Last weekend I went to my first Giants game at AT&T Park, where the food may be as much of a draw as the game — its concessions were described in a recent NYT article as a leading example of upscale food in ballparks.

Wes, however, was dead set on a Sheboygan brat. He had no idea what that was, but a poker buddy had recommended it, and that weighed far more heavily with him than the NYT’s rave for the crab sandwich.

And it seems that no one goes to AT&T Park without getting the garlic fries. Whenever you tell someone in the Bay Area that you’re going to a Giants game, their response inevitably includes an appreciative mention of the garlic fries.

With all these food options on my mind, I was startled to arrive at the park and realize how new and gorgeous it is. The red-brick building perches right on the edge of the bay. It was a beautiful day, and the water reflected the blue sky, white sails glided across it, and we could see the Bay Bridge in the near distance. Just behind right field, boats were hovering in hopes of catching a home run ball. Our nosebleed seats were perfect for taking it all in.

First at bat was the Sheboygan brat. It was a fine sausage, meaty and spicy, and I was glad of the sauerkraut and cooked onions. It would have been better with mustard, though, and the bun was like a cotton ball. You’ll notice the garlic fries, just behind the brat, come with mints — very wise. I was surprised that these were just okay (though later I read that you should wait till the 3rd inning or so, to be sure you get a fresh, hot batch), then surprised that I had been surprised — after all, how great could garlic fries be? They were basically like what you’d get at one of those Disneyfied mega-brewpubs like Gordon Biersch or BJ’s. Tasty enough, good with wine, but no big deal.

And while of course there’s beer, there is also a selection of vin de Californie.

Still, the scene isn’t all classy — I caught a guy vomiting on one of the ramps.

It took a while for me to recover from the fries and bratwurst, but I was determined to get that crab sandwich. My friends Moupali and Chris, sitting in a different section, tipped me off that the crab stand was near the giant Coke bottle (which is actually a slide for kids — very family friendly, this place is).

The crab sandwich comes from the stall on the right — I hear the chowder from Pier 44 is not bad either. There’s also Caribbean bbq, but that will have to wait for the next game, as will Dippin’ Dots, the ice cream of the future.

I was confused by the signature Crazy Crab’z sandwich and the regular crab sandwich, which sounded the same, but was told by the rather impatient counter lady that the “crazy” sandwich was hot. I guess that explains the $5 markup, although after all that my sandwich wasn’t hot, which was crazy. The crab filling, though, was fresh and sweet, bound with just a little mayo. I set aside the leaden toasted bread and scooped it up.

Next time, I’m heading straight for the crab stand. I think the cold sandwich is a better buy if the bread is good ($10.50 vs. $15, if memory serves), but the hot sandwich could be worth it if you can get one actually hot. If sandwiches are a no-go, there’s also crab salad ($12), although unfortunately it’s adulterated with celery.