What John and Cait Ate: Bloody Marys are a Meal at Miller Park
“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
-Yogi Berra
“When you come to a fork in the road, take it…and try these concessions!”
-John & Cait
This week in What John and Cait Ate Drank:
Miller Park Bloody Marys
During each homestand, we will be meeting with John DiMartini, Executive Chef at Delaware North Sportservice/Miller Park to sample some of the latest and greatest Miller Park fare and review it here, for you.
Bloody Mary-$11.00
Have you tried the Bloody Marys at Miller Park? Available on several carts around the ballpark, these tomato-based drinks are especially perfect for days like today–a Sunday afternoon game.
“We experimented with a way to try to make these very unique to the Brewers, like adding in Secret Stadium Sauce, but that just didn’t work out,” said Eric Sampson, Club Level Manager at SportService.
That’s okay though, because SportService still puts their own twist on these drinks by combining Smirnoff Vodka and Ocean Spray Bloody Mary Mix, along with some extra spices like worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and celery salt. You can order them mixed to your liking–mild, medium or spicy, although, we’re told spicy is the preference of most Brewers fans. The drinks are then topped off with fixin’s like olives, cheese, sausage bites, and a pickle.
This season, SportService has experimented with a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar, but so far, they have found that it is difficult to offer that option on weekends like this one, with big crowds and two day games in a row. The Home Plate Bar on the PNC Club Level, however, has this option each Sunday with a plethora of fixin’s including: artichoke hearts, garlic, pepperoncinis, mushrooms, cheese, pickles, sausage bites, olives, celery and more.
Cait: Let me start off by getting this out of the way: I like love am mildly obsessed with Bloody Marys. They are my drink of choice. Whether it’s 10am or 10pm, there is no bad time for a Bloody, in my opinion. I like my Bloody Marys spicy with a variety of fixin’s and I even consider myself somewhat of a connoisseur, trying them at varying restaurants and rating them on my own scale. I make it a point to attend the Tomato Romp on Milwaukee’s East Side each year; I have made a pilgrimage to the place where the Bloody Mary was purportedly invented (King Cole Bar in the St. Regis Hotel in New York City); and I have even made Bloody Mary-inspired recipes like a Bloody Mary salad or Bloody Mary burgers, which shows you how much I just crave that taste. I guess it helps that tomatoes are my favorite food to begin with.
Anyway, needless to say, I have my favorite spots to get a Bloody around the city. Thus, this is why you shouldn’t take this lightly when I say– without bias– that Miller Park is one of them.
The spicy option has just the right amount of kick and, even if you don’t get to build your own Bloody, the fixin’s that come standard are perfect as well. Cheers!
John: Cait is most definitely the “go to” person when it comes to Bloody Marys. I enjoy a good Bloody Mary here and there, but Cait’s opinion here should be taken a little more seriously than mine. Everyone has a personal preference when it comes to Bloody Marys. My preference is just a little bit of spice and I prefer not to have it loaded with “groceries.” I don’t need everything that can be found in a kitchen tossed in. A couple of olives, maybe a cheese cube (I’m from Wisconsin after all!), a lemon wedge–whatever–just keep it simple with a few garnishes and I’m good.
The Blood Mary carts allow you to choose your preferred level of spiciness. Already off to a good start! The garnishes were simple and didn’t overpower the drink, just the way I like it. A very generous portion will last you a couple of innings and this treat is sure to please. Enjoy and remember to drink responsibly!
Rating:
(out of 5)
Where To Satisfy Your Craving: Fans can find the Miller Park Bloody Mary on the Field Level on two carts near the Home Plate Gate and on a cart near Section 117; they are also available on the Loge Level, near the Press Box and in the right-field corner. On Sundays, you can find a Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary station near the Home Plate Bar on the PNC Club Level.
What about you? Do you have a favorite ballpark snack-or drink? Want to dispute our review? A question about concessions? Something you’d like to see featured here? Post your comments below!
We’ll be back with another edition of What John and Cait Ate during the next homestand and until then, stay cool and…Bon Appetit!
-John and Cait
What John and Cait Ate: Fair Fare
“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
-Yogi Berra
“When you come to a fork in the road, take it…and try these concessions!”
-John & Cait
This week in What John and Cait Ate:
Fair Fare
During each homestand, we will be meeting with John DiMartini, Executive Chef at Delaware North Sportservice/Miller Park to sample some of the latest and greatest Miller Park fare and review it here, for you.
Here in Wisconsin, we should be very proud because our state fair: The Wisconsin State Fair, presented by U.S. Cellular–is indeed a great state fair (and the only state fair around)! It is one of the best in the country, well-known for the excellent entertainment, competitions, and probably most of all, the amazing array of delicious–and oftentimes, unique–food.
Each year, people across the state and even those outside of the state, flock to West Allis to take in the Fair and it’s fare. Well, now you can satisfy some of your cravings just a little bit earlier than August because Sportservice, which also provides a lot of the food service for the fair, has opened a State Fair-inspired food stand at Miller Park.
We’re really excited because, here at the Brewers, we have a wonderful relationship with the Wisconsin State Fair. In fact, our $13 Fair Fridays ticket package [a Terrace ticket to a Friday home game, plus a general admission ticket to the Wisconsin State Fair, good any day of the Fair, August 2-12--for just $13] is among the top sellers year in and year out. Thus, now when fans purchase this package, they’ll get to enjoy Wisconsin State Fair treats at least twice this year!
