mmm-yoso!!!

No Burgers at JK's Burgers and Hot Dogs

**** JK's has closed

I was talking to someone about Chicago the other day and they mentioned a place called JK's in the Renaissance Towne Center....which kind of rang a bell. It really should have as this used to be Chicago on a Bun.

It wasn't the Chicago Dog's that drew me here. As much as I love a good Chicago Dog, heck a bunch of years back I even did a comparison post, I'm sort of an under-dog (no pun intended) kind of guy.. While I love a good Philly Cheesesteak as you can tell by the three part posts I did a while back, with subsequent follow-up posts, it was the Roast Pork Sandwiches that I remember from Philly. The same with Chicago, I really enjoy a good Chicago Dog, but absolutely love a good Italian Beef, with my favorite being Johnnie's Beef with Mr Beef running second. Yep, I was here for an Italian Beef....though I won't be ordering it "beef...juicy...hot" here. That might get me arrested.

I like what they've done with the decor. A nice fast casual look. Service on this first visit was interesting....the young man handing out, "bro'....dude"  like Santa passing out candy at a Xmas parade. He was quite nice, if a bit too friendly and rather efficient though.

This was pretty much what I expected. In spite of the rhapsodic praises from my colleague, this was pretty much a glorified roast beef dip. The jus was lacking in beef flavor, the giardiniera seemed mass produced tasting like it had a base of Italian Dressing. The roll was much too hard....I like a little crusty, I appreciate the effort to stand up to wet beef, but this was much too hard. Speaking of hard, those tater tots were really fried "hard"....though it's hard to not enjoy tater tots, right? The onions were weird, heated but not soft....I say either saute them or serve them raw. I did enjoy the roasted jalapeno....not a classic addition to the Italian Beef; it's usually pickled hot peppers, but this did a some interest to the sandwich. I'd say Lefty's makes a better version of the "glorified roast beef dip in processed jus." To me, this really isn't a Chicago style Italian Beef, which I don't think exists in San Diego.

I did decide to return to try the Chicago Dog, I wanted to see how it compared to Chicago on a Bun. There was a bit of sticker shock with this one. The last time I had a Chicago Dog, it came with fries and a drink for $4.75. This dog was $5.24!

This was actually not bad....I thought it needed more celery salt, but I almost always think that. It was "dragged through the garden" and everything looked in order. The bun was fluffy, nice sport peppers, and of course the neon green relish. Mustard, of course. The dog itself seemed not quite up to snuff. The signs say Vienna Beef, but this was strangely gummy, and lacking in the "snap" I enjoy.

Not sure what to make of that. Overall, a decent Chicago Dog, not the best, not the worst, maybe the most expensive. Still, I think it was a vast improvement over the Italian Beef. I am wondering about the burgers....but I'll wait and see if anyone out there has tried them.

JK Burgers & Hot Dogs
8935 Towne Center Drive
San Diego, CA 92122
Hours:
Open Daily 11am - 9pm

 

 

 

Super Bowl Sunday at Carnitas' Snack Shack

**** This location of Carnitas' Snack Shake has closed

I'm not big on Super Bowl parties, to many people, crowds, etc, etc..... I guess nowadays I'm just not too big on the Superbowl period. Though I haven't quite gone the route of "FOY" Reid who Tweeted asking when kick-off was so he could hit Costco! You gotta love that one!

Still, the Missus was working and my good buddy Candice asked me if I'd like to meet her at Carnitas' Snack Shack. What a great idea! I hadn't been back here since they first opened and while I thought the place a bit over-hyped, I really enjoyed the atmosphere, and thought the food had promise.

Over the last couple of years, they've added a back bar and grill ("The Pig Pen") area. The place looks very relaxed and inviting. There was a large screen with the game on.......

The main reason I met Candice....other than the wonderful company of course, was for this:

I've had my share of lousy TJ Style Hot Dogs, but this is not one of them. Yes, Carnitas' thrives on serving fairly over-the-top eats, but I gotta say, I really loved this. The dog was large, but still had some snap, it was well flavored. The bacon could have been more crisp, but I loved the flavor....the mustard was delish, the bun didn't hold up, but was nice and fluffy. What really caught my attention was how the guacamole on this dog just sang in perfect harmony with the "meat-stick". I like hot dogs, but I'm usually fine after just one, but much like my favorites, I left wanting another.....

