OC Fair: C & C Concessions; The Hook & The Ranch
Have you ever wanted the best of both worlds when it comes to fair food? Then, boy, is this the concession stand for you. But don’t take the words “concession stand” too lightly, this establishment is nothing shy of special.
C&C Concessions, since the 1960’s, has fed millions of customers and has appeared at thousands of locations and events just like the OC Fair. Whatever your needs are — all inclusive food and beverages, alcoholic beverage services, rigid facility management, or a simple concession stand — C&C has you covered.
OC Fair attendee Tim Dennison and his family have been coming to the C&C stand for many years and had nothing but good things to say.
“This is where my family and I usually start our day when we come, it’s simply amazing and it has us all hooked! says Dennison. “Everything they offer from the fish tacos to their prime rib is incredible and keeps us coming back for more year after year.” He enjoys the pork chop on a stick with fried pickles on the side.
Back in the 1960’s, founder Charles Giordano, 78, and some friends set out for the Arizona state fair, a day that would change the Giordano family forever. Walking through and seeing how expensive things could be marked up, he developed his million dollar idea.
“I started this company many years ago to make a difference in event food, and that’s what we’ve done. We’re able to compete with others because we have prime locations” says Giordano. “We offer good food, and our trailers, even though they are custom made for special events, were constructed with colors and lights to contend with other concessions that come in for the fair.”
Of the many concessions they offer, the two that the family have brought to the OC Fair for the last 12 years — The Hook &a The Ranch — were extreme in comparison to the food one may encounter daily. They have a history of excellence, and success that permeateS the air.
The Hook:
The Hook, a fish & chips concession trailer with a twist, specializes in fried seafood.
This pop-up trailer comes complete with a full cookhouse staff and kitchen. Known for selling french fries, fried clams, freshly beer battered fish or shrimp tacos and popcorn shrimp, all served with their specialty “Pico-slaw”; a mixture of Pico de gallo and coleslaw.
The two best sellers; the fish & shrimp tacos, are loaded to the brim with pico-slaw, a special chipotle sauce, and fresh beer battered fish and shrimp. One bite will have you on cloud nine, and when partnered with their homemade green sauce, their extremely hard to compete with. “I urge anyone that may not like fish try these out, you won’t regret it”, says Nicole Isham, 28, of Fullerton.
When asked to spill the secret about what makes the fresh beer batter so tasty, Ashton repliedS with a smile, “thats the million dollar question that keeps people coming back for more. If I told you that, it wouldn’t be a secret now would it?”
The Ranch:
Directly connected to The Hook is The Ranch, a country western themed BBQ concession trailer and one of the family’s premier attractions. The trailer is equipped with a custom welded smoker, two large open wood fire grills, a gas grill, and a full kitchen staff.
This godly concession serves BBQ sandwiches (tri tip, pulled pork or chicken), 1/2 pound sausages & dogs (spicy, smoked or polish), deep-fried cheeseburgers (applewood smoked bacon or classic), pork chop on a stick, fried pickles w/ ranch, french fries, onion rings, ranch beans and last but not least coleslaw. Upon walking the grounds to speculate if anything could compete, the determination that this spot was “beastly” was quickly made; the long line of customers spoke for itself.
The Cowboy fries, a basket of fries covered with smokey prime rib, topped with shredded cheese and their special BBQ sauce.The prime rib itself is phenomenal and takes a full 24 hours to marinate to the exact specifications of Martin, the family’s main cook and recipe crafter for the last 28 years.
Martin had this to say when asked about his marinade, “while I can’t disclose the secret, I can say that the ingredients going into my marinades have been passed down generation to generation, bringing everyone a great fortune.”
