*** 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?
::looks slightly green around the gills:: ewwww... How the heck did he get em to look right? Howie? You had some interesting friends!
Posted by: Jo | Wednesday, 12 October 2005 at 07:17 AM
Hi Jo - And I think he used a "regurg-i-bake" oven! :ob
Posted by: Kirk | Wednesday, 12 October 2005 at 08:56 AM
Hahah!!! I LOVE hot dogs! Especially the ones at Costco!!!
Yeah, chubby girl with skinny ass boy = fugly biatches...oh...can I say that I love the movie "Mean Girls"?! muhahah!
Posted by: Kristy | Wednesday, 12 October 2005 at 09:56 AM
Hi Kristy - LOL! It's strange, but for many Costco Hot Dogs have become sort of a standard for comparing other Hot Dogs.....
Posted by: Kirk | Wednesday, 12 October 2005 at 10:03 AM
Kirk,
I have eaten a nice juicy fat hot dog in your honor and gave Classless the evil hotdog eating eye. ;> The hot dog gotta have the snap to be called and excellent hot dog. *sigh* :)
Posted by: milgwimper | Wednesday, 12 October 2005 at 10:39 AM
funny! now i know what a chicago dog is!
Posted by: Annie | Wednesday, 12 October 2005 at 02:19 PM
Hi Mills - Congradulations! LOL! he-he-he....
Hi Annie - Here's something slightly amusing. The first "Chicago Dog" I ever had was from Orange Julius in Kahala Mall!
Posted by: Kirk | Wednesday, 12 October 2005 at 02:30 PM
Hehe... I'll whip up some Ritz Cracker Surprises this week and camp out at the Renaissance shopping center to give out free samples :)
Jo, luckily I never encountered the Ritz Cracker Surprise firsthand. He told me that he just chewed them up really well and then rolled them up. Probably similar to making meatballs. I should post the recipe to Recipezaar.
Posted by: howie | Wednesday, 12 October 2005 at 04:24 PM
Arrgh Howie - Too many details!
Posted by: Kirk | Wednesday, 12 October 2005 at 06:43 PM
Hmmm, I should have given this place a go during my UCSD days. Then again near my house was Lefty's so it was a bit of a wash. Lovely photos of that dog though Kirk! Nothing like getting a Chicago dog all over your plate.
As for the gal snarking you there she musta' been a Muir student. :P
(No offense to any Muir Students who frequents this board. We all know the real troublemakers are the Warren crowd. Aka. my old place ;) )
Posted by: James | Wednesday, 21 December 2005 at 08:15 AM
Hi James - What good is a Dog without the mess! LOL! The dogs here are kinda pricey, but good. And I'll stay away from the rest of the "stuff"! Happy Holidays to you, BTW!
Posted by: Kirk | Wednesday, 21 December 2005 at 11:39 PM
Hi, ran into this old post. If you want a good dog in San Diego, may I reccomend Sausage King on Washington, they make them for real and are tasty with just mustard and some of thier house made kraut. You have to take it home and cook it but its good.
Posted by: Chris | Tuesday, 22 April 2008 at 10:19 PM
Hi Chris - I shop at Sausage King occasionally, and Ed from Yuma does whenever in town. Never did by the hot dogs though.
Posted by: Kirk | Wednesday, 23 April 2008 at 06:43 AM