More Fried Foods

Here are the 10 finalists for 2017 State Fair of Texas fried food awards

State Fair of Texas, froot loops, Big Tex food finalist

Put your money on the Froot Loops.

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

It's good news for the Froot Loops. The 10 finalists have been named for the 13th Annual Big Tex Choice Awards food competition, aka the State Fair of Texas' fried food awards, and the fried Froot Loops — which we rooted for in our semifinalist story — made the cut. Is there a betting pool on this thing?

Other notable final entries include fried Texas sheet cake, and fried chicken noodle soup on a stick, reminiscent of the "fried Thanksgiving dinner" of 2013 — or wait, is it more like the "picnic on a stick" of 2012?

For the first time, three winners will receive awards, instead of two. Previously, it was "Best Taste" and "Most Creative." Now they've broken Best Taste into Sweet and Savory. They've also expanded the field of finalists from eight to 10. It's all designed to pump up the volume. Winners will be chosen, as usual, on Labor Day weekend.

Here are the finalists:

Deep Fried Chicken Noodle Soup on a Stick, by Sherry and Chris Howard
Homestyle chicken noodle soup is deep fried and served on a stick. Each bite size ball will have an indention for a spoonful of savory broth sauce which is offered in a disposable plastic cup. Each dish is served with a side of crackers.

Deep Fried Froot Loops, by Gracie and Milton Whitley
Sweetened Froot Loops are folded into whipped marshmallow, dipped in batter, fried, then topped with glaze and powdered sugar. Just give them the award now and get it over with.

Fat Smooth, by Tami Nevins-Mayes
Three "Belgium" (surely they mean Belgian) mini cream puffs on a skewer are dipped in a Café Du Monde beignet batter, fried, powdered sugared, and drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce.

Fernie's Fried Texas Sheet Cake, by Winter Family Concessions
Fudgy chocolate brownie cake is coated in panko and ground cocoa puffs and fried, so that it has a crunchy outside and a molten center. The chocolate icing is infused with Dr. Pepper. Add chopped Texas pecans, whipped cream, and a strawberry, which they are saying will be carved to mimic a Lady Bird Johnson rose.

Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger, by Tom Grace and Edna Sutton
On this burger, buns are replaced with two funnel cakes that are fried to a golden crunch. There is also bacon and queso, and a dusting of powdered sugar, because apparently powdered sugar must be dusted on everything at the State Fair.

Gulf Coast Fish Bowl, by Clint Probst
This is a whimsical cocktail that seems to be served in a round plastic cup that's meant to look like an aquarium. Maybe that's just for the contest and they'll serve it in a more enviro-friendly package. It has Nerds candy "gravel" on the bottom, ice, blue alcoholic punch, Swedish Fish floating within, and a pineapple slice on top.

Pinot Noir Popcorn, by The Parish Family
Cheddar-cheese flavored kettle corn is dusted with a Pinot Noir burgundy wine powder. Unfortunately, it seems that it will be served in a large plastic goblet. Hopefully that is just for show, and at the Fair, the Parish Family will serve it in a paper box.

Surfin' Turfin' Tator Boat, by Melissa and David Harrison
This is a high-end stuffed baked potato filled with lobster and steak. Both are stuffed into the potato, which already has melted garlic butter, then topped with cheddar and romano cheeses. It comes with a side of lemon butter for dipping that seems a tad bit extraneous.

Texas Fajita Fries, by Nick Bert
These are meat "fries" made of breaded beef fajita strips, seasoned with a Sriracha spice mix and served in a bread cone. Which itself is presented on a bed of fried onions and jalapeños. With a side of pico de gallo and a sour cream guacamole hot sauce. That seems like a lot going on. Maybe that's why they say, "Texas fajita fries can be enjoyed as a sandwich or individually like french fries."

The Tamale Donut, by Justin Martinez
This takes the ingredients of a pork tamale and serves them in a doughnut shape. Pork carnitas are blended with authentic masa, hand-formed into the circular doughnut shape, fried until crispy on the outside and soft inside, then drizzled with creamy jalapeno salsa. Can you call something a doughnut (not "donut," OK?) just because it's tubular in shape? Apparently, yes.

