Ready to savor a decadent four-course lunch or dinner for only $20? Head to the OC Fair.
Every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., OC Fair food purveyors offer a taste of one signature dish for only $5. These tastes range from Bayou-smoked mac and cheese or a bacon-wrapped hot dog to deep-fried Twinkies or a mini-donut tray.
There are more than 100 food stands at the OC Fair, so the possible taste combinations are virtually endless.
My goal: Visit the OC Fair and craft a four-course lunch by purchasing four of the $5 tastes. I downloaded a Taste of the Fair guide at OCFair.com so I could peruse the list and find four fun dishes. Fortunately, the list shows where they are located within the fair, making it relatively easy to find your four-course meal.
I did attend the OC Fair on opening day as a reconnaissance mission, and to try one of the new concoctions: Peanut Butter & Jelly Bacon Cheeseburger, courtesy of the Philly Cheese Steak stand.
It may sound like an odd combination of savory and sweet, but the flavors were well-balanced, and the portion, for $15, was generous. I savored the entire burger. I may surprise (or maybe shock) friends by slathering peanut butter on burger patties at our next barbecue.
For my taste of the fair adventure, I arrived at the OC Fair on a Sunday around 11:30, so parking was easy, and traffic on the 55 Freeway was not yet backed up.
Armed with my list of $5 tastes, I put check marks next to the dishes that sounded fun and set out on my roving lunch.
I started with the Texas Style BBQ stand and their BBQ pork sundae. I was handed a small cup filled with mashed potatoes and topped with barbecued pork and sauce. This dish was delicious, with nicely whipped potatoes and savory pork.
Next, I strolled over to Biggy’s, which never disappoints. Their $5 taste is simply called Cheese Fry. I asked the cashier if that was simply French fries with cheese on them, and she nodded. As a fry and cheese fan, that sounded fine to me.
I was handed a hefty portion of golden French fries with an abundance of cheese sauce ladled
on top. I grabbed a fork and napkins and found a place to sit. I glanced around to see if anyone was watching me devour this dish by myself. Of course, when you’re at the fair, who cares what you eat? This $5 taste was far cheaper than something similar at a local ballpark.
For my third taste, I paid a visit to Chicken Charlie, who is celebrating 30 years at the OC Fair. Charlie deep fries almost anything, from frog legs to Oreos (they are so good!). This year, he added fried avocados, and who doesn’t like their avocados fried?
They come three to a serving, with a lemon wedge and ranch dressing. I elected to skip the ranch (I know, it’s a popular dressing) and just squeezed lemon on the fried delicacies. The taste was satisfying, but between the barbecue, the cheese fries, and the fried avocados, I was starting to feel full.
However, it was time for dessert. I chose the Pineapple Whip Express stand and their Blue Raspberry Whip with Fruity Pebbles cereal on top.
For $5, this is a terrific taste, and fun to eat on a hot day at the Fair. The frozen raspberry whip concoction was heavenly, and the Fruity Pebbles added a nice crunchy texture. I shoveled the dessert into my mouth and soon felt a brain freeze combined with a sugar rush.
My four-course taste of the fair was a success, although I spent the next hour walking around the fair, burning a few of the calories I had ingested. I plan to go back for more tastes—a slice of pickle pizza is calling my name.
There are countless things to see and do at the OC Fair other than consume mass quantities of calories. There are carnival rides and games of chance, exhibits, wine tasting, live music, and so much more.
Admission to the OC Fair is $9 to $18 depending on the day you attend. Parking is $15. Visit www.OCFair.com.
