FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. - Grab your elastic-waist pants! It's time to eat at the Great Minnesota Get-Together.
And this year, the offering of new foods hits just about every level -- sweet, savory, fun and greasy.
So let's dig in ... (in no particular order)
PHOTOS: Sampling new foods at the MN State Fair 2018
Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl | $9.50 at Cafe Caribe
If you've ever craved raw fish at the State Fair, you now have an option. Poke Bowls are totally on trend right now so why wouldn't the fair include an offering? This bowl, however, is a little one note. The tuna (which does taste fresher than I anticipated), the avocado and the mango all have roughly the same consistency, plus it's all over a bed of rice ... so the result is a tad mushy. Still, the ginger-soy sauce had a nice flavor.
Bananas Foster French Toast | $9.25 at Hamline Dining Hall
A good sized portion of French Toast topped with sliced bananas, an orange-rum caramel sauce and a big ol dollop of whipped cream. The portion is big, so definitely a good plate to share with others. But it's a nice way to kick off a day of fair-going -- the orange peel is a nice, citrus-y touch.
Wood-Grilled Elote | $5 at Tejas Express
Corn on the cob gets an extreme makeover. Take your typical State Fair staple, grill it over an oak wood fire and then smother it (and we mean smother!) with a chile-spiced mayo, sprinkle cotija cheese on top and add a fresh squeeze of lime juice for good measure. The result is a super messy (seriously, grab the napkins), yet highly delicious corn concoction.
Sweet Greek Cheese Puffs | $5 at Dino's Gyros
Super flaky phyllo dough is filled with feta and ricotta cheese, then deep fried and drizzled in honey. The result is a goopy, greasy, flaky snack that had us all reaching for napkins, while laughing at the incredible spray of the powered sugar on top. But for $5? Why not.
Swedish Meatball Smorgas | $8.95 at Blue Barn
It just sounds like a food that belongs at the Fair. The Swedish Meatball Smorgas takes a meatball sandwich and turns it into a Midwestern smörgåsbord -- pork and beef meatballs are topped with white gravy, lingonberry sauce and dill pickles. The result is salty, sweet and a little tangy. Pairs nicely with the new brew, the Freehouse Limelight (a better version of a Bud Light Lime) for $4.50/$7.50.
Blueberry Rhubarb Cobbler | $8 at Farmers Union Coffee Shop
One of the more healthy options comes from the Farmers Union -- a nice blend of organic blueberries and rhubarb, topped with a cornmeal biscuit and whipped cream. The dish is much more blueberry rhubarb than it is cobbler but it's a nice bowl of warm compote for starting the day.
Earth Wings | $7 at French Meadow Bakery and Cafe
Looking to get that wing craving without the calorie guilt? Well, this might do it for you. These cauliflower bites are deep-fried and then topped with a sesame BBQ sauce to mimic their buffalo wing relative. The sauce has a nice tang to it and thankfully, the cauliflower holds up well. For the vegan and gluten-free crowd, it's a fun option to hit that fair food fix.
Irish Tater Kegs | $8 at O'Gara's at the Fair
If you're wondering why these are called "kegs" and not "tots," just wait until you see them. These big ol spuds are filled with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and sour cream, then drizzled with a homemade Thousand Island dressing -- with a side of sauerkraut, just because. They're a perfect sharable snack plus the corned beef adds a nice salty bite to an otherwise cheesy tot.
Messy Giuseppe | $7.75 at Mancini's al Fresco
Messy? Yes. Giuseppe? Er, well, I don't really know what that means. But the new sandwich from Mancini's has a nice blend of ground beef and Italian pork sausage smothered in their marinara, with a good helping of parmesan cheese. The whole thing is served on somewhat forgettable bread but the punch of garlic and classic marinara sauce makes it fall in line with what Mancini's has built a reputation on.
Nordic Waffles | $7 at Nordic Waffles
When you walk up to the newest building (you know, the one with its own goat on the roof) and see the line that stretches far beyond its "Order Here" window, you know you're probably in for a treat. Nordic Waffles has a number of offerings at this year's State Fair, looking to make a splash for their initial run. And it seems to be working. We tried the cinna-sugar butter and were thoroughly impressed with the light, yet crispy waffle base, plus the ooey-gooey cinnamon sugar inside. I can't wait to go back to try more flavors.
Rainbow Cloud Roll | $8 at Rainbow Ice Cream
It's definitely the most colorful of the new food offerings this year. And yes, it's kitchy. And yes, it's over the top, but all in all, I was delightfully surprised. The roll is bigger than I anticipated and combines three scoops of ice cream, sprinkled with fruity cereal and of course, wrapped in a fluffy cloud of cotton candy. When you get that perfect bite with a bit of the cotton candy (just a bit, if you can manage), plus the ice cream and a crunchy cereal topping, it's quite nice. And please, the kids and Instagram addicts are going to be all over this one.
Pepperoni Chips with Roasted Pepper Queso | $7 at Lulu's Public House
Pepperoni chips? Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like. Imagine peeling off the pepperoni on your pizza and then finding them a day later. The roasted red pepper queso is slightly better than the chips but the whole thing was pretty meh.
Shrimp Ceviche | $7 at Shrimp Shack
Shrimp combined with cucumbers, jalapenos, onions, tomatoes and cilantro, topped with lime juice and cilantro. Is it ceviche? Eh, not really. But it's a nice sharable dish that doesn't weigh you down like the typical fair food offering.
Slider Flights | $7 at The Hangar
Flights ... ha, get it? Because it's a Hangar? ... are available not only for beverages but also their new tasty bites. The brisket flight (which is what we tried) was a combination of brisket, topped with coleslaw, topped with pickles and onions or topped with crispy onions. Together it's a nice value for $10 but the brisket was a bit overly chewy.
Za-Waffle Sticks | $5 at Green Mill
OK, hear me out. I didn't really want to try this one ... I mean, waffle sticks with pepperoni and mozzarella, topped with parm and herbs and served with a pepperoni-infused maple syrup? I'm sorry, but no. But hey, don't knock it 'til you try it. The waffle sticks are tasty and super dipable, great to share and shockingly, the maple syrup concoction is better than the marinara.
Turducken Sausage Sandwich | $7 at Giggles Campfire Grill
A turkey, duck and chicken sausage served on a fennel bun with a side of Giggles' sweet and saucy relish. The sausage itself is gluten-free and can be served on a gluten-free bun, upon request. Honestly, I'd eat just the relish by itself. Top it on the sausage and it's a nice bite ... but the sausage on its own is somewhat forgetable.
Sweetie Cakes | $7 at Sweetie Cakes
Cake lovers rejoice! There's a new sweet option for all your cake-eating needs. Sweetie Cakes come in a few different varieties, are baked in a cup and packed with sweet pecan toffee bits, served warm with a huge helping of whipped cream and more toffee sprinkles on top. The toffee makes this dish for me and honestly, I wanted more cake and less whipped cream. Still, a fun scoopable treat!
Smoked Soft Serve Ice Cream | $7 at Blue Moon Dine-In Theater
Blue Moon takes cold brew coffee and infuses it with cold-smoked Arabica beans, then tops the whole thing with chocolate espresso dust, a toasted marshmallow and an Oreo cookie. The ice cream is fine. A nice treat for lovers of coffee ice cream but the "smokiness" doesn't really come through until the end.
We'll continue to update this story through the fair with more fun, new fair foods! But we want to hear from you too! Leave a comment and let us know what your favorites were.