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Where to Drink

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 fun cocktail spots for October

dallas.culturemap.com

The October edition of Where to Drink, CultureMap's monthly column offering advice on the best cocktails to try around Dallas, has a slightly spooky theme. It includes the popular happy hours that are a common theme of Where to Drink, but also some special menus that celebrate fall.

Here's where to drink in Dallas for October 2026:

Beau Nash
In-house restaurant at Hotel Crescent Court joins the property's celebration of fall with "Boos and Brews," an autumn-themed menu of seasonal cocktails. For example, the Campfire Martini has Oak and Eden bourbon, espresso, chocolate liqueur, and a toasted marshmallow. Blood Orange Paloma has G4 tequila, Solerno blood orange liqueur, blood orange juice, lime, and a black cherry float garnished with a dehydrated blood orange. The Night Shade contains Appleton spiced rum, black currant syrup, Chambord, grapefruit juice, basil, and a dehydrated lemon. Lastly, the ultra-decadent Affogato, which combines Monkey Shoulder scotch, espresso, vanilla ice cream, and chopped pistachios on top.

Fortune House
Restaurant acclaimed for its dumplings has an excellent happy hour with 50 percent off all house cocktails, wines by the glass, draft beer, and hot sake. Notable drinks include the 5-spice espresso martini with Weber Ranch vodka, Patron XO Coffee Liqueur, five-spice oleo, and Cultivar cold brew, for $7.50; and the Forbidden Ube Daiquiri with rum, ube coconut syrup, and lime for $6.50 instead of the standard $13. HH snacks include pork xiao long bao, four for $6; pan-fried pork buns, three for $7; beef potstickers, three for $6; and veggie eggrolls for $1 each. What a deal. The happy hour runs Monday-Friday from 3-6 pm at both locations: 8150 N. MacArthur Blvd. in Irving, and 2010 Greenville Ave. in Dallas.

The Reserve at The Highland
In-house restaurant at the Highland Dallas hotel has launched Golden Hour, offering 50 percent off select signature cocktails daily from 4-7 pm, with a rotating lineup of drinks changing seasonally. The menu boasts a mischievous Texas-inspired theme, named for some of Dallas' poshest neighborhoods: for example, the Preston Hollow Gimlet has Hendrick’s Gin, Orange Curaçao, lime, and bitters. The sparkly Highland Park Blush combines Bluecoat American Dry Gin with lemon juice, cranberry juice, and La Marca Prosecco. The Bluebonnet Bubbles is another sparkler with Ketel One Vodka, Caravella Limoncello, Reàl Blueberry, lemon juice, and La Marca Prosecco. Regularly priced from $16 to $18, they're 50 percent off during happy hour.

Sor Juana
New botanería at the Dallas Farmers Market is inspired by traditional Mexican establishments where drinks are served alongside complimentary snacks and bar bites. The bar program is managed by Saúl Hernández (previously of Midnight Rambler, La Viuda Negra, and Las Almas Rotas), with creative cocktails such as the signature La Nueva Sangre — an orange blossom gin cocktail with beet juice, lemon, passion fruit, and lavender bitters. Happy hour runs Wednesday-Friday from 5:30-7:30 pm, featuring $6 beers, $8 wines, and $8 cocktails infused with house-made Mexican chili oil macha sauce.

III Forks
In 2025, this classy steakhouse chain reopened its Addison location in a glorious new setting at 5100 Belt Line Rd. #800 at the Village on the Parkway. Now, they've introduced a brand-new happy hour, Monday-Saturday from 3-6 pm. It features half-priced wines by the glass, $1 oysters, and half-price Tito's Martinis, with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, 1888 Hand-Pressed Olive Juice, and garnished with bacon and bleu cheese-stuffed olives. The promotion is a celebration of this flagship location in Addison, and is the only location that has a happy hour offering.

cocktails nightlife happy-hours where to drink