EXTREME EATS
HARTFORD YARD GOATS INTRODUCE NEW FOODS FOR 2022 SEASON
Flamin' Hot Cheetos are having a moment this season at Dunkin' Donuts Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats. So are hot dogs, street corn, and of course, doughnuts.
And less than a year after starring in his own Netflix food series, YouTube star food reviewer Daym Drops returns for what he calls "season 2" of his own concession stand. For a second year, Daym (full name Daymon Patterson), who lives in Connecticut, has partnered with Yard Goats executive chef Joe Bartlett to craft new foods for the upcoming season.
"By the time you finish eating and watching the game here at the park, you're going to be full," Patterson said. "You're going to be just ready to go home and take a nice little nap."
The park's Hartford Neighborhood Flavors Cart returns this season, with rotating selections from several local restaurants and vendors including MofonGo Restaurant, G's Steaks & Grinders, Ted's Steamed Cheeseburgers, J. Timothy's Taverne, Southern Bell Soul Food, Vaughan's Public House, The Rockin Chicken, Chowder Pot of Hartford, Burrito Loko, Avon Prime Meats and More Than Just Lobster.
The Yard Goats organization debuted some of its new extreme foods Monday, in advance of its home opener Friday. Here's a look at this year's new eats:
Fat Sandwich
Bartlett described the giant sandwich ($13) as "basically the kitchen sink," on a base of fried dough with chicken tenders, French fries, julienned pickles and Munchkins. The Fat Sandwich is topped off with red pepper coulis and honey mustard.
Buffalo chicken and mac and cheese cones
Buffalo chicken nuggets and "old fashioned" macaroni and cheese are piled into waffle cones. They're priced at $5 for the mac and cheese version and $8 for Buffalo chicken.
Spicy chicken doughnut sandwich
"We're dipping our hat into the spicy chicken arena," said Bartlett. The honey sriracha-glazed fried chicken is served between two glazed doughnuts — with a glazed Munchkin skewered on top "as a little dessert," he said.
The sandwich is $11 for a single version; $15 for double.
Gourmet hot dogs and bratwursts
Hot dogs and bratwursts ($7 to $8.50) are the focus of Daym's concession stand this season, with a German bratwurst and "Daym's
Brat" with sauerkraut and crushed pretzel topping. Two specialty footlong dogs are new this year: a spicy weiner topped with whole Flamin' Hot Cheetos and jalapeños, and a Hawaiian-style dog with pineapple and tortilla strips.
Street corn
Flamin' Hot Cheetos and jalapeños show up again on street corn ($6.50 and $7.50) served at
Daym's concession stand. But if spice isn't your thing, and "you want to take it to the cooler side of life," Patterson said, there's an original street corn version with mayonnaise spread, queso fresco and smoked paprika.
New burgers
The Burgertopia burger cart by the main gate entrance offers new options ($11.50 to $15) like a Cuban burger with Dijon, pickles, provolone and ham and a bacon ranch burger. There will also be a turkey burger option, Bartlett said.
Vegan and plant-based options
The park is introducing plantbased Incogmeato-brand chicken tenders ($8.50) at Huck's Hot Corner, Bartlett said, and there will be an Impossible meatless burger ($15) at Burgertopia.
Double-fried donut holes
For the kids — or for yourself, we won't tell anyone — Grazin' Goat will serve up double-fried Munchkin donut holes ($7.50) in a small plastic baseball cap, topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.