State Fair Food Winners

Craft beer scores righteous win at State Fair of Texas 2014 Big Tex Choice Awards

After a timely critique by a panel of first-time judges, the State Fair of Texas has announced the winners of the 2014 Big Tex Choice Awards, and its outcome will not surprise craft beer fans one bit: Funnel cake ale won first prize for Most Creative.

Justin Martinez created the brew in a collaboration with Dallas brewery Community Beer Company. Hoo-rah craft beer.

Winner for Best Taste went to the fried Gulf shrimp boil, created by competitor Clint Probst.

This year's contest saw a number of groundbreaking moves, with judges culled from the top tier of foodie blogger circles: Top Chef contestant Tiffany Derry, BBQ Snob and Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn, Dallas lifestyle blogger Cynthia Smoot, and 1310 The Ticket personality Donovan Lewis. The emcee was also a newbie: Hawkeye from 96.3 KSCS.

The judging panel also included for the first time a regular-person judge, one Tim Bennett, who won the "Why I Should Be a Judge Contest" by submitting a video (seen here), which was screened during the contest's opening ceremonies. Also for the first time, people were allowed to buy tickets to attend the judging; approximately 300 people were in attendance.

And last but not least, it was the first time a beer was submitted as an entry. Beer has made an appearance previously, in 2010, when an entry called fried beer won for Most Creative. That was a novelty item with beer enclosed in a ravioli-type snack that was fried.

The judges were served the funnel cake ale first, with much tittering accompanying the idea of a beer being served at 10:20 am. Next came the chicken-fried baked potato; the combination of bacon and cheese enticed the judges.

That was followed by fried Gulf shrimp boil, which earned lots of instantaneous raves, and "breakfast for dinner," a kooky melange of breakfast items inside a tortilla.

From there it was on to the sweet: Texas bluebonnet, a sweet muffin-scone with blueberries and cream cheese, and fried sweet Texas, with pie crust, pecan and buttermilk pies, and peach cobbler.

Wisely, they saved hot and spicy for the finish, with Texas tacos followed by fried Sriracha balls. No one's palate could recover from that combination of chicken, chilies and Sriracha.

To fill the time while the judges judged, they announced two people's choice awards, with first and second prizes going to fried bacon cinnamon roll and fried peaches and cream.

This year's finalists hit on big foodie trends such as tacos, craft beer and Sriracha sauce. The State Fair's official descriptions are as follows:

Chicken Fried Loaded Baked Potato
The inside of a baked potato, mixed with butter, bacon and cheddar cheese, gets a spicy battered coating to create a combination of fried crispy crust and creamy loaded baked potato. Served with a ranch dipping sauce.

Deep Fried "Breakfast for Dinner"
A 10-inch flour tortilla stuffed with eight breakfast items — scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, ham, onion, cheddar cheese and gooey cinnamon roll bits — is deep fried and served with creamy country gravy, salsa and a pico-queso dip.

Deep Fried Texas Bluebonnet
A blueberry muffin scone-style batter, stuffed with cream cheese, blueberries and white chocolate chips, is baked and deep fried. Topped with whipped cream, white chocolate chips, powdered sugar, blueberries and blueberry glaze.

Fried Gulf Shrimp Boil
Baby Gulf shrimp, diced red potatoes and onion are rolled into a ball around a cocktail shrimp, dusted with fish fry and fried. Served with remoulade sauce.

Fried Sriracha Balls
A mixture of shredded chicken, corn, green chilies, tomatoes and Sriracha gets rolled into balls, coated with tortilla chips and fried.

Fried Sweet Texas
Pie dough, pecan pie, peach cobbler and buttermilk pie are all deep fried, then served with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream.

Original State Fair Brew – Funnel Cake Ale
English-style summer ale with flavors of toast, sweetness and vanilla — all flavors you find in a funnel cake.

Twisted Texas Tacos
Beef brisket coated in a barbecue-spiced buttermilk batter and deep fried is served in a flour tortilla, with Mexican cheese, okra and tri-color slaw. It comes with a side of chili and country gravy.

Behold funnelcake ale, winner of the State Fair of Texas Big Tex choice awards.

State Fair of Texas, Community Brewing, ale

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

Behold funnelcake ale, winner of the State Fair of Texas Big Tex choice awards.

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Deep Ellum News

Ex-Deep Ellum speakeasy paves way for spiffy new Dallas restaurant-bar

Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen

In sad news, a Dallas speakeasy has closed. In happy news, there's a swanky new restaurant and bar in its place: Called Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen, it recently opened at 2618 Elm St., in the Deep Ellum space that was home for more than a decade to Truth & Alibi, which closed in August after 11 years.

Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen is from Victor García, who is very familiar with the location: He built a career at Truth & Alibi, starting as a dishwasher 10 years ago, and climbing the ranks to become bartender at the pioneering bar that helped usher in Dallas' great speakeasy era of 2021-2022.

Garcia had already been looking for a location to open his own restaurant and lounge, when he learned that Truth & Alibi owners Chris and Mark Beardon were going to close their Deep Ellum concept.

“I took care of the place as if it were mine," Garcia says. "It is home to me, so this was the perfect opportunity for me to bring my dream to life. Every time I come here, it reminds me of the first day I stepped into this place. It changed my life."

A native of Michoacán, Mexico, who moved to Dallas when he nine years old, Garcia also previously worked at the now-closed Avenu Lounge.

At Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen, he's kept some of the key elements of the former space, such as the layout and chandeliers. But he's also added brighter elements that help transition the space from sophisticated and welcoming restaurant into a lounge and nightclub after 10 pm, with thematic events, DJs on weekends, burlesque on Wednesdays, and Sunday socials.

For food, he partnered with chef Mike Church to build a menu that provides a highly creative fusion of Spanish and American cuisine with Latin elements. There are "diablo" deviled eggs, Spanish risotto, ceviche, and an elote "dip" with all the good parts of the Mexican corn dish fashioned into a dip.

Entrees include flank steak with chimichurri sauce and Latin-braised chicken with olives, peppers, onions, and tomatoes with penne pasta. There are tapas-style dishes such as papas fritas, and intriguing vegetarian items such as a portobello steak, or beet tostadas layered with goat cheese, apple, and pistachio. Dessert includes a clever tres leches carrot cake.

Prices are reasonable, ranging from $8-$16 for appetizers and $18-$24 for entrees.

Scarlet Garden cocktail Spanish Garden cocktail served in a "bird cage".Scarlet Lounge

The creativity also shows in the cocktails, where bartender Hector Santana (Tipsy Alchemist, Snowbird) serves innovative drinks with theatrical Instagram-friendly presentations. These include a tequila Reposado and pineapple Piña para la Niña cocktail and a drink called Spanish Garden, containing rum, passion fruit, and strawberry, served with frozen fruits in a lighted bird cage, with nitrogen that creates a wall of smoke.

They've also kept some Truth & Alibi favorites such as the 12am Alibi, Fushia Fusion, Lies and Secrets and Black Bourbon Smash.

They've kept the late-night hours on weekends, open Friday-Sunday from 5 pm to 2 am, and Tuesday-Thursday 5 pm-10 pm. They host a generous happy hour from 5-7 pm with 20% off food and drink specials, and unlike most places in the area, they offer complimentary valet during restaurant hours.

Beyond the creative food, drink, and atmosphere, Garcia is laser-focused on customer service — on good hospitality.

"People walk by and come check us out," Garcia says. "Once there are here, we do our best as an entire team to offer the best service. We are very happy that customers that try us all leave with a positive experience. That is our main focus."

deep-ellum trends openings