Personally, I'm not a big fan of grilled wings, but these were also pretty good.

Mainly because the flavors worked real well together. The nice sweetness balanced out by a sneaky, spicy, finish. Courtesy of habanero I'm told. Much like grilled wings, this was a bit chewy, but not bad at all. In fact, I had two left that I brought home, which the Missus really enjoyed.

It seems that Carnitas' has really found their niche. Perhaps the dishes area bit over-the-top, but I really can't say anything I've had here was bland. Now that they serve beer and have really expanded their dining area, maybe it's time I brought the Missus.

Carnitas' Snack Shack
2632 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92104

Hump Day Hot Dog from Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria (Mission Hills)

In the area for a meeting, so dropped by for a quick bite on the way back to the office.

For a Chicago Dog of course.......

Still a bargain at $4.75, with decent fresh cut fries...... Roll steamed the right way, sport peppers, neon relish....dragged through the garden. The Vienna Beef Dog had a decent snap to it. As before, I still think it needs celery salt.

Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria
4030 Goldfinch St
San Diego, CA 92103 

Man, I gotta get back to Chicago, but not until it's warmer! If not for this:

Maybe this.....

Though it's hard to resist those magical three words; beef....juicy......hot

Happy Hump Day!

 

COMC: Never made the cut edition

Just C(learing)O(ut the)M(emory)C(ard) time again. Here are a bunch of dishes that never quite made the cut for one reason or another.

Along with not making the cut for a post, these were rather "undelicious" if there is such a word.

Anyway, here goes......

This Banh Xeo looked plastic......

And pretty much tasted it......

Since folks already know I'm not a fan....I don't feel like rubbing it in.

Even one of our favorite Korean Restaurants is not immune. This Kimchi Pajun was greasy, soggy, and tasted off.

So is our favorite Thai place.... This Spicy Shrimp Fried Rice was indeed spicy; more like 10 then the 5 I ordered.

It was like the rice had just been passed quickly through oil....though the shrimp were very nice.

They called these "Italian Ribs".

They were as tough as they looked......

This Combination Egg Noodle Soup cost eight bucks.........and was quite bad.

Even beyond looking like stuff was just thrown into the soup, the broth was lukewarm and the noodles strangely mushy.

Meet a $7 TJ Hot Dog.

So much stuff!

This Bo Luc Lac, was Beef no luck....tough and really salty.

Well.....that's it.....not much, I know.

I hope everyone had a great week!

I think it's time for a "guilty pleasure" run.

Pasadena Farmers Market and lunch at The Slaw Dogs (Duarte)

You are reading mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog.  Kirk, ed (from Yuma) and Cathy blog here, with the primary subject 'food'.  Today, Cathy is blogging, because Kirk and ed (from Yuma) are just plain busy. 

This is a continuation of our Saturday road trip to watch a road test of the 2013 Rose Parade floats. When we got to Euro Pane, The Mister grabbed a few of those free newspapers stacked at the door and was reading while we were eating while I was checking my phone for spam on the blog. He saw that The Pasadena Farmers Market was held on Tuesday and Saturday and we knew the exact location- in the parking lot of Pasadena High, on Sierra Madre Boulevard, where the Rose Parade floats line up end to end, after the Parade. 

So we drove until we saw vehicles parked on the street, parked, walked across the median and into the vendor area.

and enjoyed the vast selection of fruits and vegetables in the two long aisles of booths.

I must say, the selection and prices were overwhelming- we walked through, noting prices, taking a few samples, 
enjoyed the three musicians (two with guitars and one playing a zither) spread out in separate areas,

 

as well as checking out the fresh seafood vendor- 

There was one 'taco stand', several vendors selling baked goods, one egg rancher, one olive oil stand and a honey vendor. 

 

Then I saw these, and learned what fresh picked jicama looks like! We made some purchases and started driving East, knowing we were heading home.

At some point, we were on the Original Route 66 and in Duarte.  I spotted this building

drove two blocks and turned around.  The name alone...

