Bacon Fest winners: It’s a tie for People’s Choice

Three other winners were announced by a panel of judges, which included this writer.

The talented Rolling Indulgence food truck crew took home the Critic’s Choice award for a fantastic chocolate milkshake made with maple and bacon and topped with candied bacon and whipped cream. It was sweet, savory, salty and the undisputed hit after tasting all of the dishes being served up.

Amber Rose won Best Composed Bacon Dish for their pulled pork bacon nachos. They were loaded up and the fresh diced veggies played off the deep notes of the pork and bacon for a filling symphony of snacky flavors.

Best Dessert went to the food truck JA’s and Sweetums for a deeply rich and satisfying bacon banana cream pudding that could be put up against the best you’ve ever had and come out on top.

“Dayton loves bacon and the heat did not keep people away this year,” said Amy Zahora, president of the Miami Valley Restaurant Association (MVRA). “I love the partnership with the Fraze and how sweet, delicious bacon brought the Miami Valley together today.”

Other standout dishes included Amber Rose’s impressive bacon wrapped turkey legs, which was the first dish to sell out, the “Tater Kegs” stuffed with bacon and chives from Rolling Indulgence and the Cuban sandwich with the trifecta of pork, ham and bacon from El Meson.

Although attendance was down from previous years both in crowd and participating restaurants, thousands still made it out to enjoy porcine cuisine in the blazing hot sun.

Zahora says she has six more large outdoor events planned from now until the end of the year and plans to continue with them. “It’s safe outdoors. I’m very excited to be able to bring more outdoor festivals this year that people can get out to enjoy safely,” she said.

Zahora’s next event is Sept. 3 at Austin Landing from 5-10 p.m. with a Party in the Park event featuring music by The Menus and food from eight local food trucks. The event will benefit SICSA. Zahora says the events she has worked on so far this year have helped raise more than $25,000 for local nonprofits including the Skylar Kooken Memorial Fund, Pink Ribbon Girls and the Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association.

Contact this contributing writer at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com.