1. Empire Brewery's Tumbleweed Burger
For 16 years, Empire Brewery signature Tumbleweed burger is a favorite among the locals. Made from organic, grass-fed Angus beef in Cazenovia, this meaty delight spills flavor all over your palette. Basted with sweet, stout, barbecue sauce, Chipotle mayo, topped with smoked Gouda cheese, and packed with tumbleweed onions, this dish never outgrows Empire's menu. The burger lays smack between a New York soft, semi sweet bun as onions Gouda, and barbecue sauce ooze out and stain the corners of your mouth. But the burger is nothing without its onions. Thinly sliced and dipped in flour then cased in Cajun spiced made right on Empire's premises, the tumbleweed onions are deep fried to a golden brown perfection.
Best paired with: The Amber Beer
2. Chucks' Fried Pickles
Jersey Shore's pickle connoisseur, Snookie (Nicole Polizzi), should take her empty pickle jar a few hundred miles north to test out Chuck's sports bar and grill for a new kind of sour cucumber-fried pickles. After a former student from Texas requested fried pickles on the Chucks menu eight year ago, the dish made a permanent fit. The onion, bread-and-butter, crinkle-cut pickles come from Patriot Pickles in New Jersey (sure to win Snookie's heart over), and produce about 30 pickle chips in oner serving. The cooks draink the pickles, dip them in a batter of buttermilk, corn starch, baking powder, and Chuck's seasonings, which include salt, pepper, cayenne, and granulated garlic. With every pickle platter comes Chuck's homeade sweet Russian horseradish sauce. The most distinctive ingredient of the pickles is the oil-a soy vegetable oil that's "never too dirty," as Chef Sam Kamen puts it.
Best paired with: Syracuse Pale Ale
3. Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Spruce up your Super Bowl with more than just salsa. You usually can never go wrong with this dip because not only does it satisfy a late night bar craving, but it's usually meant to share with 3 to 4 people. Remember, the best dips are the ones with the homemade chips.
Best Paired with: Miller Light
4. Chuck's Fried Haddock
That's right, you read right: fish at the pub. But not just any fish. Aside from its signature salt potatoes, Central New York also boasts its fried haddock, especially around lunch time at Chuck's. Deep fried and served with tartar sauce, its any fish lovers delight.
Best Paired with: Belgian Golden Ales
5. What about the Wings
Sure it sounds typical, but that's only because wings are a tradition on this beefy Sunday. Whether you find yourself at Dinosaur Barbecue or a random pub with some flat screens, treat yourself to a load of wings bathing in barbecue sauce with some sour cream on the side. The best wings are the ten cent ones, but don't count on this deal for the big day. Remember, it is a day full of field goals and food, so why not splurge.
Best Paired With: Dundee Honey Brown
