Eagles eats: Talorico chows down on pricey, high-calorie foods at Lincoln Financial Field

PHILADELPHIA — Here's one reason why so many people tailgate before a Philadelphia Eagles game:

Food and drinks at Lincoln Financial Field are expensive, high in calories, and not that much better than what you might find at a carnival, boardwalk or state fair.

But to be fair, no one is really looking for fancy eats at a football game. And, you won't really find it at the Linc. Well, unless you have access to one of the 172 pricey, luxury suites (costing around $15,000-$25,000) or a premium lounge area like the Tork Club, where one of those extra-wide, padded seats on the stadium's second-tier will cost more than two Benjamins.

Cheesesteaks, roasted pork sandwiches, hoagies, pizza, tacos, nachos, variations of soft pretzels, hot dogs and French fries, lots and lots and lots of French fries, are the norm throughout the main concourse of the South Philadelphia stadium. 

And none of it is cheap. Expect to pony up $15 for a Dietz & Watson hot dog and a can of Bud Light.

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Oh, and the Linc also gives you another squeeze – they list the calorie count for just about everything you order and eat.

While chowing down on that $5 dog ($6 for a kosher one) and brew, you can take discomfort in knowing that you've just consumed between 500 to 570 calories toward the general healthy nutrition allowance of 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day.

Are you ready for some football? The first game for the Super Bowl LII champs is Thursday at 8:20 p.m. against the Atlanta Falcons. We went to an Eagles' preseason game and checked out  some of the Linc's food and drink offerings this year.

First things first: Have cash or credit card handy (MasterCard, Visa and American Express) and leave giant handbags and fanny packs at home. Only small clutch purses, about the size of a hand, with or without a handle or strap are permitted in the stadium.

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The Eagles encourage fans not to bring any bags, but transparent ones are allowed. You can bring along either a 12-by-6-by-12-inch clear tote bag or a one-gallon freezer bag.

Follow the rules or else you'll be walking back to your vehicle or coughing up at least $20 to check your bag in a locker.

Actually, the cha-ching! starts before you even enter the stadium. General parking is $40 for cars; $80 for over-sized vehicles. Parking at nearby FDR Park is $30.

And this is just the beginning of the spending. Want to wet your whistle? A domestic draft beer such as Miller Lite or Budweiser will be $10, while a "premium" brew such as Yuengling or Stella Artois is $12. Want a can of either? That'll be between $13-$15 and anywhere from 130 to 450 calories.

Looking for a cocktail? A whiskey and cola is $12 and clocks in at 170 calories.

If you're the designated driver, or don't feel like consuming any alcoholic beverages, a bottle of soda is $6 — and up to 250 calories — and bottles of water will set you back between $5-$7. 

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After I bought water, a counter person said she had to remove and keep the cap before giving the bottle to me. (Hey, hasn't the statue of limitations run out on Eagles fans hurling things like snowballs and batteries?)

However, my sister got a bottle of water at another concession stand and got to keep the cap. I'm guessing I looked like a person who would throw a cap.

Aramark, the concessionaire for Lincoln Financial Field, usually partners each season with a premier restaurateur or a top celebrity chef. New this year are offerings from renowned chef, author and TV personality David Chang, known for his Momofuku restaurant empire.

The new Fuku stall (section 114) is one of Chang's fast-casual chicken counters. The Fuku spicy fried chicken sandwich is a habanero-brined thigh served on a Martin’s potato roll and garnished with pickles and butter. It's $13 for the sandwich and $19 (and 936 calories) for the sandwich and jalapeño-seasoned fries.

I've eaten at Chang's restaurants before and was pretty psyched to try this counter. But the Fuku sandwich looked slapped together, was greasy and overly spicy to the point it wasn't enjoyable to eat. The fries also had a lot of fire, especially for tender tongues.

I much preferred the Fuku crispy chicken breast fingers ($15 and 671 calories if you get the tender with fries). They were crunchy and very good, though $15 for three tenders is pricey.

Perhaps a better choice for potatoes is Chickie & Pete's famous Crabfries. (You don't get crab, but rather crab-seasoning on the fried potatoes.) Hand over $12 and check off 1,120 calories.

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A crazy, forget-about-the-waistline snack was the South Philly Steak N' Bake ($12). It's a cup of French fries loaded with a Philly steak (sans roll), melted American cheese and topped with chopped, smoked bacon. Plan a work out before and the day-after it. The over-the-top nosh is a whopping 2,230 calories. 

Ben Franklin Buffalo Bleu fries ($12 and 2,060 calories) are loaded with chicken marinated in made-in-house hot sauce, topped with melted American cheese and blue cheese crumbles. Just want a cup of plain fries? That'll be $8 and 1,590 calories. 

Skip the Federal Pretzel Twisted Soft Pretzel. The one we got was gummy and soggy. Due to the humid night, moisture had built-up in the plastic bag. It looked about as appealing as chewing on a sponge.

There are some fun items for diehard Eagles fans like the Linc's signature sandwiches, unveiled in 2014, named for Mike Quick and Harold Carmichael, two of the team's legendary Pro Bowl receivers.

The Quick ($12; 700 calories) is pulled pork smoked over black cherry wood for 12 hours. It's served on a potato roll and topped with housemade slaw. You can get it with Kansas City-style barbecue sauce
.

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The Carmichael ($12; 570 calories) is maple-sugar smoked pulled chicken topped with housemade slaw, potato roll and a recommended Carolina Vinegar barbecue sauce. 

Up the ante with The Quick and Carmichael ($17; 780 calories) a mega-sandwich that combines both pulled pork and pulled chicken with slaw on a potato roll. 

Another newcomer this year is Aramark's signature taco trios. Mojo pork tacos, exclusive to the Linc, feature three flour tortillas filled with Mojo-style chopped pork, queso blanco cheese sauce, pickled diced red onions, cilantro and long hot pepper hot sauce. The cost is $15. No calorie count was given.

Want a more traditional Philly treat like an Italian hoagie? That'll be $12 and 1,480 calories. A beef brisket meatball sandwich is $12 and 440 calories.

Vegans and gluten-free eaters can take heart. The Linc has you covered. Go to sections 120 and 216 for gluten-free items. A vegan banh mi sandwich is $8. No calorie count was given for the snack featuring crispy marinated tofu, napa cabbage, jalapeños, cucumbers, carrots and Sriracha vegenaise on a gluten-free roll. 

Forking over cash for average, high-calorie food probably won't dampen enthusiasm for the Eagles. Anticipation for a good season is high. Walking around and hearing the piped-in voice of famed sports announcer Merrill Reese calling the plays with on-air partner Mike Quick only adds to the air of excitement and thrills.

And when the wind whips around, the concourse smells like frying meat and salty fries.

It's intoxicating, and perhaps better still, the aroma is free. 

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico