Woodies, a revisit

*** Woodies is now Waldos

So.... we're sitting the car, deciding what the Missuswe want to eat. Sometimes it's tough.... I'll go thru five, ten, fifteen places...... and even though She'll say, "today's your day, pick what you want", every choice will be rejected. Finally, the Missus exclaimed, "I want a hot dog"..... WHAT..... and to top it off, "and maybe some chili-cheese fries." DOUBLE WHAT! The only thing I could come up with was tilting my head and asking the Missus, "hear that?" Of course She replied, "hear what?" "That.... I think hell's freezing over!" I don't recall the Missus wanting Chili-cheese fries since we lived in LA.... really. My first thought was our usual choice, Tommy's..... there was one a couple blocks from us in LA, and of course there's a location on Clairemont Mesa Blvd. A couple of problems, though... first, the San Diego location of Tommy's just doesn't taste right to me. Something seems to be missing. Secondly, just one whiff of the chili from Tommy's gives the Missus heartburn.....

So with some hesitance, I mentioned Woodies. It had been a while since I've been to Woodies. A long while. And in the past, the Missus hasn't really taken to the dogs, nor the fries.... But the Missus really seemed up for it. And I was interested as well, since I believe that Woodies has perhaps gone through at least one change of ownership since I last visited.

 
  In terms of pricing, Woodies' prices have gone up maybe 25-50 cents in the last couple of years.

So the Missus decided to get..... A Jalapeno Dog, Chili-Cheese Fries, AND a Pastrami Sandwich! Yikes.... I decided to order a Diet Coke.

So without further ado. The Jalapeno Dog ($2.85):

Personally, I like the dog at Woodies, nice beefy flavor, and good "snap". The Jalapenos didn't really do well with this, a little bit too "green" tasting, and these weren't really pickled very well. We ended up discarding them. The bun is steamed, and fairly soft. The Missus was never a big fan of the dogs at Woodies, but I think time has changed Her opinion, as She really enjoyed this. Now if I can only stop Her from putting *gasp* ketchup on Her hot dogs......

Here's the Chili Cheese Fries ($4.95). I'd never had the CCFs at Woodies, so I was kinda surprised when I picked my order up.

Geeez, enough to get me to make an appointment with my cardiologist. They've changed how they season the fries here. It now has a bit more spice in the seasoning, which tastes pretty good. I like the thin cut fries.... heck, I like almost all fries. The chili, which I've always thought to be a bit generic on a dog, complemented the fries quite well. There was a bit too much cheese under that chili. We didn't finish this, but came close.......

And the final item the Missus ordered, the Pastrami Sandwich ($6):

 

I don't even know they bother with the bun on this one. I've never put the finger on why I kinda enjoy this. It's really fatty, but not greasy. And sliced thin. The Missus figured it out right away; She said the chewy texture, and the flavor was almost "bacon-ish" (Her words). I can't quite compare it to bacon, but it does have a good chew. We both hated that it had too much mustard....I think we'll order it without the mustard next time, and bring our own deli mustard.

I'm not quite sure when that next time will be..... could be another three years for all I know. What I do know, is that all I had for dinner was a couple of radishes.....

Here's the address if you want a "Woodie" of your very own. (You know I had to make one Woodie remark, right?)

Woodies Chili Dogs
4250 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

I think it did the Missus good to get this outta Her system...

Of course, on Sunday, it was back to the "same old boring stuff........"

 

Comments

[Carol]

Haha, the Mister always rolls his eyes whenever I put ketchup on my dogs. Gotta have ketchup, relish and mustard for me!

[Lynnea]

So, funny. Matthew hates ketchup too and always insists that I'm wrong to eat it on fries and hot dogs =)

[stephen]

Looks good. Ketchup on a hot dog? Sacrilege! I hope it was at least Heinz. I may have to make a trip. That's like putting lettuce and tomatoes on a chili burger.

[kat]

the Missus...too funny!

the CCF and PS were huge!

[Dennis]

I so remember your early Woodies post Kirk! Didn't know it changed hands yet again. In the past I thought they took way too long to serve the dogs. Has it gotten any quicker? Cheers

[santos.]

so funny, i was just reading your last post (yummy looking pancakes, btw) and thinking "so nice to be missus--gets to pick what she wants to eat and voila!" :D

we need to invent some sort of rolling/portable condiment cart; most times i go to a restaurant i think my dish would go better with something i have at home, and the kitchen doesn't have on hand.

[santos.]

oh, and the reason that tommy's in la tastes so good is because they haven't cleaned the grill since the 1940s ;)

[dave]

I don't know. Confronted with all the abuse of quotes and apostrophes on that menu i think i would just scream and leave.

I will admit that i am also a ketchup -on-a-hot-dog kinda guy.

[Kirk]

Hi Carol - I'm rolling my eyes too! ;o)

Well Lynnea - Matthew's partially right..... I do like ketchup on my fires! ;o)

Hi Stephen - Now you got me wondering what kind of ketchup they use.... it's out on plastic squeeze bottles.

Hi Kat - It was quite a bit of food....and I needed a shower after eating it...

Hi Dennis - Nah..... same amount of time.

Aaah Santos - You must be right.... a well seasoned grill.... or maybe an uncleaned grill! he-he-he..... I would have enjoyed some deli mustard this time around, I'm thinking a portable fridge in the car.

Hi Dave - I think I saw you.... you were the guy who read the menu and ran screaming pulling his hair out? LOL!

[bill]

LOL... I let the wife decide because if she is happy you'll surely be happier. Supposedly
On a very good hot dog no ketchup but on a cheapie one anything goes.

[Rosa]

Hahaha, you and the Missus sound like me and the Husband.
Me: "You pick..."
Husband: "Okay, how about X?"
Me: "Nooo..."
repeat x eleven
Me: "I want Y."
Husband: "GAAAAAAAAAAAH! Why didn't you just say so?"
Me: "Cuz you were supposed to pick!"

What's wrong with ketchup on hot dogs? But it has to be deli mustard. Regular mustard just doesn't really cut it for me anymore.

[kirbie]

Heehee. Your story is so funny! Hmm, now I want a hot dog and chili cheese fries. It's been quite a while.

[Didi]

Ah, Woodie. it's a good place for a quickie and you are right, the food is better after the change in management. Though, the chili is skill only okay...still way better than Tommy's.

Have you tried the Chicago on a Bun that's at the old Windy City Beef spot off Navajo and 125? It's quite good, though, not as tasty as the WCB.

[Kirk]

So true Billy, so true....

Hi Rosa - Let me just say; I feel your Husband's pain...... And regular mustard just doesn;t cut the mustard anymore, huh?

Hi Kirbie - I'm glad you enjoyed the story!

Hi Didi - LOL.... oh my. You used Woodie and quickie in the same sentence! ;o) I have'nt tried that location of Chicago on a Bun, only the UTC location. It's on my ever growing list, though.

[AZ]

I buy the smallest bottle of ketchup they sell, and I still have to throw out half a bottle when it reaches its expiration date, that's because I don't use ketchup on anything but hot dogs!

[Kirk]

Hi AZ - Then you must not eat too many hot dogs either! ;o)

[Mary]

My boyfriend puts ketchup on everything. Ugh. We had some pretty good angus hot dogs as the new Smashburger in La Jolla, though I must say I don't think I've ever wanted to go out for hot dogs before. I've never even been to Wienerschnitzel.

[Kirk]

LOL Mary...... We rarely ever rave hot dogs, so this was a bit different.