Review: Heart O’ Texas Fair food

The Heart O' Texas Fair & Rodeo opened its doors Oct. 7 for carnival games, rides, food and fun. Photo courtesy of Erianne Lewis.

By Erianne Lewis | Arts and Life Editor

On Monday I attended the Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo in Waco. When I arrived on the fair grounds, I really didn’t know what to expect. As a Houston native, I grew up going to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo every year since I was about six years old. It is a time-honored tradition that I have enjoyed so much. So when I saw that Waco had a rodeo that is considered to be a pretty big deal, I knew instantly that I had to check it out.

I feel that it is only right that I start with my favorite fair food item of all time, fried Oreos. The love I have for this high-calorie treat is indescribable. To my surprise, the Oreos at the fair were much better than anticipated. I would rate them a 5/5. I would even go as far as to say that it was comparable to the fried Oreos at the Houston rodeo.

The second item I tried was the brisket street tacos. Unfortunately, they did not live up to my expectations. They were cold, flavorless and overall just disappointing. I would rate them a 2/5, because I believe they have potential. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t get them. I’m a huge believer in trying stuff for yourself, so I would still encourage you to try them.

The third item I tried was the funnel cake. It was just as amazing as the fried Oreos. The powdered sugar on top added that extra pizzazz. Unfortunately the booth was out of strawberries, which is another topping I love to add. The funnel cake was warm and it quite literally melted in my mouth. I would have to rate it a 5/5, because it was honestly really good.

The last two items I got were cotton candy and a candy apple. The cotton candy was average, but I would rate it a 4/5. It’s pretty hard to mess up cotton candy. I would rate the candy apple a 3/5 because the apple looked a little old and it tasted kind of funny. It also seemed to stick to my teeth more than previous candy apples I have had.

I also decided to try a strawberry lemonade from the same stand I got the brisket tacos. I hate to say it, but the strawberry lemonade was not good either. It was really watered down and I would unfortunately have to give it a 2/5.

Overall, I enjoyed the time I spent at the rodeo and fair. This was the first time I had ever been to the HOT fair and rodeo and it exceeded my expectations. It also made me miss the Houston rodeo and I am now starting to look forward to its return.