It was a perfect day to be on Franklin Street for Day 1 of the 98th Annual West Side Nut Club Fall Festival! My team of Crystal VanDiver (our photographer) and Jen LeRoy (first-time taste tester) began our journey at Booth 137. Here are the results:
Booth 137-Hadi Oriental Band (Smoked Pork Chop)
This was a great start to the festival…..tender, juicy and perfectly smoked. It comes from some mysterious dude and place in Kentucky. I couldn’t get any more info out of them. Worth a visit.
Booth 136-Evansville Rescue Mission (Fiesta Mac & Cheese)
If you want Mac & Cheese, this is the booth for you! We tried the Fiesta version, which is basically a walking taco/mac ‘n cheese mash-up. It’s an epic one at that!
Booth 135-Youth Resources (Sweet Pretzel Bites)
These bad boys are served with cinnamon sugar and a sweet glaze and they are delicious! They’re new this year and are also on the Deaconess Wise Choice menu, so there’s no guilt!
Booth 134-Crescent City Civitan (Grippo Brownie Volcano)
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This was Fall Festival eating is all about! A brownie, topped with ice cream, REAL HOT fudge and sprinkled with BBQ Grippos. Spectacular! Plenty of sweet with a bit of heat from the Grippos. Our team loved it!
Booth 133-Sycamore Services (Snails)
Oh no, they don’t call this Escargot on Franklin Street…..just snails. Okie dokie, then. Served in a vat of melted garlic butter, these tasted like chewy mushrooms.
Booth 132-Germania Mannerchor (Kraut Balls)
The world famous Germania Kraut Balls and they didn’t disappoint! It was also the first time Crystal or Jen had actually had one. It’s no accident this booth is in the Legends of the Fall Festival Hall of Fame!
Booth 131-Hadi Arab Patrol (Polish Sausage)
Farm Boy provided this very tasty and delicious polish sausage, which for everyone else, does come with a bun. (When you are eating at 35 booths, the bun doesn’t get invited to the party!)
Booth 130-River Outreach Ministries (DeWig Boneless Pork Chop)
A delicious, meaty and tender pork chop sandwich. Highly recommend it
Booth 129- Evansville Junior Football League (Deep Friend Banana)*
*This is a new item that joins the well-known Cajun Catfish sandwich on their menu. The banana is frozen, dipped in batter and then deep fried. A tasty treat, plus it comes on a stick.
Booth 128-Community of Christ (Cheesy Pig Stick)
What a great name! Deep fried bacon wrapped cheese on a stick! Are you kidding me?! This was an award winner last year and for good reason!
Booth 127-West Terrace Booster Club (Super Nachos)
This was an interesting take on nachos. The meat had a definite Italian flavor and it worked. Tasty.
Booth 126-Evansville North Civitan (Texas Tenderloin)
Judging by the length of the line to get this sammich, it was delish! This booth and the next one on the docket are both Fall Festival legends!
Booth 125-East Side Optimists (GIANT Texas Tenderloin)
This line was about as big as the tenderloin. (Trust me, it’s HUGE….no, make that GIANT!) Plus the sandwich is fried in cholesterol free oil…..makes it healthy. Yeah, right.
Booth 124-Howell General Baptist Church (Pronto Pup)
This is the very first Prono Pup at the Fall Festival, dating back well over 50 years, and the super secret batter is a recipe that is closely guarded. Very tasty!!
Booth 123-Evansville Youth Baseball East (Deep Fried Jalapeno Cheddar Dog wrapped in Bacon)
Are you kidding me? Start with a Ballpark cheddar jalapeno frank, wrap it in bacon and deep fry it?! Mic drop!
Booth 122-R-Men’s Club (Deep Fried Braunschweiger Sandwich)
A complete and utter trip back to our childhoods with this one. If you like braunschweiger, this is the sandwich for you because the braunschweiger is of the highest quality!
Booth 121-Tekoppel Tigers (Jungle Fruit Salsa)
This stuff is wonderful! So fresh and light and served with those cinnamon sugar pita chips? We have a past Fall Festival award winner here! Definitely check it out. Plus they were left off the Munchie Map and they’re in a new location in the Annex by Franklin Street Tavern!
