Up to the plate: Reviewing the Arizona Diamondbacks’ new food options

Every year, the Arizona Diamondbacks launch new food options at Chase Field that spark public interest.

These unique creations — often clever and catchy names — add to the excitement of the season. When the press release came out and we saw the list, we knew we had to go get in on the action.

We sent our very own WhereShouldWeEat.com’s He and She to a game to be Guinea pigs and sample these exclusive eats. As they pigged-out, they each gave their rating of thumbs up or thumbs down on each ballgame bite.

Here’s what made the cut:

Cheeseburger Dog

Made from char-grilled hamburgers that have been ground up and mixed with chopped smoked bacon, dill pickles, green onion and Cheddar cheese. The dog is breaded with milk and seasoned flour, then deep-fried until crispy and served on a bun topped with more chopped smoked bacon, shredded iceberg lettuce, diced tomato and a house-made secret sauce.

She Said:

The first thing I liked about this hybrid/wanna-be hotdog was the creativity. I can honestly say I have never had a burger-shaped hot dog before. It was visually appealing, full of flavor and just plain fun! The killer ingredient is the secret sauce, it really bumps the dish to the next level. Plus, the confusion on people’s faces when you tell them it’s a hamburger is priceless.

He Said:

Upon delivery, I didn’t think it looked very good. It was covered with some great toppings but the dog itself was a little scary looking. I don’t think I have ever had a hamburger that was deep-fried. But one bite and I was sold. I especially liked the house sauce on top and the bits of bacon ground up in the meat.

Price: $10.00 at Big Dawgs on the main concourse and Extreme Loaded Dogs on the Diamond Level.

Applewood Bacon Grilled Cheese

Crispy Applewood-smoked bacon with Arizona garlic-black pepper cheddar on gourmet bread. Other featured sandwiches include the Arizona Cheese, Southwest Cheese and Pit-Smoked Cheese.

She Said:

Who doesn’t love grilled cheese?I loved this one even more because the cheese comes from Arizona Farm Cheese. The sandwich was huge and cut into four separate pieces. The combo of garlic-black pepper and salty bacon was nice, the bread was grilled to that ideal crisp and the cheese was melted to perfection, giving you the mouth-to-sandwich stringy-bridge effect.

He Said:

Get it early. We happened to get the last bacon version. While I enjoyed the garlic brushed toast on the outside, it didn’t have a ton of cheese. I do think it is a good choice for 2-3 people to share at only $12 (you get around four actual slices) and that’s a good bargain. But in the end, I felt it was something I could have made at home watching the game on the TV.

Price: $12.00 at the NEW Arizona Farms Grilled Cheese Cart on the main concourse.

Chile Verde Mac Dog

Hot dog topped with green chile mac and cheese and pepper jack cheese.

She Said:

How do the D-backs add a little spice to the typical hot dog? Carb it up with some pepper jack mac and cheese of course! This tasty dog had a weirdly comforting element that flashed me back to my elementary school cafeteria. What’s better than feeling like a kid while watching the greatest game on earth? They nailed it with this guilty pleasure monstrosity!

He Said:

This was simply fantastic! It didn’t hurt that hot dogs and mac and cheese are some of my favorite guilty pleasures in the food world. The footlong had a great snap to it and the mac and cheese wasn’t overly saucy so it didn’t soak the bun, leaving enough structure so you could pick it up. I’m hoping this becomes a staple because I’d happily get it every year.
Price: $10.00 at Big Dawgs on the main concourse.

Fried Bread Pudding Bites

Served with a Jack Daniel’s dipping sauce.

She Said:

I like that it was easy to consume. The bites come in a container with a small fork which kept spills to a minimum. Freshly made, these warm bites are soft and a bit chewy, like an under-cooked cinnamon bun. The Jack Daniels drizzle was the perfect addition as it pooled at the bottom so you could dip for more!

He Said:

After my first bite, I wasn’t all that excited. It didn’t have the texture I hoped for. However, after getting further in, the bites had soaked up the Jack Daniel’s sauce and it was wonderful! Not too sweet and the bites were less dry and more reminiscent of the traditional dish you get in a restaurant.

Price: $8.00 at Extreme Loaded Dogs on the Diamond Level and Big Dawgs on the main concourse.

Various craft beer

She Said:

Now, I am an All-American gal who loves her typical American beers at any ball game. But everyone likes options and, since craft beer is in high demand these days, I like that variety is available. Warning! Long lines formed at the portable kiosk.

 

He Said:

Gone are the days of only being able to get one or two beers from the big companies. All over the Valley, craft breweries are growing in popularity as people like to support locally-owned businesses. It was a nice option to be able to try out a few different beers I had never heard of or knew I loved.

Available in the newly-renovated Draft Room and at a portable craft beer stand.

Churro Dog (new last season)

She Said:

This dessert was WAY too much. The donut bun was more like bread. There were too many dry ingredients. The ice cream had to melt so you could eat it. The end product of soupy sweetness wasn’t appealing. But it is a fan favorite and people will wait for it, especially during the seventh inning stretch.

He Said:

We never got a chance to try it last year, so we had to this year. Sadly, I could only handle one bite. I love a good churro, but this one was on the dry side and, while the ice cream did help, it didn’t entice me enough. It was just too sweet and dry. There are so many other awesome food options I decided to call it quits.

Available on the main concourse for $8.50.

Stuff we didn’t get to sample

Pit Viper Sandwich: Pit-smoked pork, caramelized onions and Yancey’s Fancy Peppadew Cheddar cheese on thick-cut bread, battered and fried until golden with a housemade Snake Bite BBQ sauce.

Price: $20 at Taste of Chase.

Poor Boy Sandwich (Vegan): Crispy fishless filet topped with vegan Thousand Island dressing and spicy coleslaw on a soft roll.

Price: $12.50 on the in-seat menu.

Kick’n Chick’n Wrap (Vegan): Grilled Gardein Chick’n, roasted corn, baby spinach, romaine lettuce, Follow Your Heart Cheddar cheese, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, black beans, green onions and chipotle BBQ dressing.

Price: $8.50 on the in-seat menu.

Buffalo Chicken Fries: Waffle cut fries topped with Chihuahua cheese sauce, crispy Buffalo chicken, blue cheese and celery.

Price: $10.00 at Red Hot Grill stands and Steakout on the Diamond Level.

Fun food option:

All-You-Can-Eat seats are available starting at $34 and include unlimited access to ballpark traditions such as hot dogs, chips, popcorn, peanuts, water and soft drinks in a special upper-level section.

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