State fair visitors, surrounded by food vendors selling deep-fried twinkies, chocolate-covered bacon, Dippin’ Dots and rainbow-colored cotton candy may think that there isn’t anywhere on the grounds to buy real food, but they’d be wrong. A large corner stand across from the dairy cattle barn takes pride in serving tasty and wholesome food, something they’ve been doing in the same location since the early 70s.

The Grange Ox Roast stand is a rare oasis in a sea of junk food fads. They have no deep fryer and no interest in joining the competition, passing off culinary novelties as fair food. They’re best known for serving a dinner of sliced or barbecued beef with sides including a baked potato, applesauce and tossed salad. But if your party includes a finicky kid, you can get a peanut butter and jelly sandwich—skip the peppers and onions.

Not to forget breakfast, Fair workers and early arrivals know that the Grange serves a fine one featuring eggs, bacon, ham, home fries and omelets. New Hope Mills  pancakes are topped with genuine New York maple syrup. The stand opens daily at 7 a.m.

The all-volunteer crew is the friendliest on the grounds. Most staffers are Grange members there to support the rural community service organization as all profits go to the Grange.

You can look at any food stand or structure at the New York State Fair as a restaurant. If the definition is a business that serves food, they all qualify, at least loosely. But the way The Hound sees it, the Iroquois Cookhouse comes closest to a true restaurant, not only because it’s an actual building devoted to cooking, serving and eating, but also for its variety and flexibility.

For starters, they serve three meals a day, opening early with one of the best breakfasts on the grounds. For lunch and dinner, the menu changes from day to day, featuring one or two daily specials from spaghetti to roast turkey. Many different sides and desserts, some homemade, complete the meal experience.

One thing that’s especially inviting is the flexibility the Iroquois cooks offer. They take requests where possible, customizing or modifying the featured dishes to satisfy customer appetites. Plus, they keep it affordable.

There is plenty of indoor seating, while the deck, screened porch and nearby picnic tables offer pleasant choices for eating alfresco. For diners who are moved by the spirit of the festive surroundings, several traditional native items are served. One, a favorite of State Fair PR guy Dave Bullard, is Haudenosaunee fry bread, the forerunner of modern fried dough. Stop by, you don’t need a reservation.

It’s back to normal eating since the Fair closed on Labor Day, but we have the memories of that amazing Fair chow.

Some stands were demolished and relegated to tents, but Restaurant Row remains, with anchors such as Bosco’s attracting loyal customers.

Food trucks lined Chevy Court on Sep. 3, adding to the spectacular array of culinary choices.

It wouldn’t be the Fair without once-a-year favorites like funnel cake.

There’s been another change to the location of the new York State Potato stand. This time it’s actually moved down the hall to the enclosed restaurant space in the Horticulture Building.

The new space has seating inside the air-conditioned diner, but the lines often extend out into the hallway. Baked tater’s, white or sweet, are still a buck a spud with your choice of toppings.

One great change is the addition of genuine New York-produced drinks from Saranac, right over in Utica. Premium Soda, like root beer and cream soda, are just a dollar a bottle, a real bargain for the Fair.

Hungry visitors to the New York State Fair this season may find themselves searching for their favorite food stands as several of the most popular vendors have moved from traditional spots in the reconfiguration of the grounds. State Fair Hound recently reported that Gianelli is near its old spot, in a tent behind the Horticulture Building. Likewise, Tully’s isn’t far from last year’s location, but several others have moved a greater distance.

Several longtime restaurants are now part of a new strip along the roadway known as Broadway, a lengthy stretch of blacktop that runs alongside the new midway. There you can get your middle eastern favs from King David’s, wash down your sandwiches with a beer at the Shamrock (minus the green-on-top light), enjoy some fine cuisine at Whelan’s, boost your cholesterol at Fried Specialties or steal a taste of poultry at the Chicken Bandit. There are also two Pizza Fritte locations, one at essentially both ends of Broadway.

The Hound will have an updates on some new places to chow down in an upcoming post.