*** This location of Chicago on a Bun is no longer
This past Saturday, I was up in the UTC area around lunch, so I decided to grab a "Dog" at Chicago on a Bun in the Renaissance Towne Center.
Now, I'm not a real "Hot Dog" kind of guy, but I do enjoy a good Chicago Dog. In case you really don't know what a "Chicago Dog" is; it's a Beef Hot Dog in a Poppy Seed Bun, with Mustard, Onion, Relish, Tomato, Sport or Hot Peppers (no jalapeno's need apply), Dill Pickle, and most importantly Celery Salt. No kraut please!
Chicago on a Bun is a Mom and Pop business specializing in Chicago Style Hot Dogs, Sandwiches, and Ribs. It's a little shop crammed full of memorabilia, with a large menu:
So what did I order? A Regular Dog ($3.65), and a drink ($1.35). I placed my order with a sweet and funny older Lady, and had a seat. In few minutes my Dog was ready and I had a seat outside.
Dig that relish will ya'! The dog was a good beef dog, a little on the smaller size, but it could be that I'm affected by the Costco-sizing of the world. I wish the relish was a bit sweeter, and that I had a bit more onions. The peppers were a little spicy, though more pickled than hot. I enjoyed the steamed bun, nice and a bit eggy!
One thing about eating this dog; it's almost impossible to eat it in a neat manner.
You see, in order to maximize the experience, you should get a bit of everything in each bite. Which is nearly impossible, since physics dictates that masses of different sizes and textures will escape through the path of least resistance. In other words, stuff is falling everywhere!
All in all, a nice Chicago Dog, though a bit pricey at almost 4 bucks.
Chicago on a Bun
8935 Towne Center Drive
San Diego, CA 92122
Open Daily - Mon-Sat 11-8, Sun 11-5
Renaissance Towne Center is an interesting place, done to look Old World/East Coast like. Parking is really limited, though there are a quite a few eating places in the mall, it seems like the mall was designed to mainly feed the neighborhood. I really like the Clock Tower:
If you only knew, that at the base of the Tower is a Pizza Hut!
Oh, and by the way; if you're the obnoxious, chubby Chinese Girl stage whispering to your 98 pound weakling of a Boyfriend, "He's so gross", while looking at me eating my Hot Dog. Please take to heart what I said to you; "You want to see gross, try the mirror first!" Try a few servings of class, instead of whatever it is you're stuffing your face with next time, OK?
EEYOUCH!! ::grinning ear to ear:: Great lookin' dog, but I sure do wish I had your nerve there Kirk. High Five!
Posted by: Jo | Monday, 10 October 2005 at 10:24 PM
LOL @ the chubby Chinese girl. I love hot dogs, and spent a good two years in Illinois for college, but I never acquired a taste for Chicago style dogs.
Posted by: Grace Park | Monday, 10 October 2005 at 10:35 PM
Hi Jo - I just wanted to enjoy my Hot Dog in peace....people like this make a career of ruining the enjoyment of others....
Hi Grace - Funny, I'm not much of a Hot Dog person, though there's something about having a hot dog at the movies. But I enjoy Chicago Dogs, funny, huh? I think it's the celery salt/mustard/onion combo....
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 10 October 2005 at 10:42 PM
Hiii!!! Remember me? I used to come visit you awhile ago.....
Casey would love to try these dogs.... they look great, but I want to go to that chinese supermarket, I just keep imaging the damage I could do there :)
Posted by: clare eats | Monday, 10 October 2005 at 10:50 PM
YOU GO KIRK!!! See, that kind of sh*t is exactly why I was always afraid of eating solo, and it's people like you I should look up to! Mad props!
BTW, this post didn't have anything to do with Elmo's comment on my Bo 7 Mon post, did it? Hahahahaha--just kidding!!!
Posted by: Pam | Monday, 10 October 2005 at 10:54 PM
Hi Clare - Well I knew you were moving and all, and I was visiting your site while you were checking this out!:o) Hope you feel better soon. You could have a coupla Hot Dogs while shopping at 99 Ranch Market, how does that sound?
Hi Pam - I think maybe the Bo 7 Mon sent me over the edge??? LOL! Actually, eating solo is not the problem. But to tell you the truth, if someone was with me, I might've not done anything...But get between me and my Chicago Dog....
