My favorite food at The Big E this year is a hot dog gamechanger | Nick Ate It

Just think: If I hadn’t taken that one turn, I would have missed a groundbreaking innovation in hot dog technology.

That would be the Cheesy Puerto Rican Dog from Boricua Bites. You can find them at The Front Porch at The Big E.

It’s a simple, brilliant concept: a hot dog and cheese wrapped in a tortilla and deep-fried — like a hot dog empanada. Best of all, it’s one of the more affordable foods at the fair at just $6.

You can listen to me bloviate more about this cool hot dog. Or you can just take this map that will point you to where you need to go.

My favorite thing at The Big E this year: The Cheesy Puerto Rican Dog

Every year, I head to The Big E like a deep-fried Don Quixote tilting at Ferris wheels. I go and try all the hyped-up foods that we see in press releases and on social media.

But not everything gets advertised. Some stuff falls between the cracks. That was the case with Boricua Bites.

They’re a Springfield-based Puerto Rican restaurant that has been open for less than six months. I hadn’t heard anything about them being at The Big E.

But as I finished up my trip to the fairgrounds Tuesday, I just happened to cut through the Front Porch on my way to get the last item on my pre-written list.

I didn’t remember a stall being in this spot when I did my pre-Big E scouting mission. It’s like it magically fell from the sky, blasting festive music and offering something I’d never heard of before.

I saw “Cheesy Puerto Rican Dog” on the menu for $6. I had no idea what it actually entailed. I ordered one without asking any further questions.

What does it taste like?

OK, I’ll admit it. After receiving my order, I did the prudent thing and asked a staffer, “So uh, what exactly did I just order?”

“We take a hot dog and put it in a tortilla and deep fryer,” one guy said.

“It’s like an empanada!” another staffer clarified.

It took me one bite to realize, yup, I made a great decision. This thing is cheesy and savory with a flaky, chewy exterior. It hits a lot of familiar flavor notes, but puts just enough of a creative spin on it to make it a fun new adventure.

I really enjoyed the toothsome textures you get here. The exterior is craggly, fresh from the fryer. The hot dog has snap. The cheese packs flavor and acts as a glue to hold the whole thing together.

Looking back, I should have gotten two. The Boricua Bites stall sells two for $11. That’s such a good deal. I was too busy blowing $31 on a Lobster Volcano and $10 on a cup of Dr. Pepper mixed with pickle juice.

So is it any good?

Absolutely. I’m going to be singing this hot dog’s praises for years.

There are plenty of flashier foods with outlandish ingredients at The Big E. But a lot of those will run you $15-20 and come in huge, unwieldy portions.

For me, the Cheesy Puerto Rican Dog is the ideal fair food. It’s novel, affordable, tasty and portable. You don’t need utensils. You can eat it while you walk. It doesn’t really need condiments, either.

The final word

To find the Cheesy Puerto Rican Dog, look for the black-and-white stall next to the Better Living Center — on the same side as the Court of Honor Stage.

Or better yet, here’s another map.

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“I ate it so you don’t have to” is a regular food column about off-beat eats, both good and bad. I picked the name years ago and now we’re sort of stuck with it.

You can send any praise/food suggestions to nomalley@masslive.com. Please send all criticisms and ideas for new kinds of hot dogs to wkatcher@masslive.com. You can check out the rest of the series here.