Foodie 411: State Fair semifinalists, Fort Worth restaurants and food trucks

The State Fair announced the 24 semifinalists for the Big Tex Choice Awards.

The Big Tex Choice Awards have been around for 20 years. This food contest starts before the State Fair and allows concessionaires to pitch food ideas they think will sell at the fair. Typically a lot of strange yet delicious things are born from this competition. It was from this contest that we got fried Coke, fried butter. fried bubblegum and many more.

The State Fair announced 24 semifinalists Thursday.

A big surprise this year? There are a bunch of drinks, like a frozen limoncello and a Lay’s potato chip drink. There are some funny words, like a beigneffle, which is a beignet waffle. There’s a crookie, which is a croissant cookie. Two State Fair dishes involve pickles.

In August, I’ll get to try the 10 favorites when we’ll also learn which 2 or 3 will be declared winners.

Two historic Fort Worth restaurants are closing on Sunday night and moving to new locations. Reata will serve its last pepper-crusted tenderloins in Sundance Square, then move to Throckmorton Street in July.

And Los Vaqueros will close the same day, after dinner on June 30, and relocate to a new address in the Stockyards. For those who are nostalgic, I suggest you get there before both of them move.

DMN’s Imelda Garcia wrote a story about a Denton food truck that received huge accolades recently. Insurgent was named the grand champion at the Food Truck Championship of Texas this month. They won $10,000. Those who love food trucks should find them on Instagram at insurgent.food. Because they’ve got wheels, the food truck moves to different locations regularly.