Carnival food, as simple as it is, can either be indulgently good or a waste of carbs and sugar with no in between. The ultimate test is trying out which foods live up to their price and which ones are just a downright flop. Car
With the Austin Rodeo in town for March, I gathered a couple of friends on a Sunday afternoon, put my boots on and headed over to find what the annual attraction had to offer.
By the time we got through the parking, admission and wristband line, my friends and I were starving, with an appetite ready to fill.
A classic $7 corn dog with mustard from a stand that read “hand-dipped corn dogs” was the first item on my list. Surprisingly, the batter tasted fresh, with a bit of crisp around the edges, living up to its name. The mustard added that extra tanginess and flavor for each bite, making it an all-around solid corn dog.
Although not universally traditional, the stand also sold nachos with cheese and jalapenos. The cheese was a bit stale and accompanied with the pickled jalapenos, the pair made the nacho chips slightly soggy and definitely not worth the $8.
Both the corn dog and nachos were from a stand that bordered the pathway toward the rides and games. The stand also sold Philly cheese steaks, fries, burgers and hotdogs. The line wasn’t long at all and went by smoothly as the workers quickly served customers’ food.
This wasn’t the only stand serving up these food options. Plenty of other vendors surrounded the fairgrounds, yet this one had cheaper corn dogs.
Our two quick bites weren’t filling enough, however my friends and I decided we needed to save some room for a couple sweet treats and anything else that caught our eye. Plus, what’s a carnival without rides? We were determined to get on the biggest and funnest rides there. So we took a small intermission and got in line for some rides while we prepared for the next batch of eats.
Next up, a sweets stand that sold snow cones for $5, with flavors ranging from pineapple, bubblegum, watermelon, cherry and more. They even served a savory pickle juice option that was $6. A cherry snow cone did the trick as a refreshment and hydration after we finished standing in line and getting on three rides. It was the perfect balance of syrup — not too sweet or too watery — making it the perfect cool treat as the evening got hotter.
To complete a proper carnival experience, you must have a funnel cake. Another stand right beside the snow cone one, had funnel cakes, caramel apples, candy apples, fries, corn dogs, lemonade, limeades and more refreshments. Starting at $10, customers could also add toppings like caramel, strawberries, apple, whipped cream and more for an extra dollar. They cooked this funnel cake right with its soft and fluffy inside and crisp edges. It wasn’t soggy with grease and was still warm — my friends and I agreed it was delicious.
We weren’t the only fair-goers who agreed, as a long line had already formed around the funnel cake stand by the time we got ours.
A caramel apple was the last item that was put to the test. This stand freshly dipped the apples in hot caramel or candy coating for $6, and customers had the option to cover the apple in peanuts or sprinkles for an additional dollar. The granny smith apples’ tartness paired extremely well with caramel and sprinkles, making it another hit on the list. Fair warning, the caramel was still warm and got stuck to my teeth with every extra bite.
Soon the evening started to wrap up, and before we knew it, it was already dark out and drizzling rain. However, that didn’t mean we were ready to leave — there were still some other items on our list: a turkey leg, elotes, fruit cups, cotton candy, another snow cone and more.
During our second intermission, my friends and I got on two more rides that didn’t have a long line. We noticed more and more people starting to leave and we were initially alarmed, but rode the rides anyway, then the rain started pouring.
Unfortunately, it didn’t get any better afterward. A giant thunderstorm rained out the crowd, ending our rodeo day before we could visit other stands. Soaking from head-to-toe we made our way back to the car defeated. Not getting to taste what looked to be a juicy and flavorful turkey leg that I saw everyone eating was my biggest disappointment.
Despite being cut short by the rain, the fair food was an overall sensation. Granted, while I wasn’t able to try as much food as I had planned, most of the items I did try were just what I was looking for. My curiosity still looms on that turkey leg that will be first on my list for next rodeo season.