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 10 October 2005 at 11:17 PM
You go, Kirk! You're right--it's hard to look graceful eating a fully-loaded dog. What was she eating, by the way?
Posted by: Angie | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 12:21 AM
What's a hot dog without an overflow of condiments in the same bun falling on the sidewalk. They don't know nothin....
Posted by: RONW | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 04:19 AM
Hi Kirk,
I've never had a Chicago style dog, but I did love Nathan's when I lived in Brooklyn. The shop was right above the DeKalb Avenue train station and I used to walk past that place every day for months before I finally set foot inside. It was a lot different than the hot dogs that I grew up with (anyone say Maui Meat Co?), but they sure were tasty. Gray's Papaya used to make good dogs too. Mmmm.
Posted by: Reid | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 04:48 AM
Hey kirk,
I know how comments like that can really make your day horrible. I got upset once as I had emergency patients and only had 5 minutes for lunch so I ran to the nearest shop which was a bakery and bought an aussie meat pie which I had to eat while walking back. This totally unknown old guy said to me "You should watch your diet and weight eating food like that" Comments like that totally steam my broccoli !! I was too shocked to retort "When I'm on the pension living off other people's tax like you I can stay home and make a salad for lunch"
Anyway, that looked like a really good dog. When I had a roadside dog in NY the sausage was really skinny. I always thought NY dogs had thick sausages. However, the condiments always make them yummy
Posted by: Rachel | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 06:09 AM
Hi Angie - They were sitting on the table next to me - waiting for an order from the place next door....
Hi RONW - I'm guessing your back up and running! And you're right!
Hi Reid - Maui hot dogs! With the red dye coming off on your rice(or bun), now you're talking! Actually, if it's not a Chicago Style Dog, I like one with a little "snap", that is the casing a bit firm. I've had Nathan's in Vegas, but I'm sure it's not like the "real" thing.
Hi Rachel - Funny thing, I was really just taking my time with the Dog, didn't even spill anything. She was just one of those people who likes to insult others to make Herself feel better and spoke a little too loud this time!
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 06:54 AM
I had a Nathan's on Coney Island once. Can't even remember it was so long ago. Lived in Tri-Boroughs. Can't remember the name of the station but it was a couple blocks from a White Castle.
Any of you coming to the Bay Area should try "Casper's" hot dogs. It's a natural casing dog with that nice crisp "POP" when you bite into it. My fav regular dog is "Farmer Johns" brand, made in LA.
Posted by: Jo | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 08:50 AM
Kirk,
Sorry to say that that woman did not have any tact, and she had to attack someone to make her feel better.
Your hotdog looks awesome. I love beef hotdogs, but I love having that snap when I bite. Yum
Posted by: milgwimper | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 09:45 AM
Ugh... people can be so pathetic. Next time you should stick around until her order comes, and then mock her as she eats. Oh well, at least the dog looked good...
Posted by: howie | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 12:17 PM
jeez, some people have NO manners. I can definitely vouch for Grey's Papaya hotdogs (the toasty bun rocks!), and I've eaten them on the street (72nd and Broadway) in full view of everyone with tons of yummy, smelly onions and saurkraut. So Miss Thang can take her you know what and put it you know where. =)
Posted by: penny | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 01:03 PM
Hi Jo - For a regular Dog, I like the harder casing too.
Hi Mills - Tact, Class, Manners, whatever....just a sorry person!
Hi Howie - Maybe I should have you make her some of your Ritz Cracker Surprise????
Hi Penny - Make it a double - sounds great, I've got get myself up to NY one day - hopefully soon!
http://penny.zingzang.net/
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 01:59 PM
I'm giving that chubby Chinese girl the virtual evil eye right now! How rude!
I work only a block away from that center. I haven't explored it very much, though. I ate at the sushi place many years ago and of course the Rubio's. Thanks for the report!
Posted by: Beth - The Zen Foodist | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 02:02 PM
Hi Beth - I heard that Barolo, the Italian Restaurant in the Renaissance Center makes pretty good Italian, have you tried them yet?
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 02:07 PM
::arches a brow with both interest and suspicion:: Ritz Cracker Surprise?
Posted by: Jo | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 10:15 PM
Hi Jo - Please read Howie's comments on this post:
http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2005/08/childhood_memor.html#comments
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 11 October 2005 at 10:32 PM