State Fair Fried Food Wins

Carrot cake twist beat 'em all at State Fair's 2015 fried food awards

State Fair of Texas' 2015 Big Tex Choice Awards gave top prize to the only sweet entry.

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

Dessert won big at the 2015 Big Tex Choice Awards, the annual fried-food contest hosted by the State Fair of Texas. Winner for Best Taste went to Fernie's Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly; Smoky Bacon Margarita won the award for Most Creative.

The carrot cake was the only sweet entry in a field otherwise dominated by savory items such as chicken-fried lobster and fried beer-battered buffalo. Did it give it an edge? In previous years, sweet items have often made up half the entries.

The carrot cake consisted of cinnamon bread, flattened, then filled with carrot cake, raisins, and julienned carrots. Then it's rolled in cream cheese and breaded in a mixture of panko, graham crackers, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

It came from Christi Erpillo, who has history with the fair: Her family introduced the funnel cake to the State Fair of Texas in the early 1980s.

The Smoky Bacon Margarita was a drink entry, following a new tradition created in 2014 with the very first beverage, and an alcoholic one at that: Funnel Cake Ale, which also won the Most Creative award. Created by Isaac Rousso, the margarita is a frozen lime imbued with bacon flavor and topped with bacon crumbles.

The State Fair elevated the contest this year to a more foodie level with the inclusion of ingredients such as lobster and buffalo, and the drafting of chef John Tesar among its judges. Joining him was Dallas Mavericks Devin Harris, former Dallas Cowboys Drew Pearson, local TV personality Dan Rodo, city council member Tiffinni Young, and audience member Bridget Russell. Emcee was talk show host Donovan Lewis of Sportsradio 1310 The Ticket.

According to a release, the fair has a new Big Tex mascot. There is also an additional food competition allowing fairgoers to vote for their favorite finalist. The winner will be announced on the final weekend. The State Fair of Texas opens September 25.

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Bar News

Rodeo Dallas bar takes party to Uptown Dallas at new location

Rodeo

Rodeo bar is open in Uptown

A bar with Deep Ellum roots is expanding to Uptown Dallas: Called Rodeo Dallas, it'll open at 2922 N. Hall St. in the space previously occupied by Palms Bar. According to co-owner Joseph "JD" Ybanez, it'll open on November 28.

The first Rodeo location in Dallas opened in 2023 at 2724 Elm St. from Ybanez and partner Josh Reagan, a pair of hospitality veterans whose prior venues include Longshots in Dallas, plus two locations of Varsity Tavern, in Fort Worth and in Tempe.

Ybanez' first bar was Trophy Ranch in Fort Worth which had a mechanical bull. "That's where I learned how popular it was," he says. (He also became familiar with Fort Worth's bar scene and went on to open a Rodeo spinoff in Fort Worth's West Seventh district in 2024.)

In August 2025, the Deep Ellum location became the focal point of neighborhood concerns about crime and was closed via an order from the Dallas city attorney. Ybanez says the city is scapegoating Rodeo for other problems in the neighborhood, and that the Deep Ellum location isn't going anywhere.

“This is not a relocation,” he says. “We maintain an ongoing legal dispute with our landlord Asana Partners regarding the re-opening of our Deep Ellum establishment. The Uptown location represents an expansion of the brand.”

Prior to opening Rodeo in Deep Ellum, they opened a predecessor in Tempe in 2018, called Rodeo Ranch. It served as a template for the concept, with an "adult playground" with mechanical bull, bottle service, girls in bikinis, DJs, dancing, and light show.

According to Ybanez, visitors to the Uptown location can expect to take these factors to the next level.

“The Uptown space offers an expansive back patio,” Ybanez says. “This area will feature a massive video wall, optimizing it for communal sports viewing. Furthermore, we have executed a comprehensive refinement of our food menu, which we are confident will elevate the guest experience."

The menu is rendered by Donde Los Tacos, the highly regarded Mexican taqueria in Oak Clifff, with $3 and $4 tacos, like trompo, barbacoa, and suadero. The Uptown location will also serve brunch with dishes such as chilaquiles.

"We have meticulously preserved the core of the Rodeo experience: the unparalleled atmosphere and vibes, our commitment to genuine hospitality, the homegrown character of the brand, and the inclusive spirit that welcomes every member of the community," Ybanez says.

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