doodledee

The Times is running a feature on where to get good hot dogs in New York City. It mentions all the obvious places like Katz's, Gray's Papaya, Nathan's Famous, and the hordes of anonymous vendors that occupy street corners selling dirty water dogs for a buck. All the dogs sound delicious, which is kind of reassuring seeing as the article also points out that they're all [basically] the same dog, made by the same manufacturer, just cooked and served slightly differently. Who knew? Not me.

I'll admit to being somewhat of a hot dog fan. I say 'somewhat' because while I'm more than willing to go out and grab a dog for lunch, I'm not going to pack up the family and drive 45 minutes across town in search of The End All Be All Hot Dog Experience. Well, ok, I probably would, but I'd like to pretend that I wouldn't, so that should count for something. And if my casual attitude somehow disqualifies me as a credible source of Twin Cities hot dog information, I'm fully prepared to accept that.

Over the years I've learned what I like in a hot dog. In my case, it's a garlicy, all beef dog with a nice snappy casing. It should to be warmed in water - but never boiled - and if it's been crisped-up a little bit on a [flattop] grill, you'll get no complaints from me. For buns, I prefer steamed, not toasted. For toppings, I'll just take whatever I'm in the mood for. Sometimes that's a classic Chicago dog, sometimes it's chili and cheese, and sometimes it's just mustard and a little onion. In reality, I could probably be talked into almost anything. Funny how that works.

Go out and try these places:

• Joey D's - Two guys who claimed to be brothers opened a 'Chicago style' eatery in South Minneapolis back in the mid-90's and I've been a fan ever since. The Vienna dogs are superb, the Italian Beef is ridiculously good (get it with sweets) and they even have an outside patio. Downside: the 2 dog and pop $5 special is long gone and the fries are crap. But don't let that keep you away. [3101 East 42nd Street]
• Franks a Million - Downtown skyway dogs at their finest. They have two sizes of dog: small and large. I [obviously] go with the large and I take it one of two ways: Chicago or chili. The chili is so big and messy that it's best to just give in and eat it with a knife and fork. The burgers and fries aren't bad either. (Note that there used to be another branch over on 3rd street in the warehouse district, but it's now the 112 Eatery.) (Note also that if you're thinking that 'The Walking Dog' in the Northstar Foodcourt is good enough, you're wrong.) [330 S 2nd Ave - Skyway Level]
• Wagners Drive-In - A suburban drive-in where they still have car hops. Yep, you heard me, car hops. They also have burgers and malts and all that other crap you'd expect to find at a drive-in, including some pretty damn fine hot dogs. They're not the best it town, but they're far from the worst, and the whole drive-in shtick is worth a few bonus points. Downside: the chicken philly is hands down the worst in town and on sunny summer evenings it can be an absolute madhouse. [3712 Quebec Avenue South, Hopkins]
• The Wienery - My first 'real' hot dog experience was when I stumbled into a filthy west bank hole-in-the-wall named The Wienery. Inside I found 3 tables, 9 stools, and a bearded owner who served up perfect Vienna Beef dogs 5 or 6 different ways and hand cut the fries when he saw you walk through the door. He'd also scream like hell if he saw someone trying to put catsup on a Chicago dog, but whatever, it was part of the charm and for a poor college student, it couldn't have been better. Today, sadly, the place has changed hands a few times and has gone down hill considerably. At least it had the last time I was in there a few years ago. So I guess I don't necessarily recommend you go there, I just wanted to note it for historical reasons. If you've been recently, feel free to let me know that it's gotten better. [414 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis]