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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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Downtown News

Mom-and-pop Italian grocery in downtown Dallas closes after a year

Ari's

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A buzzy grocery store in downtown Dallas has closed: Ari’s Pantry, the small local chain specializing in Italian groceries and to-go foods, has closed its location in the heart of the Central Business District at 1800 Main St.#124.

A statement from the owners called it "a difficult decision." The closure is effective July 15.

"We are truly grateful for the welcome Ari's Pantry received from the downtown Dallas community. You have supported our business and shared in our passion for Italian food and hospitality. After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our Downtown Dallas location effective today," their post said.

The closure comes a little over a year since they opened in May 2025.

Downtown was the third location for the small mom-and-pop market, which debuted in Winnetka Heights in December 2023 to fulfill owner Ari Lowenstein's passion for all things Italy, with pastas, gourmet goods, dried foods, produce, plus meals for dining in or to go.

They opened a second location in Trinity Groves in 2024, which is currently marked on their website as "closed for the summer," although it does not list a re-opening date. Lowenstein was unavailable for comment.

The downtown location was originally a joint venture between Lowenstein and Alan Kearney, a downtown enthusiast who owns businesses nearby such as The Crafty Irishman and Patrick Kennedy's Irish Pub, as well as Cannon's Corner Irish Pub in Oak Cliff. However, Kearney withdrew from the store after it opened.

To accommodate the needs of downtown workers and residents, Lowenstein added a coffee shop and gelato stand. It was open for coffee at 7 am and until 9 pm, with a dining area where customers could have wine and cheese.

The location at 1800 Main St. seems to be in a favorable spot, surrounded by residential buildings and hotels such as the AC Hotel and Statler Dallas. Who has not spent a night in a hotel and longed for a market nearby with snacks and wine? It's also across the street from Neiman Marcus, whose imminent closure in September has provoked some pearl-clutching about the prosperity of downtown. But the downtown population does not always support local businesses.

Ari's was not the first to find the location challenging: It was previously occupied by the well-mounted Berkley's Market, which closed in 2024 after six years in the space.

The owners stated that they would "continue focusing on our locations in Coppell and Bishop Arts as we look ahead to the next chapters of Ari's Pantry," before thanking "every customer who stopped in for coffee, lunch or gelato, picked up dinner, discovered a new favorite ingredient."

downtown closings

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Downtown News

Mom-and-pop Italian grocery in downtown Dallas closes after a year