The flashing lights, the loud music, the eerie carnies and the terribly good and bad smells are only part of what makes up the tour de force that is the Mid-South Fair, but that's not what we came for. We were there to eat.
After gathering a rag-tag group of New Orleans evacuees, food critiques, I set off to eat my way through the smorgasbord of delightful offerings.
New Orleans is the culinary capital of the U.S. It is a place where food takes on a whole new meaning. People don't just eat there because they're hungry.
They eat to experience food, to understand it on a level that is hard to explain to anyone that hasn't been immersed in the culture themselves. And let me tell you, we all miss it more than I can ever put into words.
Stephanie Swain and Elizabeth Travis accompanied me on this fantastic journey through fair food heaven.
The food isn't going to be listed in any particular order.
Crawdaddy Cafe is the closest vendor to the entrance on the Liberty Bowl side. The trailer was designed and painted by local wrestling great Jerry "The King" Lawler and "Queen" Renee Spiegel. Wes Barrett, the proprietor, learned how to cook from his "college roommate's grandmother" in Baton Rouge, La. There is also patio dining to sit at when you really get sloppy sucking those heads and eatin' those tails. Ya' heard!
Boiled Crawfish:
James: The crawfish were cooked well. They have a "progressive burn" that stays with you for a few minutes.
Elizabeth: Spicy and delicious.
Pronto Pups in the beer tent is just one of many places that a fair attendee can procure a fried meat stick. It didn't have anything special except maybe its convenient location next to the beer tent.
Pronto Pup:
James: Good, but it's just a Pronto Pup.
Elizabeth: I like it with mustard. It was buttery and hot (with heat).
Stephanie: Yum, fried, processed food perfection.
D'Bo's Hot Wings is a local restaurant that can be had yearround, so if you like it you can go back.
Spicy Hot Wings:
James: Excellent, just the right amount of spice. Perfect with ice-cold beer.
Elizabeth: Spicy, but not too hot to eat and enjoy it.
Stephanie: I like it. I like it a lot.
Reeba Allen's Cafe offers a wide variety of homemade food for great prices. Their tent is located near the entrance of Liberty Land. It doesn't have the flash that some of the other vendor's do, but don't let that fool you. It is a must-have at this year's fair.
Strawberry Cake:
James: The best $3 that I spent at the fair. You can definitely taste the love in their cooking. In case you were wondering, love tastes a lot like vanilla.
Elizabeth: So good! One of the best cakes I've ever had.
Stephanie: Mmm... the sour cream-style icing is so delicious!
Coletta's Italian Restaurant is a Memphis staple that has been around since 1923, and has been owned by the same family for five generations. It is definitely worth a try if you haven't eaten there.
Pepperoni Pizza:
James: It was a little disappointing.
Elizabeth: Only OK.
Stephanie: It isn't up to the restaurant standards. It tastes like frozen pizza.
There are a number of funnel cake stands throughout the fair. We ate at the one nearest the Central entrance.
Funnel Cake:
James: If you've had one funnel cake you've had them all.
Elizabeth: Fluffy and yummy.
Stephanie: Very good. One of my favorite things.
Homemade potato chips can also be tried at various vendors throughout the fair.
James: Bland, even with hot sauce. They were seriously lacking.
Elizabeth: Could have more flavor, but still good.
Stephanie: Not worth the calories.
There is a surprisingly wide variety of food on a stick, including pork, lamb, and steak, but we went with the classic: chicken.
James: Very good with the fried pickles and onions all mixed in. Also, remember to get the fresh-squeezed lemonade. It is the perfect complement of flavors.
Elizabeth: I liked it, but it's very greasy.
Stephanie: A little disappointing, but it has a good, spicy batter.
Here is a list of other vendors and other foods that we didn't have time or money to eat at, but they still sparked our interest:
Walking Taco's, also serving gyros and Philly cheese steak sandwiches; The 4-H Corn Crib; Ole 97 Grist Mill Corn bread Factory; King's Taters, also serving chocolate covered frozen bananas (a must); Sivori's Cafe and Grill, also serving deep-fried candy bars.
Deep-fried candy bars should be approached with caution. If you have heart problems, please avoid them. Beth Watts, a Sears customer service assistant and life-long Memphian, called them "sinfully delicious."
Admission to the fair is free on Saturday with a ticket stub from the University of Memphis. Be safe and eat well.