We walked in and looked at the menu...and it was overwhelming.  Because the possibilities of combinations of available ingredients and preparations is overwhelming.

-There are five dog types(1/4 lb Vienna, natural casing Vienna, 1/4 lb turkey, Kosher beef or veggie)

-Six choices of links (Vienna Jumbo 12" all beef, 7" spicy Polish, 1/4 lb spicy chicken or chicken apple, 1/4 lb Bavarian bratwurst or 1/4 lb ghost pepper pork hot link) types, three preparation choices(steamed, charbroiled or 'ripped' (deep fried and the casing bursts).

-Then there is a choice of 11 Sauces: ketchup, mustard, BBQ, curry ketchup, spicy sesame aioli, chipotle mayo, roast garlic aioli, horseradish mustard, dijon and buttermilk ranch

-Three from a list of 15 (or 39¢ for more than three) toppings: diced onions,  grilled onions, relish, pickle chips, dill pickle spear, jalapeños, sport peppers, pepperocini, sauerkraut, cole slaw, diced tomato, celery salt, chopped Romaine, garlic salsa verde or habañero pickled onion...

-And you can choose from 23 custom toppings for 99¢ each: Beer chili, veggie chili, bacon, pastrami, ground beef, jalapeño bacon, fried egg, Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Parmesan, Nacho cheese, Goat cheese, Feta, Blue, Kimchi, avocado, guacamole, mushrooms, sauteed bell peppers and onion, olive mix, truffle oil or roast garlic pieces.

Fortunately the menu is not only "Build Your Own", but does have a choice of ten 'Slaw Dogs'. Of course, we decided to share "The Traditional"

1/4 lb Vienna beef dog, beer chili, cheddar, mustard, onions and slaw ($4.99) (the only choice was between Cole Slaw or Thai Slaw, and we decided on Cole Slaw).

A cross section view- the chili was really good and the slaw was excellent- crispy and lightly dressed with mayonnaise and a bit of spice (The flavor could have been Lawry's Seasoned Salt...very pleasant and mild)

Then there were Sides available.  Not only fries and sweet potato fries, but onion rings, tots, potato salad, slaws, chili cheese bowl, small tossed salad...but 1/2 skin on fries 1/2 sweet potato fries as well as chili cheese fries, truffle fries, parmesan fries, garlic fries or, our choice...Kimchi sweet potato fries ($5.99) (yes, more than the Slaw Dog).  Sweet potato fries, perfectly nicely fried and topped with spicy sesame aioli (the 'spice' may have been Sriracha)bacon pieces (large, real bacon pieces), fresh made kimchi (not too spicy; a great version) and an over easy fried egg.

There were burgers and salads on the menu also- the salads all came with a choice of butterflied, chargrilled link.  The kimchi fries was a perfect melding of flavors and textures and was a meal in itself.  So glad we stopped.

When leaving, I asked about breakfast , since the sign out front advertised it Friday, Saturday and Sunday only...not only French Toast, pancakes (buttermilk or seven grain), oatmeal, and egg dishes (all served with fruit and either rosemary potatoes or potato tots), but some of the omelet selections contain available links (a Ghost Buster omelet using a ghost pepper sausage, with bell peppers, onions and fresh jalapeño and cheddar cheese is $7.99) and the bottom of the list- a Belly Buster scramble (diced pork belly, cilantro and green onions ($8.99)) has the only mention of pork belly on the menu. 

The Slaw Dogs 1355 Huntington Drive (the original Route 66) Duarte, CA 91010 (626)358-8898  website

Smashburger - Kearny Mesa

Wow, for a while there seemed to be a Smashburger opening every week in San Diego. Heck, I know that FOY (Friend of Yoso) and fellow food blogger Kirbie seemed to be going to a sneak peek event every week for a while. Cathy also did a nice post on the place. Me???? Well, I'm not one for media events and I kinda just take my sweet old time....being kinda slow and all that. For a while it seemed like Smashburger was into full court press marketing mode and they really seemed to do a good job at it. For some reason, the more hype, the less I'm inclined to really get excited about something...it's not always true, but most of the time..... Now things have calmed down and I thought I'd really get an honest meal and see what Smashburger is all about. Hmmmm, is the bloom off the rose?