So, this week, Chef John invited us to sample the variety of deep-fried items (plus margaritas!) from the new 1st Base Fry Bar, in the right-field corner on Field Level.
Read on for a description, photos and reviews!
Gourmet Corn Brat-$6.00
This is just what it sounds like–a corn dog, but instead of a hot dog, Chef John’s crew has deep fried another Wisconsin favorite: a Klement’s brat!
John: Nothing says State Fair like food on a stick! This is definitely not a full meal, but a pretty good snack. Try it with the Secret Stadium Sauce. The corn dogs and corn brats are dipped fresh with batter right at the stand, they are never frozen.
Cait: I cannot remember the last time I had a corn dog, but this corn brat brought back memories of grade school lunches. The brat added a new, unexpected dimension to the flavor and hey, who doesn’t love food on a stick?!
Rating:
(out of 5)
Next up…
Deep Fried Cheesecake- $7.50
John: I really didn’t know what to expect with this one, but I thought it was pretty good. Not to go all gourmet on everyone, but it tasted like a strawberry blintz or a strawberry crepe. I would share this with a friend, it was perfectly sized for two.
Cait: This dessert was definitely rich, to say the least! The cheesecake was warm and melted in my mouth. The effect kind of reminded me of a cannoli, or a crepe as John said. As with most of these items, I’m also going to recommend you share with friends–too rich for for me to eat the entire thing on my own! Chef John tells us they are going to experiment with this treat, trying a deep-friend bananas foster type treat, so stay tuned!
Rating:
(out of 5)
Funnel Fries- $4
John: I can’t visit State Fair without a Funnel Cake, but I always find them messy. You are picking them apart and tearing pieces off here and there. It was almost like eating french toast sticks that I remember as a kid. This made the Funnel Cake experience cleaner and easier to eat. A delicious sweet treat.
Cait: These funnel fries were very sweet and, like the cheesecake, melted in my mouth.
Rating:
(out of 5)
BBQ or Buffalo Boneless Chicken Wings- $9.50
State Fair style boneless chicken wings, served with BBQ or Buffalo sauce, and a side of french fries.
John: You could put Buffalo sauce on pretty much anything and I would enjoy it. At the same time, the BBQ flavored wings were also excellent. These were easy to eat–since they are boneless, you can just use a fork. This could serve as a full meal for one as the order contained plenty of the boneless wings. In addition, the fresh-cut fries completed the plate.
Cait: These wings were probably my favorite item at the stand. Both the BBQ and Buffalo style were very good. The portion sizes were very generous and I think this would make a good meal, or again, a good snack to share with friends.
Rating:
(out of 5)
Deep Fried Bacon Strips- $7.50
The name says it all. Deep. Fried. Bacon Strips.
John: Pretty hard to describe these. If you are in for something unique, try this snack. I don’t think I would eat an entire serving of these all by myself, but it would be fun to share as a group. Although, it is pretty hard to stop snacking on these.
Cait: ”Those are addicting,” Chef John warned us, as we dove into the basket of bacon strips. Yes, I can see what he means. It’s got the salty bacon-y taste, wrapped in a soft deep-fried outer shell. And the portion size here is also very generous, so once again, a good item to get with a group of friends, just to try something new.
Rating:
(out of 5)
Where To Satisfy Your Craving: All of these items can be found at 1st Base Fry Bar, located in the right-field corner on the Field Level (near the Associated Bank Kids Zone). This stand also features a couple of the speciality french fries we featured last year, The Montreal and the Garlic Fries, as well as a variety of beverages. Note: If fried foods aren’t your thing, ham, turkey and veggie deli wraps are also available for just $6.50 at this stand as well!
Chef John also wanted us to try the Frozen Cocktails at the adjacent stand. It was a tough job, but someone had to do it! Plus, all that deep fried fare was making us thirsty…
Frozen Cocktails -$9.50
Strawberry, Blue Raspberry and Regular are the margarita flavors offered at the Frozen Cocktails stand, along with a special flavor that will change throughout the season. Today’s flavor was mango (pictured above, left).
John: I’m really not a huge fan of the sugary frozen drinks, but these cocktails were both pretty refreshing–perfect for washing down some salty fried food. They both tasted like fruit smoothies, which could get a little dangerous. Drink responsibly! (Side note: I love the souvenir mug with the Barrel Man logo!)
Cait: Forget 5 o’clock. It’s game time and these frozen cocktails are delicious! They’ll instantly make you feel like you’re on vacation somewhere tropical. Very refreshing and a great choice during a hot summer day game!
Rating:
(out of 5)
Where To Satisfy Your Craving: All of these items can be found at the Frozen Cocktails stand next to the 1st Base Fry Bar, located in the right-field corner on the Field Level. This stand also features wine and slushies.
What about you? Do you have a favorite ballpark snack? Want to dispute our reviews? A question about concessions? Something you’d like to see featured here? Post your comments below!
We’ll be back with another edition of What John and Cait Ate during the next homestand and until then, stay cool and…Bon Appetit!






































































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