Booth 120-Reitz/Mater Dei Baseball (Walk-off Taco)
Quite possibly the biggest portion I’ve ever encountered in all of my years of Fall Festival tasting! Very excited to see that Reitz and Mater Dei have pooled their resources to have a new booth on Franklin Street! Go see them and try to conquer this delicious bad boy!
Booth 119-Catalyst Church (Cheesecake Chimis)*
This is a new item and comes in either Raspberry or Caramel Cheesecake flavors. OMG! It’s deep fried cheesecake on a stick and is sinful! And yes, it’s at a church booth! Definitely a nust try!
Booth 118-Daughters of the Nile Band Box (Italian Beef)
This year this iconic booth made the move to the Annex, but it doesn’t matter the location, this Italian Beef is killer!! So tender and flavorful, you need to try this!
Booth 117-Faith Church of the Nazarene (Pumpkin Spice Waffle Sticks)*
*This is a new item and it’s spectacular! Pumpkin spice waffle batter deep fried and served with caramel glaze. ‘Nuff said. Try this, you’ll like it!
Booth 116-Joshua Academy (Billy Goat Booth)
Unfortunately, there was not a Billy Goat (or person) to be found at this booth.
Booth 115-Restoring our Heritage (S’mores Puff Balls)
Amazing!! You bite into this puff ball and it’s filled with melted chocolate! We ate the WHOLE thing! A definite must-try!
Booth 114-Outboard Boating Club of Evansville (Pulled Pork Parfait)
This has quickly become a Fall Festival classic! What’s not to love about a parfait that consists of Hawg ‘n Sauce pulled pork, mashed potatoes and gravy! Get in my belly!
Booth 113-McCutchanville Community Church (Strawberry Shortcake w/ice cream)
Strawberry shortcake is delicious enough, but when you pair it with homemade ice cream that has been churned for hours? You get a really long line for this delicious treat (and it’s well worth the wait!!)
Booth 112-Central Music Boosters (Loaded Potato Soup)
Both Crystal and Jen had not experienced the award-winning potato soup that comes from the Central Music Boosters booth. It’s the bomb-diggity! Chunks of potatoes make this made-from-scratch soup a must get on Franklin Street. An award winner for good reason!
Booth 111-Boy Scout Troop 350 (Rainbow Rush)*
*This is a new item. What happens when you take Sprite and combine it with cotton candy? A science experiment that ends in sugar overload and blue lips and tongues. But, it’s delicious and fun to watch the cotton candy disappear into the soda! The kids will love this!
Booth 110-Evansville Day School (Loaded Baked Potato)
Want a delicious baked potato that is as big as your head loaded with delicious toppings? This booth is for you! Long lines for sure, but well worth it!
Booth 109-St. Peter’s UMC (Chicken ‘n Dumplings)
One of the many homemade chicken and dumplings you can find on the street. If you like your dumplings of a more substantial nature, this is the chicken and dumplings for you!
Booth 108-It Takes a Village No-Kill Rescue (Jambalaya’s Drunken Cousin)
A fun name for a fun Fall Festival food that is delicious and something I would never make at home. Makes is perfect for Fall Festival!
Booth 107-USI Varsity Club (Rib-Eye Sandwich)
This a Fall Festival legend and for good reason. I don’t know where you can get a better rib eye sandwich for 6 bucks! That’s what Fall Festival is all about….great food at great prices all raising money for great groups!
Booth 106-Bible Center Cathedral (Deep Fried Bacon)
Are you serious?! Thick cut bacon deep fried to perfection and served with either BBQ sauce or cajun spices. Either are great, but this bacon is so dope…..you don’t need anything but the squeal of the porker! Try it!
Booth 105-Indiana Fire Juniors South (Miller’s Mac Bowl)
Another great choice for mac ‘n cheese on the street and judging by the line, it was worth the wait! Plus this one is served with Miller’s pulled pork! A win-win for your taste buds.
Booth 104-Alpha Sigma Alpha (Fruit Haystack)
The ladies of the Alpha Sigma Alpha booth have this delicious fruit haystack for you to enjoy! Plus they have one of the best (and authentic) Chicago hot dogs you will find! This booth is a must-visit! Plus they’ll do cheers for donations. Seriously a great bunch of young women!
Booth 103-Central Choir
Don’t know what was going on here, but the Bears were out. Hopefully they’ll be in tomorrow.
