When you think of a Toledo Mud Hens game, the first thing that might come to mind is the atmosphere—the aroma of popcorn and hot dogs, the sound of vendors hawking ice-cold beer, and that satisfying smack of the ball hitting the bat’s sweet spot.
Recently, the stadium atmosphere at Fifth Third Field has gotten even better. When executive chef Dusten Brown took over menu planning for the Mud Hens two seasons ago, he brought with him plenty of experience, a passion for good food and—hailing from Grand Rapids, Ohio—a deep understanding of what Midwesterners look for when they eat at the ballgame.
Brown works for A Cut Above Catering, the company responsible for dining options at the stadium. “What can you add to a basic item to make it different?” he responded when asked about his approach to the stadium’s menu. “Most of the time, it’s about changing perception.”
Breathtaking view of the game
I really didn’t know what to expect when I arrived at the Birdcage Bar and Grill, the Mud Hens’ suite-level restaurant (open to all ticket holders; reservations recommended). On game day, there were plenty of patrons around the bar and the restaurant was bustling. Despite the crowd, I was immediately greeted by a server and seated at a window table—offering a breathtaking view of the field from behind home plate just as the game began.
The setting was obviously different from the normal concession-stand experience. One glance at the menu and I immediately saw what Brown had referred to as the “basic items.” Finger foods like sliders and fried green beans made up the appetizer section, and entrees included a variety of creative burgers, sandwiches, and salads. They also offered an assortment of cocktails, beer and sodas.
To start, I opted for the fried green bean appetizer with wasabi ranch dipping sauce. It arrived in a tempura batter so light that, when I picked them up, the little fried snacks left no grease on my hands. The flavor of the green beans was strong, and the wasabi in the accompanying sauce had a kick to it that was complementary, but not overbearing.
Next was the Holy Toledo hot dog, a Kobe beef dog with a delightfully complex tenderloin chili sauce topped with Muenster and Monterey Jack cheeses ($25). This daunting dog was the type of menu item you’d eat on a dare. What I noticed right away was that the carrots, onions and celery in the chili sauce were cut meticulously — this was professional work, the slight heat of the chili sauce wasn’t drastic and fit nicely.
In the bottom of the second inning, I was ready for dessert. A hot-fudge cream puff ($8), delicate, flaky and not too sweet, was served in two halves with a small scoop of Toft’s vanilla ice cream in the middle. You could tell from the first bite that the buttery fudge was made from scratch, with a pleasant vanilla aftertaste that blended nicely with the ice cream.
Most-popular menu item
For the sake of comparison, the macaroni-and-cheese dog found at Hen and Hound ($5) is lighter on the wallet, and more accessible for children. It started out as a joke between the chef and his team; it’s now the concession menu’s best-seller.
Although it didn’t quite compare to the gourmet dog I had upstairs, the concession hot dog was standard and nostalgic, just like the game. With a premium birds-eye view behind home plate, the Birdcage Bar and Grill is its own kind of sweet spot for any Toledoan.
Toledo Mud Hens offers catering options for weddings, parties, and other special events.
For more information, contact Angie Dixon at A Cut Above Catering at 419-725-4394. acutabovecatering.com