The Kearny Mesa location is fairly close, so I tohught I'd check them out.

The decor is what I now call classic "fast-casual"...it might have been the lighting, but the carpets here seemed to be kinda stained in a few places....not a bad thing. Heck, if it's burger juice flowing on those carpets...I'm all for adding that element!

Smashburger claims 100% Angus Beef, which I think is great. They also claim to "smash" the beef onto the griddle which has been brushed with butter. Perhaps not the greatest thing, since you can squeeze the juices out of the burger. And yet, I recall the rather thin pressed patties from diners and bowling alleys of my youth which made up for that short coming with a nice crisp exterior.

I really wanted to taste the burger so I went with a Classic ($4.29). I also got some Smash Fries and a drink which totaled out at $8.80.

Now, I thought this looked kinda puny for a burger, but heck it's Angus Beef, right? Never frozen, etc, etc, etc.... It's great to fall in love with an idea and all. The burger didn't really have a nice crust on it and was rather dry. The flavor was pretty weak for certified Angus. I did love the roll, which was moist, bready (in a good way), and somewhat buttery.

I also really enjoyed the fries which were still almost sizzling when the young man brought it to my table. These were seasoned with rosemary, garlic, and olive oil. I thought the flavor was nicely balanced...though I love tons of garlic, I appreciated the restrained hand of all the flavors. The crisp texture didn't hurt either.

Love the fries....the burger, well, was ok.....

I ended up returning a couple of weeks later and wasn't really paying attention when I ordered the Chicago Dog, which turned out to be the same price as my previous burger ($4.29)

In this case, the roll was much too bready for the dog, which had been split and griddled. Wrong relish, which also tasted wrong and lack of celery salt made this a Chicago Dog in name only. The dog was dense, it reminded me of a Bison Dog I had recently, though the flavor was very mild. At least the sport peppers were decent......

Since I love onions so much, I ordered the Haystack Onions ($1.99) which I might have really enjoyed if they weren't cold, greasy, and slightly burnt, which made this bitter.

Well, one out of four, not that great for me. Maybe the burger just wasn't right on my first visit...or maybe it does have to be buried in toppings? I dunno....

Smashburger - Kearny Mesa
3737 Murphy Canyon Rd.
San Diego, CA 92123

Daddy's Hot Dogs

I was driving along University when I noticed a little window and a sign for a shop called Daddy's Hot Dogs. For some reason the name rang a bell....then it came to me, I'd read a short blurb about the place on sdurban, though I don't recall Paul having checked out the place yet. A hot dog seemed like a pretty good idea, something that would hold me until dinner.

There's just a simple counter in front of the mustard yellow(how appropriate) storefront, where you can "lean and eat" and a window to order.

The menu seemed simple with four items, a 100% all beef dog, a bison dog, a veggie dog (?!?), and a "special" which on this day was a buffalo chicken dog. I say "seemed" because you can order all sorts of toppings and additions to your dog (didn't see no ketchup, though!). The dogs are also butterflied and griddled to order....there are those who waffle at waiting more than two minutes for your dog, this ain't the place for you. No hot dog lying in a steamer, dirty water, or on a hot dog roller here......

The wind seemed to be picking up and rain drops began to fall, so the owner "Daddy" whose given name is, I believe is William, invited me into the back of the restaurant where there's another counter and a couple of seats.

Here I watched the self proclaimed "hot dog chef" in action. All dogs are served butterflied, all items are heated on the griddle, the buns are warmed (thankfully not split and griddled), to order. Daddy told me that temperature and the dog is king here, he doesn't like to overdress his pups.

My all beef dog with deli mustard, griddled onions, and kraut - three bucks, perhaps high for New York or Chicago, but pretty much in the pocket for San Diego.

