Get Your Tickets Here

Lines are now open for tix to State Fair of Texas fried food showdown

The 2016 Big Tex Choice Awards winner was fried Jell-O.

Photo by Jason Hays

The fried food mania continues: Tickets are now on sale for the State Fair of Texas 13th Annual Big Tex Choice Awards. This year, there'll be 10 finalists in the annual competition, and attendees get to taste-test the entries. Will there be fried Froot Loops? Please make it be so.

You can buy your tickets online at BigTex.com/Tickets.

The State Fair of Texas is partnering with VisitDallas, and that means a quote from VisitDallas president and CEO Phillip Jones.

"The State Fair of Texas continually raises the standards when it comes to offering the most creative and unique food items," he says in a release, before moving on to some boasting about size. "Just like everything in Texas, the Big Tex Choice Awards does things bigger and better. Based off this list of semi-finalists, it's apparent that the creativity continues to grow and will definitely be a treat for guests."

The State Fair's savvy PR team has been sending out releases on every aspect of this fried food competition. Food brings people together, even people who think that maybe the State Fair of Texas shouldn't get to hog all of Fair Park.

Mere days ago, they issued a release on the entries for the awards from 30 semifinalists, offering foodstuffs such as a Ramen Grasshopper Cookie, Beer-Battered Beef Jerky, something called "Fried Texas Dirt," and the aforementioned Fried Froot Loops, which if they don't get a spot on the list, then there is no justice.

And to ramp up this contest even further, for the first time the number of finalists has been increased from 5 to 10. That's twice as many.

The 2017 Big Tex Choice Awards will take place on Sunday, August 27, at 2 pm in the historic Tower Building in Fair Park. With limited availability, tickets are available online for $100 and include entry into the Fair and State Fair of Texas swag.

The 2017 fair runs from September 29 to October 22. Opening Day is less than 60 days away. And then it will be Christmas, and 2018 is almost here.

state-fair

Bagel News

Cute shop Saved by the Bagel to bring hand-rolled bagels to Plano

Saved By the Bagel

There’s a new bagel shop rolling into Plano soon: Called Saved by the Bagel, it’s going into the former JuiceTime Cafe at 6921 Independence Pkwy. #170, where it will open on December 21.

Saved By the Bagel is a family-owned shop from Altrim Vinca, who co-owns the shop with his sister and brother-in-law, Fortesa and Thomas DiFonzo, and childhood friend Veton Hani.

The shop, which is inspired by New York City hand-rolled bagels, boasts an assortment of handmade bagels, bagel spreads, and breakfast and lunch sandwiches.

Though this is their first food shop that they’ve owned, Vinca says they previously worked in restaurants. The inspiration behind opening a bagel shop came from a desire for more family-owned bagels and variety in the Dallas area.

“We have always loved bagels,” Vinca says. “We started making our own bagels at home for our family to enjoy, and they loved it and encouraged us to bring our bagels to the public.”

Menu items include the tuna melt, the reuben with pastrami and Russian dressing, lox, bacon, egg, and cheese, and the avocado smash. For the spreads, they offer house-made plain, strawberry, scallion, honey almond, lox, veggie, and vegan.

"We grew up watching reruns of Saved by the Bell as kids, so it’s super nostalgic for our generation," Vinca says. "While we were brainstorming ideas, we had a random episode playing in the background and my brother-in-law said, “I got it— Saved by the Bagel.'"

Sandwiches typically range from $9 - $13, but they also have a couple of lox sandwiches that are about $19. For the bagel lovers who crave more than a couple bagels, a half dozen goes for $12.50 and a dozen goes for $21.

They'll also offer a selection of espresso, drip coffee, and soft drinks to wash down those bagels.

As far as the atmosphere of the shop goes, it's designed to have a "nostalgic, 90s-inspired vibe that brings back the 90s with a modern twist."

"We have many friends who live in and own businesses in Plano, so we know the area well," Vinca says. "Our goal is to not only offer a new, quick-serve breakfast spot for families to enjoy, but also to bring back memories of childhood with every bite of our bagels."

breakfast openings