-Aid Pickle-Dilly Sangria
    • Orange Julia's Beermosa
    • Orange You Glad We Fried It?!
    • State Fair Fun-L Cake Ice Cream
    • Supra Stuffed Mini Sopapillas
    • Sweet Bakin' Bacon
    • Sweet Crispy Rice (Arroz con Leche)
    • Texas Thai Delight
    • The Roll Tide

    The contest kicked off in mid-July with 49 entries submitted by 30 concessionaires. All competitors must have at least one year of experience as a concessionaire at the State Fair of Texas to enter the competition.

    The semi-finalists were chosen by a panel of internal judges, and their identities were not revealed to the panel who judged merely by name and description, although contestants had the option to submit a photo. The press release says that the judges based their choices solely on which food name and description sounds "the most appealing to their personal palette." Surely they mean "palate," unless this is a color contest and not a food contest.

    On the second round of preliminary judging, the panel tastes the entries. The 10 top entries will be announced in mid-August.

    The final judging is a public event with "celebrity judges" on Sunday, August 26. Tickets this year, available online at BigTex.com, are $125, up from the $100 price of prior events. More money more money but all proceeds are donated to the State Fair of Texas scholarship program.

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    Where to Drink

    Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 fresh happy hour finds for July

    Teresa Gubbins
    Jul 20, 2026 | 5:15 pm
    Clifton Club
    Clifton Club/Instagram
    Drinks mixed at Clifton Club

    This edition of Where to Drink in Dallas, CultureMap's monthly roundup of the best bars for drinks and deals, has five fresh happy hours, ranging from hipster hangouts to neighborhood bars to an omnipresent chain with drink deals you cannot beat.

    Here are five suggestions for Where to Drink in July 2026:

    Applebee's
    National chain with about two dozen locations across Dallas-Fort Worth has a daily discount drink special program that puts every happy hour to shame. The big news is that, for the rest of July, they've brought back their famed Dollarita, a classic margarita made with tequila, triple sec, and lime, available all day, every day, for $1. If you crave flavors, splurge on options that include lime, dragonfruit, strawberry, mango, watermelon, blue raspberry, and prickly pear, all for $1.50. (Note: There's a 3-drink limit if you do not order food.) More upscale sips include a margarita with Don Julio Reposado Tequila, Malibu Coconut Rum, & blue curaçao for $10. They offer food deals, too such as their late night half-price appetizers like wings and mozzarella sticks.

    Bit of Grub
    Bit of Grub is a new spot in Far North Dallas, almost to Plano, serving comfort food and Tex-Mex such as "inside out" chicken pot pie, CFS, steak fingers, burgers, nachos, burritos, and poutine. They're rolling out lots of deals which include a "double" happy hour: a regular HH Monday-Friday from 2:30-6:30 pm, followed by a second HH that starts at 8 pm — basically, before and after dinner. There are rotating drink specials as follows: Monday, $2 Margaritas. Tuesday, $3 Martinis. Wednesday, $2 Drafts. Thursday, $3 wells. Food specials include $4 nachos, $5 quesadillas, and $3 fries & tots, starting at 8 pm.

    Charlie’s Tavern & Kitchen
    New pub in the Northview Plaza shopping center in northeast Dallas is a spinoff of the original founded in Arlington, with the same down-to-earth vibe and menu of wings, chicken tenders, Cajun pasta, fried mushrooms, quesadillas, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and tacos, with prices ranging from $12 to $20. The space has been a revolving door for similarly-styled concepts but maybe this is the one that'll stick. You surely can't beat the price with a happy hour that runs daily from 3 pm-7 pm, plus a reverse happy hour 11 pm-1 pm, featuring $4 beer and house wines, $4 off cocktails, and 20 percent off appetizers.

    Clifton Club
    Low-key, sultry bar in the Fitzhugh/Travis neighborhood along the Katy Trail is part of the Greg Katz portfolio (Beverley's, Green Point Seafood & Oyster Bar, Claremont Grill) and hosts a happy hour on Tuesday-Sunday from 4:30-6:30 pm. There are margaritas, French 75s, and Moscow mules for $10; espresso martinis for $12; and their house martini for $15. Accompanying bites include spicy tuna crispy rice, truffle parmesan French fries, and mini Wagyu smashburgers. The kitschy fun item is the “kid’s meal” served in a red McDonald's-inspired box containing a mini smashburger, fries, happy hour cocktail, and a cigarette.

    Gloria’s Latin Cuisine
    Longtime chain founded in 1986 by Gloria and Jose Fuentes, celebrating the traditions of El Salvador, offers happy hour Monday-Thursday all day, and Friday from 11 am-7 pm, with house margaritas for only $7, at all 23 DFW locations across Texas including their newest in Plano, at 8601 Preston Rd., on the southwest corner of SH-121. This is a newly constructed location, representing Gloria’s fourth stand-alone restaurant, and replaces their Frisco location on Gaylord Parkway. (According to a representative, moving to Plano gave the company a chance to own the space rather than being a tenant.) Along with $7 margaritas, the new restaurant is serving signature dishes such as black bean dip, pupusas, and fried plantains.

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