I wasn't sure how I'd like the butterflied and griddled dog, but it had that nice all beef dog and seasonings flavor which completed the mildly pungent onions and mustard, the kraut, nice and warm added the nice acid component to the deal. The only thing I had qualms with was the roll, which was too big...the bread to protein ratio was off. Also because it was place whole on the griddle, the interior was cold. Personally, I'm partial to lightly steamed rolls, which seem to impart a light fluffiness to the whole deal. Still, this was decent, I'd have it again.....of course then I had to ask Daddy what kind of dog he used. He gave me a wry smile and told me, "I'm not going to tell you, no one else in San Diego serves these and I want to keep it that way." Though after chatting with Daddy a bit, I got some clues...Daddy is a New Yorker who favors Papaya King and Gray's Papaya, so I have feeling he uses a Sabrett type all beef frankfurter.....honestly, I don't need to know any more.

Overall, a decent hot dog.......

Daddy's Hot Dogs
1281 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92103

Tues-Wed 11 am - 8 pm
Thurs  11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat  11 am - 2 am
Sun   11 am - 6 pm

Chicago: Johnnie's Beef (Arlington Heights - again), Mr Beef (Dunning), and Superdawg

Johnnie's Beef again:

I had the television in my room on, but my mind was elsewhere. Even after my meal at Kurumaya I was still thinking about food! Specifically, an Italian Beef Sandwich....especially since Johnnie's Beef was a couple blocks away. Finally after about an hour of rumination (and digestion), I jumped in the rental car and headed for Johnnie's. They were pretty busy as usual, but things move quickly, and really all I needed to say were three magical words when it my turn at bat; "beef......juicy....hot". Translated, Italian Beef Sandwich, " juicy" means it's left in the broth a bit longer than "dunked", and "hot" stands for the hot peppers (giardinera). It's just about the only time you'll get away without being slapped for uttering those three words at a restaurant counter.

The sandwich was just as good as my previous one was. It's not huge, so I didn't feel too bad about having it as a snack.

It was indeed "beef....juicy....hot....."

 

You can find more details on my previous post on Johnnie's.

Johnnie's Beef
1935 South Arlington Heights Rd
Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Mr Beef on North Harlem:

This was actually the first place I had an Italian Beef many moons ago. The Missus had made a request, so I checked out early and made it down to the area on the Northwest side of Chicago known as Dunning. I knew that Dunning was a traditionally Italian neighborhood, but after reading this I found out it that the area has a very strong Polish influence as well.

I wondered how my tastes had changed since I last ate an Italian Beef from this unassuming shop. I had arrived a bit before the posted 1030 am opening time, so I sat in the car checking text messages and such. I was concentrating a bit too hard as a little old lady knocked on my window scaring the daylights out of me! She lifted a sack up and told me "they're open already....you're late!" Which really cracked me up.....

Things looked exactly the same as I remembered......and the same really friendly guy was working the counter as well. I ordered my beef, juicy, hot, and we chatted about where I was from, the weather, the heavy flooding a couple of nights ago while I waited for my sandwich.

When my sandwich arrived I looked at it in stunned silence. I didn't recall it being as large and I don't remember being given a fork along with my napkins either. As you can tell....it was indeed quite juicy.

Man this thing was humongous. It basically sprung open as I unwrapped it.....

The beef was very tender but was not quite as herbaceous as what I had the evening before at Johnnie's Beef. I was just amazed that the roll made it to the last bite....can you imagine if I ordered it "soaked"? The giardinera was also much milder than what I recalled.

What was not up for debate was that this was indeed a two-fisted, juice dripping on your feet sandwich.

I guess I need to make it back to Al's to see how that Italian Beef holds up.....

Mr Beef
3917 N Harlem Ave
Chicago, IL 60634

Superdawg:

The Missus' request? She wanted me to bring home a hot dog. Yep, all the way from Chicago on the six hour flight to San Diego...a hot dog.....I tried to convince Her that it would be a cold, soggy mess, and a total waste of time, but She insisted. Ok, you want a hot dog, you get a hot dog....but not just a hot dog.... but a Superdawg! I had thoughts of just grabbing a Vienna Beef dog in the  standard issue Mary Ann poppy seed bun, dragged through the garden, but since  was here, why not check out this iconic shop. I'd had a Superdawg before, it was a terribly limp dog, served up in a soggy bun with cold greasy fries. At least I pretty much knew what the Missus was going to be getting! Of course, that one was from Midway Airport...... This one was going to be from the location on North Milwaukee.

