Take Me Out to the Ballgame – A Visit to FirstEnergy Park and the Lakewood BlueClaws – More on the Food

by Alice Magdziak • April 11, 2013 • Food, Ocean, Shore To Please, Sports & Leisure, Various and Sundry • Comments (0) • 3304

We attended a game last week and wrote an article on the whole experience. But, we had so much to say about the food at FirstEnergy Park that it needed its own article. We also made a third post for all the great pictures we got that night.

Now, on to the food! First off, there were all the usual things that you expect from a ballpark. Soft pretzels that were fresh and actually soft (not heated on a rack to the point of being cooked through and tough). Popcorn, cotton candy, hamburgers and hot dogs were all found throughout the concession area. But, everywhere we went we also found specialty food items that made us even more happy.

Before we even arrived, I knew that I wanted to see the Horizon Healthy Plate concession sponsored by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. They had quite a few healthier options for dinner and everything was made fresh. Check out this turkey burger.

Having it made fresh when I ordered meant that I had to wait a few minutes for my burger to be prepared but it was worth it because it was delicious. Fresh turkey that was well-grilled on the outside but tender on the inside on a whole wheat roll with lettuce and red onion. Really, really fresh and delicious and I didn’t hate myself afterward for having a greasy burger. They also had a veggie burger, grilled vegetable sandwich and a few other options on the healthier menu. What a great idea. I wish all the ballparks we’re visiting this spring had this kind of concession!

The most important food find for us land-lubbers was a Surf Taco stand.

If, like us, you don’t live near a Surf Taco it’s a good day when you find a place where you can get your taco fix. Out past right field, Surf Taco and Charlie’s Pizza stands can be found along with plenty of seating.

Keep walking around the outfield fence and into center field and you get to the Tiki Bar. A nice selection of beers can be had here away from the crowds in the stands.

Walk back around left field and into the grandstand area and the first food you see is a shore staple. The funnel cake stand! Ed tried one to make sure it was good and it lived up to his expectations. Hot and doughy with plenty of powdered sugar to end up on his jacket. Just right!

Also near the funnel cakes was a cheese steak stand which smelled really good but we were stuffed from trying too many other things to get to try one. There was always a line for the cheese steak sandwiches so they must have been good!

Next up was The Dog House. The regular concessions had plain hot dogs but The Dog House was “making ordinary, extraordinary” and getting into the toppings. There was a mac and cheese dog, a Firecracker dog, and a Chicago and a Philly dog.

Ed tried the Firecracker dog and proclaimed it to be seriously spicy and a really good dog to boot. It started off with a giant red-hot style sausage and was topped with chili, cheese and guacamole. It was messy but totally worth it. Just look at that thing. It’s a thing of beauty to the poeple who bring you the Annual Hot Dog Tour.

There were also amazing sliders and a Chinese food stand! FirstEnergy Stadium had just about anything you could think of in stadium food and some you things you’d never think of. We really were blown away by the quantity and quality of food!