Fairly Unbalanced

Reviewer’s disclosure: I LOVE Reuben sandwiches. If a restaurant is known for having a good Reuben, that’s what I order from the menu, every time, without fail. So when I saw that Spaghetti Eddies was adding a Reuben Pizza to their trailer near the Food Building, I was predictably excited to give it a try.

With that predilection in favor of Reubens in mind, this slice of Reuben pizza certainly didn’t hold up among the best of the best takes on this flavor combo I’ve had, but it does an amicable job of bringing it to a new form. Let’s start with the most disappointing element, which sadly was the corned beef shreds, which were on the dried-out side, their tiny tendrils losing their tenderness from the time in the oven. The corned beef was apparent throughout the slice, as was an enjoyable thousand island dressing that served as the sauce underneath the toppings, with the appropriate amount of tanginess and complimenting the pillowy pizza crust. Speaking of the crust, there was too much of it that was devoid of pizza toppings, with much of the final bites being pizza crust only; as soft as it was, it needs more ingredients to be worthwhile to munch on. Sauerkraut is present, as is traditional, but thankfully in a minimalistic role so as to not overpower the pizza.

In all it was a mixed bag experience, with some positives and some drawbacks, pleasant enough for Reuben fans but not done exceedingly well to win over those that aren’t already fans of the sandwich. For a novelty slice of pizza at $9, it was fun and unusual enough to pique interest, but it won’t be a runaway hit like the Pickle Pizza is. We appreciate the effort, but for now I’ll stick to the sandwich.

Ratings (0-5):

• Taste: 2
• Appearance: 3
• Novelty: 2
• Value: 3

Overall Score: 10 out of 20 (Better Luck Next Year)

The Minnesota State Fair and its vendors are seemingly on a mission every year to prove that anything and everything under the sun can be deep-fried and skewered. One of the Fair’s outposts most dedicated to battering and dunking unexpected things into cooking oil is Fried Fruit & Fried Olives underneath the Grandstand ramp near Dan Patch Park. As their vendor name suggests, they have been serving fried olives for years, but always of the green variety; new for 2025, they have finally added on black olives, stuffed with mozzarella cheese and served with a dipping cup of marinara.

As longtime fans of black olives over green (let the debate rage on), we’ve always wondered why both weren’t on offer here, and we’re excited to see these added on. Their shatteringly crisp batter, with a satisfying crunch on each bite and a soft inside, allows the marinara to adhere well and draws attention away from the olive regardless of their color. We found the olives themselves to be standard canned quality, unexciting but holding up well on their trip through the deep-fryer. The mozzarella stuffed inside seemed to vanish, so much so that we took a half-bite of one just to visually affirm it was inside.

At $12 for approximately six olives on the stick breaded together, this is a costly appetizer that was forgotten soon after finishing it. Perhaps we shouldn’t have been so anticipatory for these to be added on, as we won’t be rushing back to try them again soon. We recommend instead their underrated deep-fried mixed fruit, one of our long-time Fair favorites, where their approach to fried food truly shines, with a do-it-yourself toppings bar making for a customizable, fun experience.

Ratings (0-5):

• Taste: 1
• Appearance: 2
• Novelty: 2
• Value: 1

Overall Score: 6 out of 20 (Better Luck Next Year)

RC’s BBQ has been consistent in offering up some of the Fairgrounds’ very best proteins, with a clockwork-like approach to adding in a new take on barbecue each year for the last several years, most perfectly executed and among the better new foods added. They’ve once again achieved success in their Sweet Martha’s-adjacent stand in the shadow of the Grandstand with the Hula Kalua Pork, which aims to bring a tropical flavor to their menu.

Three sizeable, fork-tender slices of pork collar are placed atop a charred banana leaf and sit aside pickled cucumbers and dehydrated banana chips as accoutrement, with a Hawaiian barbecue sauce in a serving cup to the side. The smoke ring was apparent on each of the pork slices, with a dark char crust adding both texture and smokiness to the pork, which had a meaty bite and satisfied our hunger. The sauce was slightly sweet with a hint of pineapple, but mild enough as to not overpower the pork; we would have preferred a more distinct sauce to drive home the Hawaiian distinction, but it was inoffensive. Red sea salt rocks provided texture and a pleasant saltiness to each piece and was well apportioned. The pickled cucumbers were delightful and fresh, and the banana chips were a fun addition that brightened up the serving boat, along with the purely aesthetic banana leaf, adding to the novelty and appearance, making this feel more like a complete meal than most Fair entrees and adding value to the $14 price point. For carnivores in need of a protein-heavy meal at the Fair, we recommend saying “aloha” to RC’s latest addition!

Ratings (0-5):

• Taste: 4
• Appearance: 4
• Novelty: 3
• Value: 4

Overall Score: 15 out of 20 (Fairly Fresh)

There is no shortage of exemplary ice cream options scattered throughout the Fairgrounds, so to stand out from the crowd a vendor needs a unique flavor or flawless execution. Thankfully, Granny’s Apples + Lemonade and A to Z Creamery have achieved creating a scoop that truly shines above the rest as one of the more memorable sweet treats we’ve tried over the years, all served from their cute-as-a-button outpost in the Food Building.

An extremely tart apple ice cream hits your tongue immediately at first taste, holding true to a green apple flavor that puckers the lips but strikes as familiar to anyone that has enjoyed the quintessential lollipops that this ice cream is modeled after. Salty swirls of caramel cuts down the tartness and interplays nicely with the ice cream, though we did wish there was a little more consistency of caramel mixed in to be less sparse. The ice cream was velvety smooth and tastes more premium than many of the others at the Fair, but that comes at a hefty price of $8 for a single scoop placed in a cup. For those that are nostalgic for the caramel apple flavor combo it may still be worth it to try for the flawless execution, but otherwise it’s too pricey to return to consistently beyond the initial novelty of it, yet we felt the portion size was also correct because another scoop would’ve become tiresome due to the extremely concentrated flavor.

Ratings (0-5):

• Taste: 4
• Appearance: 3
• Novelty: 4
• Value: 1

Overall Score: 12 out of 20 (Fairly Fresh)

The Fair’s most unique arrangement for a food stand is Midtown Global Market in the International Bazaar, where restaurants will operate like a pop-up for just half of the Fair’s days, before turning over to another restaurant with an entirely different menu for the back half. On top of only servicing half the Fair’s duration, many of these restaurants lately have only appeared in the space once, not to return in subsequent years. This has led to a wide variety of cuisines and individual dishes over the years, and it serves as a caution that to try these exemplary Somali Street Fries you better act soon before they disappear by August 27th, 2025!

We received a hefty portion of perfectly crisp, well seasoned french fries, comparable in serving size to the boat of legendary garlic fries offered at Ball Park Cafe. These impressed with a depth of flavor that far surpassed any other fries on the Fairgrounds, with each bite tasting unique due to different mixes of ingredients and sauces all mixed together. The spiced beef was plentiful enough to endure throughout the dish and please those with a protein passion, potently pocked with punchy spice with just a hint of sweetness. Even under cheese sauce, a herby jalapeño hot sauce, and an addicting white garlic sauce, the fries retained their structure and resisted turning to mush. The vegetable blend, mostly comprised of diced tomato and peas, adds nuance when found.

We absolutely adored this international take on loaded fries, and felt it was great value at $15 for a portion large enough to share with a friend as a snack, or to be fulfilling as a standalone entree. Check these out before they’re gone!

Ratings (0-5):

• Taste: 5
• Appearance: 4
• Novelty: 3
• Value: 4

Overall Score: 16 out of 20 (Blue Ribbon Best)