What was pretty amazing was that I plowed through my Italian Beef sandwich and drove up from Mr Beef, making it to Superdawg before 11am! And there were people in line waiting for the place to open!

 The menu is pretty compact, so I don't understand how the folks in front of me had such a hard time ordering, after all, they had a good long time to check out the menu while waiting. And furthermore, this place is called Super "dawg", right? So of course they ended up ordering burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, and fish.....

If you're used to typical Chicagoland hot dog prices, you may go into sticker shock here as the Superdawg costs $5.25. Of course it comes with crinkle cut fries. Gene and Jude's this ain't.

The entire set-up of the place is very neat, part 1950's car hop drive in, part roadside attraction. There's a glass enclosed dining area next to the ordering window. With folks peering in at what I was eating, it felt like I was on display....

And what I was eating....was a superdawg of course. Yes, even after devouring that beef sandwich. You gotta love the packaging.....

The dog was tucked in nicely with fries lying to one side.

The hot dog is a bit different from the usual all-beef Chicago wiener. It is made by Vienna Beef using a proprietary formula with a different spice blend. There seemed to be a bit more more garlicky-ness and the dog was larger in circumference than the standard issue stuff. It did have a bit less snap than what I'm used to, and frankly I still enjoy the generic Veinna Beef dog more. What I did really like was pickled green tomato, the firm and crunchy sport peppers, and the very tasty fries. Looking at the fries I suddenly realized that the heat from the fries would end up making the entire thing into a soggy mess. But what the heck, She wanted a hot dog right?

There was quite a line as I made my way to the car...check out the dude with the camcorder.....

 

So, I sealed the Superdawg in a ziploc bag and stowed it in my carry-on. The Missus picked me up at the airport and when we got home She got Her hot dog....She did love the pickled green tomato and even enjoyed the hot dog, sogged out bun and all. Of course She went and put ketchup on the thing....yikes.....

Superdawg Drive-In
6363 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60646

Sunday Sandwiches: Mercury Grill

*** Mercury Grill has closed

Here's another in my series on little sandwich shops. Mercury Grill is located in the same strip mall on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard that houses Aria Cafe and Pho Fusion among others. After passing the place several times, the bright red, white, and blue sign finally got me to check the place out.

The interior is full of checkered table cloths and the menu features everything from salads to chili to pizza.

One thing I noticed right away were the prices which seemed pretty reasonable.

One my first visit I went with the Horsy Roast Beef ($4.55) and added in a drink and some fries for $1.75 more.

This was a pretty decent sandwich, not over dressed. The basic horseradish mayo added a nice bit of "bite" to the whole deal. The roast beef was decent quality and the bread was fine. The fries were you standard issue SYSCO/US Foods stuff....   

And this was a perfectly adequate lunch. I felt I got my money's worth and left satisfied.

The next week, I happened to be close by during lunch and deciding to move "up the food chain" as it were, I went for the Mercury Burger ($4.25 + $1.75 for fries and a drink).

Again, this wasn't anything fancy, a simple grilled patty topped with a very mild cheddar, tomato, shredded lettuce, and thousand island dressing. I've had much worse over the last couple of months......

The burger wasn't particularly large and this suffered a bit from TMB (Too much bread) syndrome, with the roll being a bit on the dry and crumbly side. On this visit, I noticed two of the guys who work at one of the car dealerships nearby had the Bacon Dog. So on my next visit that's what I decided to get.

The Bacon Dog (sans ketchup) costs $3.49 which seemed very reasonable. With fries and a drink it was about $5.50.

The first thing I noticed was that the cheese wasn't, or would never be melted. I enjoy the texture of melted cheese. This also told me that the temperature of this was going to be lukewarm at best. Second, I wondered where the bacon was.......this was when I noticed that the dog had been split to cook quicker on the griddle. As for the bacon?  Well, as I took a closer look, I found pieces of crumpled bacon and not much of it. In fact, there was so little that it really didn't add anything to the hot dog. Also, a good part of the griddled onions were burnt which added an unpleasant bitterness to the hot dog. I removed as much of it as I could.

