Elina ShatkinYou can't actually order a cinnamon crumb from this outpost of Randy's Donuts, a miniature version of the iconic shop (complete with cop car parked in front!) housed in the model railroad town at the LA County Fair. There is, however, real food at the LA County Fair. Lots of it.
In fact, food may be the fair's main attraction, though the dinosaur pavilion is a close second. (We do enjoy the LA County Fair's low-budget attempts to imitate Disneyland.) Though we've lauded Chicken Charlie for his fried Kool-Aid, fried brownies and FryBQ Ribs, there are other vendors clogging their grease traps and our arteries. Full photo gallery here or gut-achingly curated list after the jump..
5. Tasti Chips: They're just fried potato discs, but they're freshly fried potato discs. A wisp thicker than potato chips, a hair thinner than fried potato rounds, you can get them with bacon cheese sauce.
4. Fried Dill Pickles: Hot, salty pickle juice sounds gross, and most of the pickle chips we've ever tasted confirm that snap judgment. These ones at the county fair have just the right combo of breading and brine to bring the concept to life.
3. Pork Chop On A Stick: The name says it all. It isn't fancy, but it delivers what it promises: a juicy, grilled pork chop in a convenient handheld format.
2. Chicken Charlie's Deep Fried Kool-Aid: They're just donut holes made with cherry Kool-Aid instead of water, but they work. They're warm, freshly fried and dusted in a liberal coating of sugar and Kool-Aid powder that makes the flavor pop.
1. Texas Style BBQ Brisket Sandwich: You have to be careful at the county fair. There are an awful lot of terrible, overpriced sandwiches. This one, from the Texas Style BBQ booth, is incredibly satisfying. Nicely smoked meat in a sweet, hickory sauce on a soft bun.
BONUS: Dr. Bob's Ice Cream: At a minimum of 16% butterfat, the ice cream here is beyond rich. Co-founder Dr. Robert Small isn't just a professor at Cal Poly Pomona or even a flavor scientist, he is to ice cream what House is to pretty women with mysterious twitching symptoms. He has discovered how to coax every last iota of flavor from the delicate and mysterious blueberry, creating what is probably the best blueberry ice cream in the world. The flavor is overwhelming, and from first bite to last, it never gives on or lets up. Whatever else you eat, save room for Dr. Bob's and make it your last stop at the LA County Fair.
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