Values and splurges: What's new to eat at Ford Field this Lions' season

DETROIT — Stacked Bloody Marys, loaded fries, sweet treats and wearable frozen cocktails are part of the culinary line up at Ford Field this year for the upcoming Detroit Lions season. The Detroit Lions and hospitality partner Levy showcased some of the new and returning munchies to members of Metro Detroit's food and sports media Wednesday afternoon. Executive chef Matt Coleman said he was most excited about the new Food Passport, which encourages fans to mark off certain dishes on a score card for a chance to win Lions' merchandise and autographed memorabilia. "We're playing off of our Drink of the Game Passport that we've done in the past. We've had a lot of success with it," said Coleman, who is entering his fourth season as the chef for Ford Field. "This year in the concessions we're bringing a Food Passport as well. We've tapped in to the neighborhoods of Detroit, narrowed it to about eight different neighborhoods that speak to to the different cuisine, the different types of culture that drive this city." These dishes include Greektown loaded falafel tots, Corktown corned beef nachos, Poletown mini kielbasa hoagies, Dearborn loaded shawarma fries and more. More loaded french fries are found at two of Ford Field's restaurant partners: Xav's Jammin Caribbean Fusion and Paradise Street Eats & Biryani. Both local businesses who specialize in culinary fusion and have locations in Metro Detroit in addition to being at Ford Field this season. Xav's Jammin Caribbean Fusion in Section 135 will have jerk chicken wings and bowls of fries loaded with shrimp, jerk chicken or black beans (a vegan option). "We highlight our traditional Jamaican dishes but incorporate some Latin influences in it. I'm a Spanish Jamaican. So we have jerk chicken empanadas, our jerk chicken loaded fries, our black bean loaded fries which can be vegan, and all our meats, fries and sauces are gluten-free," said owner and chef Xavier Jaramillo. Xav's Jammin Caribbean Fusion's loaded jerk chicken fries has a hint of sweetness and a touch of heat. Like Paradise Street Eats & Biryani's loaded fries, there's a heartiness to them, which is what you want to keep you energized through the game. Paradise, which has a brick-and-mortar location in Dearborn and food trucks in Greektown and Southfield, will also serve butter chicken tacos that are flavorful with a ton of textures from the tender meat, crunchy slaw and soft, roti-style taco shell. Find Paradise Street Eats & Biryani in Section 235 and also at the Firth Third Gridiron Club on Level 3. Another location partner is Berkley's Bombshell Treat Bar in Section 124, which can hook you up with a loaded sweet and salty ice cream bar that's been dipped in chocolate, drizzled in caramel and topped with pretzels and potato chips. As always, the stadium strives to have concessions at a lower price point, starting with the $12.99 kids meal that comes with a choice of a turkey and cheddar sandwich or two chicken tenders, plus chips, a cookie and a drink. There's also the F-150 Tailgate Combo for adults for the same price that includes an Italian sausage or bratwurst and a bag of chips. These and other lower-priced value meals are found in the "Deals in the Den Marketplaces," which are new to sections 227 and 242. The big splurge this year is going to be at the bar. Wednesday's media preview showed off a plastic cup shaped like the Lions logo that says "One Pride" with a big shiny plastic chain around it. Called a "frozen wearable," the souvenir cup will run $49.99 plus the cost of the frozen alcoholic beverage. There's also a "cooler cup" shaped like one of those big barrel water coolers in Honolulu blue for a $19.99 upcharge to your alcoholic beverage. mbaetens@detroitnews.com This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Values and splurges: What's new to eat at Ford Field this Lions' season