Restaurant Review: For National Hot Dog Month-A Tribute to Chicago Dogs (no ketchup allowed!)
Over the weekend, I was privileged to go to Wrigley Field to see the Savannah Bananas. And when I’m at the ballpark, the only thing I want/need/desire is a delectable Chicago Dog, paired with a Souvenir Soda!
But they were out of Bright Green Relish at the Clark Street Grill!! How tragic is that? Let me count the ways…
What makes a Chicago Dog?
Fortheuninitiated, as Tastes of Chicago notes, a Chicago Dog (aka, ‘dawg’) looks like it was “dragged through the garden.” Somehow, it makes me feel like I’m eating healthier than I really am.
The perfection of a Chicago Dog starts with a Steamed Poppy Seed Bun and an an All-Beef Frankfurter (preferably a Chicago Vienna Dog) It’s topped with Yellow Mustard, Bright Green Relish, Fresh Chopped Onions, Juicy Red Tomato Wedges, a Kosher-Style Pickle Spear, a couple of Spicy Sport Peppers and a dash of Celery Salt.
Most importantly… a true Chicago hot dog connoisseur wouldn’t be caught dead with Ketchup on their dawg and neither should you.
Other hints, courtesy of Block Club Chicago…”A good (hot dog) stand will build condiments from the bottom up, with the topping order based on the condiments’ sizes, how they adhere to the bun and sausage and how their flavors mix.”
Block Club Chicago also notesthe Chicago-style dog’s origins stretch back to the Great Depression in the ’30s, when its hearty helping of toppings could provide Chicagoans with calories and nutrition on the cheap. They also appealed to the city’s large immigrant population, as Germans and Slavs had brought sausages to the United States and helped popularize them.
Where are the best Chicago Dogs in the city?
Superdawg, 6363 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Since 1949, this whimsical Norwood Park drive-in has been the gold standard of Chicago Dog goodness. Still family -owned and operated, their Superdawg™ is “the loveliest, juiciest creation of pure beef hot dog (no pork, no veal, no cereal, no filler), formally dressed with all the trimmings, escorted by our often imitated, but never equaled, Superfries™. Served with all the trimmings – golden mustard, tangy piccalilli, kosher dill pickle, chopped Spanish onions and a memorable hot pepper.” Look for mascots Maurie and Flaurie (named after the founders) atop the roof!!
Wolfy’s, 2734 W. Peterson Avenue, a go-to since 1967. With an iconic Wolfy’s statue of a fork stabbing a Vienna beef dog and a logo featuring an incredibly hungry-looking wolf staring at a hot dog, this West Ridge stand is distinguished in their Chicago Dog-dom by their Jumbo Char Dog. You could get the hot dog steamed, but why? The char adds another element of crunchy goodness to their Chicago Dog, which is slathered with mustard, relish, onion, pickle, tomato, peppers and celery salt, and packed into a soft, steamed Poppyseed bun.
Devil Dawgs, 937 West Belmont Avenue. This Lakeview location lauched with the goal of following in the footsteps of the iconic Demon Dogs in the DePaul neighborhood. Devil Dawgs also has locations in Andersonville, Wicker Park, the Gold Coast and South Loop. Besides their traditional Chicago Dog, with mustard, onions, relish, pickle, tomato, sport peppers and celery salt, what makes Devil Dawgs unique is their variation on the Chicago Dog, made with Jumbo Vienna Spicy Beef Sausage, covered in mustard, onion, relish, sport peppers, pickle, tomato and celery salt.
Jimmy’s Red Hots, 4000 W. Grand Avenue. Since 1954, this family-owned, no-frills hot dog stand in Humboldt Park has served up quality Chicago Dogs. “That is why (the original Jimmy) instilled in us that you never put ketchup on a Chicago-style hot dog,” according to their website. Jimmy’s is consistently voted top dog in local and national polls, serving Depression-style Hot Dogs and Polish Sausage. The traditional all-beef (Vienna) hot dog is topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, and sport peppers.
Finally, Lincoln Park’s Chicago Dog House, 816 W. Fullerton Avenue, offers several variations on Chicago Dogs, but they’re famous for their Chicago-Style Dog, which is a charred hot dog topped with sport peppers, a pickle spear, yellow mustard, chopped onions, relish, tomato wedges, and celery salt, served on a poppy seed bun. However, they certainly have a sense of humor. They’ve also got wagyu beef and duck hot dogs, so they certainly know how to gourmet!
Happy Hot Dog Month, all!
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