Well, I guess as Meafloaf says "two out of three ain't bad." Mercury Grill serves up reasonably priced basic sandwiches for the working crowd. The food is simple and unpretentious....though I'm not sure I'm going to order what they call a "pizza" here after I saw one. The breakfasts seemed priced right at $2.75 - $3.90. The hours are rather limited being open from 7am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

Mercury Grill
8046 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111
Hours: 7am-3pm Monday - Friday

Chicago: Franks N' Dawgs

**** Franks N' Dawgs has closed

On my last visit to Chicago, I had an inkling of going to another sausage joint after Hot Dougs. But I was so stuffed (and in major need of a shower) after eating my Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage and Duck Fat fries, that there was just no room left.....

So this time Franks n' Dawgs went to the front of the line. Picking up my rental at O'Hare, I made a beeline for the Lincoln Park area and Franks n' Dawgs. Really, after hitting up Hot Doug's, how could I not check out the creations of Franks n' Dawgs..... featuring sausages like the China Town Duck ("Chinese 5 spice duck sausage, pickled lotus roots, scallion radish slaw & Mae Ploy chili sauce"), Truffle Mac 'n' Cheese Dog ("Bratwurst sausage, truffle mac ‘n’ cheese with parmesan, brioche bread crumbs & thyme"), Black Sheep ("Toasted black pepper lamb sausage, black pepper oyster sauce, buttermilk vinaigrette, macerated figs, red onions & basil"), and Triple Truffle Fries? The menu will either have you drooling, or scratching your head in wonder ( The "FU" - "Marinated tofu with grilled eggplant relish, caramelized portabellas, Italian salsa verde & chèvre").

Things didn't start out real well for me.....there's a door on the street side, and a note saying to go through the alleyway for an entrance. But there I stood like a dummy trying to figure out how I'm supposed to get in, until I regained my English comprehension skills (at least temporarily) and finally read the sign. I had a game plan with "target sausages" that I wanted to try, but for some reason that all went out the window when I walked up to the counter and read the part of the menu that said "Iron Dawg Competition". Over a period two well known chefs create a "dawg", competing on the basis of sales. If I recall correctly, whomever has the most sales survives and goes on to the next round against another challenger. So I went with one of each.....not cheap since each sausage costs almost ten bucks! This little shop does some major business, and was pretty full, but nothing like the masses at Hot Dougs.

 

There was one part of my visit that really cracked me up. The really friendly guy behind the counter told me to "pick your photo from the Wall of Shame"....... there are photos with a wooden backing and a strip of velcro on the back. You attach these to your table instead of numbers so the young lady in the dining area can bring you your order. It seemed like all the good ones (like Nick Nolte's mug shot) were taken. The young man, seeing that I was having a problem choosing, told me, "too bad these aren't ready yet, these would be easy choices", and held up photos of Casey Anthony and one we can call "the Weiner". In the end, I chose this famous mugshot:

 

The first sausage to arrive for this little piggy was This Little Piggy ($9.50):

 

This looked a bit overwrought with butter pickled red onions, though the remoulade added a nice bit of  rich "tang" to the whole thing. The salt and vinegar chip crusted oysters tasted somewhat fishy and seemed out of place on the sausage. I loved the lobster style rolls, they just seemed perfect......richly toasted on all sides and able to stand up to these fairly rich sausages. The sausage, a garlic pork sausage seemed pretty mundane sans all the garnishes and sauce, I loved the casing which had nice snap, but the sausage itself was pretty tough.

I preferred the "Boar'n to be Wild" ($9.95):

 

This was a wild boar sausage topped with fried onions (it's called tempura onions, but they looked plain fried to me), pieces of fried sweet potatoes and yellow peppers. I could make out the flavor of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, and Thai basil. This sausage was more tender and reminded me of a milder Thai or Lao sausage. It wasn't bad, but not great.

I was quite full after this meal, there's a good amount of richness in these sausages. I did regret getting side tracked and not ordering what I had planned. So I'll have to make sure to revisit in the future.... after all I just gotta get those Triple Truffle Fries, right?

Franks n' Dawgs
1863 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60614