Eating our own words: Our food writers return to the fair and reassess these low-ranking new foods

Tasting 68 foods in one day is a tall order that leaves little room for second bites — or second chances. The Star Tribune Taste team has to make quick assessments on every new food at the State Fair to deliver our rankings into your hands as quickly as possible. Unfortunately for the vendors, that means we don’t have time to apply the same rigorous standards of criticism that we do when we evaluate a restaurant, by going back to try it again. Until now.

We gave vendors a chance to overcome first-day jitters, and returned on Tuesday to reassess some of our lowest-ranked new foods, choosing three fan favorites that visitors seemed to enjoy more than we initially had. Here’s where they stand now.

French Meadow, Carnes Av. between Nelson and Underwood Sts., $14

We wrote: Battered mushrooms are a staple on plenty of restaurant menus. This shouldn’t have been an issue for the State Fair. The problem started somewhere between trying to pass them off as tentacled creatures and over-frying them into a withered, dehydrated something that was once fungi.

Original ranking: Not our favorite.

Update: Is it possible they forgot the mushrooms on the first day? Then, we had a basket of over-fried shards of breading. But today, we had chewy, tentacle-like pieces of oyster mushroom that gave the dish an entirely new character. Something like a cross between fried cauliflower and, yes, actual calamari, coated in a lightly crunchy and spicy batter, today’s version had us going back for more bites. The creamy chipotle dipping sauce paired much better, too. While it’s a solid new food, the price is still a sticking point, and we can’t overlook a lot of people’s deep dislike for mushrooms.

New ranking: It’s fine ... for some.

Dino’s Gyros, Carnes Av. between Nelson and Underwood Sts., $8

We wrote: Texturally puzzling. That was the consensus of our group about these mushy, falling-apart, falafel-like nuggets. In theory, though, these assertively spicy, vegan and gluten-free chickpea-tomato-red pepper-scallion bites serve a lot of dietary needs. We didn’t mind the roasted red pepper hummus on the side.

Original ranking: Not our favorite.

Update: We forgave an overly long wait for our order when we considered the fried-to-perfection texture of these tots. What a contrast to the pieces of mush we got on Day 1! A shattering crunch gave way to a creamy, almost cheesy interior — a feat of both texture and flavor, since these are vegan and gluten-free. Another truly spicy offering, these were mellowed by a dip of roasted red pepper hummus, a side we had originally found pointless when the bites were the same exact consistency. Now, we get it.

New ranking: Solid choice.

Hamline Church Dining Hall, Dan Patch Av. between Underwood and Cooper Sts., $10

We wrote: The price is right, but the execution not so much for these two little Swedish meatball-inspired sandwiches that could have benefited from some tweaks. The spherical shape of the meatball meant there was a disproportionate bun-to-meat ratio, and the buns and large cheese squares were cold. Good idea, though.

Original ranking: Not our favorite.

Update: Whether queuing up or grabbing a to-go order, Hamline Church Dining Hall is just about peak Minnesota at the most Minnesotan event of the summer. Which is why it was such a bummer on the first day to get dried-out meatballs on cold buns. Turns out, a little time and practice does make all the difference. This go around, the staff was scooping up juicy meatballs onto squares of cheese that melted just a little bit from that carry-over warmth. While these might never be in the running for as-good-as-grandma-made Swedish meatballs, it’s a sweet/savory bite that’s at least fun to try but not quite as beloved as the dining hall’s Al’s Breakfast pancakes or the Holy Hamloaf.

New ranking: It’s fine... for some.