The New Mexico State Fair announced the competitors for two of its anticipated contests, the Unique Foods Contest and the Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge.
The Unique Food Challenge will be a celebration of interesting fair foods.
The challenge will be held at the chevron Pavilion on the fair's opening day, September 5.
The menu line-up for the unique food challenge will be Street Taco Grilled Cheese, Conductors Corn Dog, Deep Fried Carne Asada taco, Belgian Waffle Green Chile Cheeseburger and Desert Chimichanga.
Items being judged in the contest will also be available for purchase to the general public.
The Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge has become increasingly popular and fair officials have moved the location to Main Street just north of Heritage Avenue to accommodate the anticipated crowd.
It will be on Monday, September 9, at noon and will feature 10 restaurants from across the state that will compete for the top title of cooking the essential New Mexican burger.
State Fair General Manager Dan Mourning said, “This is the Super Bowl of Green Chile Cheeseburger contests in this State. It continues to get bigger and bigger each year so we decided to move it out to Main Street to accommodate the huge crowds that flock to this event. People’s choice ballots are extremely limited so make sure you’re here early.”
To receive a ballot, New Mexico State Police will distribute wristbands randomly throughout the crowd, which can then be taken to the burgundy tents outside the Agriculture Building where the New Mexico Department of Agriculture will provide a ballot. Participants must have a wristband to receive a ballot.
Unique Fair Food Contest Menu
Street Taco Grilled Cheese
Hand-diced and seasoned carne asada with fresh Monterey jack cheese and house-made green chile on sourdough, grilled to toasty perfection.
Concessionaire: Cheese Love Grill, Heritage and Main Street
Conductor’s Corn Dog
A 100% all-beef Nathan’s ¼ lb hot dog hand-dipped in scratch-made, top-secret corn dog batter. Fried to a delicious golden brown before it’s split open and topped with cheddar cheese sauce, smoked bacon, fried cheese curd and Hatch green chile.
Concessionaire: Gravy Train, Food Court
Deep Fried Carne Asada Taco
This taco is stuffed with fresh grilled carne asada and Monterey jack cheese. The taco is then dipped in a special batter and deep-fried to perfection. Served with homemade spicy salsa.
Concessionaire: Quesada’s Mexican, Heritage and Main Street
Belgian Waffle Green Chile Cheeseburger
All beef patty grilled to perfection served on a Belgian waffle garnished with pickle, lettuce and tomato. The sandwich is then drizzled with green chile maple syrup and dusted with powdered sugar.
Concessionaire: Rex’s, South of Natural Resources Building
Desert Chimichanga
Sweet chimichanga made with a flour tortilla and filled with cream cheese wrapped in smoked bacon, deep fried to a golden brown and smothered in cinnamon sugar, strawberry and chocolate sauce.
Concessionaire: Fried Fantasy, Food Court
Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge Restaurants
Downshift Brewing Co. – Lincoln County
Del’s Family Restaurant – Quay County
Effingbar & Grill – Bernalillo County
Savoy Bar and Grill – Bernalillo County
Craft Republic – Bernalillo County
Big Mike’s Burgers and More – Valencia County
Sparky’s Burgers, BBQ & Espresso – Dona Ana County
Isleta Grill – Isleta Pueblo
Grill at the Monte Carlo – Taos County
Slate Street Billiards – Sandoval County
