(chicago dog)
Fun fact: I did not like hot dogs until I was in college.
I don't know how a person all of a sudden develops a liking for hot dogs. Moreover, I don't why a person doesn't like hot dogs to begin with. But that's me. I can be strange.
The hot dog is a point of contention in the Chicago area. There is an absolutely clear recipe for the Chicago dog, but no one can quite agree on who does it best. And then there's the gourmet dogs.
(spicy chicken sausage with duck cracklings and seaweed salad)
Hot Dougs has it all. All the traditional dogs at amazing prices ($3 and under) and then a long list of gourmet options. I had severe FOMO the entire time I deliberated over what to order. What if I made the wrong decision?
Ultimately, Josh and I agreed on the traditional Chicago dog, a spicy chicken dog with duck cracklings and seaweed salad, and the foie gras and sauternes duck sausage. They were all unbelievable.
(foie gras and sauternes duck sausage with truffle aioli and foie gras mousse)
The spicy chicken dog was my personal favorite because of the play on textures from the juicy chicken sausage and the crunchy duck cracklings. The foie gras sausage was unbelievably decadent and was an incredibly close second.
I'm dying to go back to try the "taco pork sausage with green chili mustard, elote relish, and queso asadero" or the "bruschetta, mushroom, and beer chicken sausage with pesto aioli, roma tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese."