Food at the Fair

 By Bruce Shawkey

The range of edibles at the Fair was extensive, with nearly all ethnic cuisines represented. Here is a partial list of foods fair-goers could eat.

The big hit for many people at the fair was the Belgian waffles, served at the Belgium Pavilion. Many people raved about them, piled high with strawberries and whipped cream.

99 cent dishes at the Chun King Inn: egg foo young, fried rice, shrimp egg roll, chicken or shrimp chowmein, beverage of your choice.

HAWAII: Daily buffet luncheons, 12-course luaus, fruits and nuts at the Sandwich Island Bar, all at the Aloha Theme Pavilion.

AFRICA PAVILION: Stewed chicken with peanuts.

BELGIUM: beef, crepes, lobster with cream, waffles, as mentioned above.

DENMARK: Seafoods and open-face sandwiches.

FESTIVAL OF GAS: America's contributions to gourmet cooking: Stuffed Amish ham, Indian grilled salmon, pumpkin pie.

FRANCE: buffet and wines, French beer.

GREECE: stuffed grape leaves, Greek lamb dishes.

INDIA: Charcoal roasted chicken.

JAPAN: diners sit at low tables and leave their shoes at the door. Sukiyaki and Tempura are among the dishes served. Sukiyaki is a dish of sliced meat, especially beef, fried rapidly with vegetables and sauce.

LOUISIANA: Fried chicken and French peasant cookery.

MALAYSIA: Satay (skewered beef) and curries (chicken, lamb and beef) served from wagons at tableside. 

MINNESOTA: The North Star Viking's smorgasbord table groans with over 100 foods from Minnesota. Continental breakfast until 10 a.m. 

MOROCCO: An outdoor terrace offers American food, and lamb, chicken and beef prepared in the Moroccan manner. There is also a supper club, the Thousand and One Nights.

NEW ENGLAND: Millstone at the Fair recalls early New England, with clam chowder, beef pies, johnnycake. 

NEW MEXICO: The Hitching POst offers cafeteria service and Spanish-American specialties. Beer only. 

PAKISTAN: Beef, lamb, chicken and goat, served on rice or wheat, are on the menu.

PAVILION of AMERICAN INTERIORS: The rooftop Glass Tower Restaurant serves a buffet lunch as well as de luxe dinners of American regional specialties, each week featuring dishes from a different state.

POLYNESIA: Plate specials offer both Polynesian and American foods and include appetizer and beverage.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA: The Korea House provides such foods as spiced spareribs and marinated meats with side dishes.

RHEINGOLD: The favorites of New York of the 1900s (for example, oysters Rockefeller and beef Stroganoff) are at the Town House.

SCHAEFER: Schaefer Center has an ample buffet (chickens, hams) and tables around a fountain.

SPAIN: The Granada and the Toledo both offer Continental cuisine, with specialties from every part of Spain. There are flamenco dancers.

SWEDEN: The smorgasbord restaurant has hot and cold specialties, including herring prepared in a dozen ways.

SWITZERLAND: Le Chalet has a balcony and wooden tables, and serves cheese fondues, ramequins, raclette,  and six fine Swiss wines that have never been served before in the United States. 

(A ramequin is a small, typically ceramic dish used for baking and serving individual portions.  It is often used for dishes like soufflés, custards, and desserts. Ramequins can also be used for serving appetizers or side dishes. They come in various sizes and colors, adding aesthetic appeal to the table. The term originates from the French word "ramequin," which refers to a small dish or mold.

Raclette is a dish of Swiss origin, also popular in other countries, based on heating cheese and scraping off the melted part, then typically served with boiled potatoes. Raclette is historically a dish originating from the canton of Valais in Switzerland. Raclette cheese is also a Swiss-type cheese marketed specifically to be used for this dish.)

TEXAS: The Frontier Palace re-creates a Western dance hall, serving up steaks and fried chicken as well as entertainment. A chuck-wagon offers $3.00 suppers after 10 p.m.

THAILAND: Both lunch and dinner are buffet, with sweet and sour crisp noodles and various curries.

 WEST VIRGINIA: A cafeteria offers fried chicken dinners and West Virginia ham sandwiches. No bar.

WISCONSIN: Tad's Steaks serves, in cafeteria-style, a $1.19 dinner featuring charcoal-broiled sirloin steaks.

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