FALL RIVER — It’s time for Round 3, also known as the Final Four, of our head-to-head tournament to determine our favorite iconic Fall River food.
Voting started two weeks ago and in narrowing down our original list of 16 classic Spindle City dishes to four, you have knocked out classics like the Coney Island hot dog, the hot cheese sandwich, Patti’s Pierogis and Venus de Milo soup. Now it is time to determine which two classic dishes will face off in the finals.
Voting will open each Wednesday for three weeks and close on Sundays. Here are your contenders. Keep scrolling to vote!
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Chouriço and chips vs. Lebanese meat pie
In the first round of voting poll chouriço and chips topped chow mein for sandwich supremacy by 62% to 37% and the Lebanese meat pie was victorious over the French meat pie by 66% to 33%.
As the two dishes moved into the second round of voting the chouriço and chips beat out the caçoila 56% to 44%, and the Lebanese meat pie dominated over the hot cheese sandwich, 65% to 35%.
Chouriço and chips: The classic English fish and chips gets a Portuguese twist with spicy sausage sliced in rounds instead of seafood. The best way to eat chouriço and chips, of course, is to pack the fries and chouriço into a hearty roll.
Lebanese meat pies: Immigrants from the Middle East brought over the Lebanese meat pie, a triangular packet of fluffy, breadlike dough packed with minced meat that bursts with flavor.
Now who will move on to the finals?
Take the challenge:Chopped cheese sandwiches have hit Brockton. Stop by Khalil’s Kitchen to participate.
Malassadas vs. Portuguese steak
In the first week of voting, Portuguese massa mopped the floor with pasteis de nata, 68% to 32%. And malassadas absolutely trounced bolos levedos, with 84.5% of the vote. And the vote was much closer in week 2 as these two temptingly tasty sweet treats faced off. Malassadas pulled out the win though, 53% to 47%.
In another show of dominance in week one, kale soup took the golden ladle over Venus de Milo soup, 66% to 34%. While the Portuguese steak, easily beat Patti’s Pierogis with 77.5% of the vote. In week 2, Portuguese steak, dominated the match-up over kale soup, 65% to 35%.
Now which will win malassadas or Portuguese steak?
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Malassadas: These golden brown plates of luscious fried dough, coated in sugar, are most often found at Portuguese festas, though any time can be festa time if you’re creative enough.
Portuguese steak: Azorean immigrants who couldn’t afford beef back in the Old Country made a steak dish one of their favorites in America — but still thrifty, cut thin, sometimes pounded flat, marinated in garlic and wine, and served topped with a fried egg and red pepper strips.
Dan Medeiros can be reached at [email protected]. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News today.