St. Paul, Minnesota – The Minnesota State Fair 2024 is here and with it all the fried foods, sugary sweets and delicious drinks that your heart and taste buds crave.
With almost three dozen new offers and six new vendors, there’s plenty for show-goers to try. And the WCCO team is here to help you narrow down your must-try list to a manageable amount.
Members of our digital team come to the show to test some of the remarkable new offerings, and we rate them on a scale of 4 (definitely worth trying) to 1 (extremely disappointing).
4: The best of the best. It’s worth coming back to the fair in the coming years. Pave your way forward!
3: Solid and/or fascinating work that is worth a try. You might find your personal new favorites among them.
2: Recommended, but with reservations. If it’s high on your list, go for it, otherwise you might want to look elsewhere.
1: Maybe just stick to the usual cheese curds and mini donuts instead, that would be a misuse of your calorie intake at the fair.
Click here to view last year’s rankings.
Fried Ranch Dressing
Sources: LuLu’s Public House (at the West End Market, south of the Schilling Amphitheater)
What they promised: “Stuffing made with ranch dressing, ranch seasoning, buttermilk and cream cheese in a panko shell, deep fried and dusted with ranch powder. Served with a hot honey sauce made with Cry Baby Craig’s hot sauce. (Vegetarian).”
What we got: The overwhelmingly spicy ranch dressing explodes from the disappointing breading at first bite. The tangy honey sauce is excellent, but the meal itself fails to impress. — Anthony Bettin
Evaluation: 2
Grilled purple sticky rice
Sources: Union Hmong Kitchen (at the International Bazaar, south wall, west corner)
What they promised: “Purple sticky rice grilled over an open flame until crispy, then topped with a choice of shredded Hmong beef jerky or pickled mushrooms. Garnished with fresh herbs and finished with Union Hmong Kitchen’s Krunchy Chili Aioli. (Gluten-free, vegetarian option).”
What we got: This generously portioned skewered offering is one of the spicier dishes you’ll find on the fairgrounds, thanks to the chili aioli it’s garnished with. The rice is a little dry and far too crumbly to actually eat on the skewer, but the savory flavor is perfect. We tried the version garnished with Hmong beef jerky, and it’s a perfect match. — Anthony Bettin
Evaluation: 3
Patata Frita Focacciawich
Sources: West End Creamery (at West End Market, northwest section)
What they promised: “Ice cream flavored with ‘Patata Frita’ kettle chips made by Minnesota Dairy Lab, sandwiched between focaccia bread from Wrecktangle Pizza. Topped with a blend of honey butter, kettle chips, and herbs.”
What we got: Chip-flavored ice cream with chips on top is… a lot of chips. You almost wish the ice cream was just vanilla, just to add some sweetness to the mix. The focaccia is fantastic and fluffy, though. — Anthony Bettin
Evaluation: 2
Be sure to check back during the show to read more reviews.
WCCO staff
