Hot diggity What better for the dog days of summer than… hotdogs! We check out the city’s best By: Eva Wasney Posted: 4:18 PM CDT Tuesday, Jul. 18, 2023

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This article was published 18/07/2023 (1123 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Wieners, weens, smokies, footlongs, links, street meat, glizzies. Whatever you call them, hotdogs are, frankly, the best.

That is, unless you’re looking at the quintessential summer snack through a health lens. Then, according to nutritionists and doctors, they might be the wurst.

But I’m not here to discuss the cons of processed meat. Today, in this National Hotdog Day-inspired edition of Tasting Notes, I’m here to share the findings of a local “Tour de Chien-Chaud” I recently embarked on for the sake of journalism (and shameless self-indulgence).

Last month, I wrote about my love of hotdogs in Dish — a biweekly food and drink newsletter I publish with colleague Ben Sigurdson — and asked readers to weigh in on their favourite local franks. The goal was to try as many dogs as possible, the only stipulation being that wiener vendors were located within city limits since a provincial road trip wasn’t in the cards.

The response was phenomenal. I found my fellow frankfurter fans.

What ensued was an enlightening journey well beyond the doctor-recommended dose of mystery meat and meat substitutes. After eating a hotdog a day (sometimes two) during this investigation, I learned a few things about the ideal dog.

How the sausage is made matters less than how it’s cooked. A regular ol’ wiener can be transformed by a few masterful slices to optimize grilling and topping distribution.

Also, the bun is just as important as the meat — if not more. A soft, yet solid, base lets the hotdogs shine while keeping the meal relatively mess-free.

Lastly, balance is key. Despite the name, toppings shouldn’t sit only on top; they should surround. Nobody likes a mouthful of mustard, followed by a bite of plain bun.

Thanks to everyone who wrote in. Below you’ll find alphabetical reviews of the suggestions I sampled, as well as a sidebar of honourable mentions. This is by no means an exhaustive list and, since the search for top dog is never truly over, I look forward to hearing about all the spots I missed.

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Bright Side Kitchen: Good Dog, $8

Visit their Instagram for weekly food truck locations

There was a time when vegan hotdogs weren’t worth their weight in plant-based protein. Those days are, thankfully, behind us. Bright Side, Winnipeg’s roving vegan food truck, is serving up substantial “jumbo stadium dogs” that mimic the real thing on flavour and mouthfeel without an overwhelming soy aftertaste. Served with full pickle slices, diced white onion, mayo, ketchup and mustard, it’s a solid dog with all the usual fixings. The bun was a little dry. I snagged mine at the Wolseley Farmers Market, but the pastel purple truck can be found in several consistent spots throughout the week.

🌭🌭🌭 out of five weens

 

Deek’s Dog House: Kolbasa Smokie, $7.50

Tyndall Market Mall, 850 Keewatin St.; Monday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

I opted for the Kolbasa Smokie at the recommendation of the vendor and was not disappointed. The garlicky Winnipeg Old Country Sausage was sliced crosswise and perfectly grilled, creating a good foundation for a build-your-own-adventure dog. The cart was stocked with diced onion, sauerkraut, crinkle-cut bread-and-butter pickles, hot peppers and an assortment of condiments, including honey mustard, barbecue and hot sauce. The bun was soft and matched the size of the wiener. Quick, friendly service with a picnic table nearby for curbside snacking. Bonus points for the punny slogan: “Let us meat all your wiener needs.”

🌭🌭🌭½ out of five weens

 

Dug and Betty’s: Don Juan, $11

309 Des Meurons St., visit dugandbettys.com for hours

Don’t forget to grab a napkin. Maybe two. And a fork. The Don Juan is a delightfully messy 1/4-pound gourmet hotdog loaded with Mexican street corn, spicy antipasto and feta. The smoky chipotle aioli brings it all together (before it falls apart entirely). The fork is for the second course of toppings that will inevitably end up on your plate. Despite the challenging circumstances, the bun holds its ground fairly well. An inventive, novel and well-balanced smokie. Dug and Betty’s is currently offering a “Road Work Special” — a plain hotdog and a milkshake for $13 — in light of the ongoing construction outside the cafe.

🌭🌭🌭🌭 out of five weens

 

Shaw Park: Goldie Dog, $12.75

1 Portage Ave. E, available during Goldeyes games

Baseball and hotdogs, a classic combination. I had high hopes for this one but, unfortunately, neither the Fish nor the food hit a home run during my trip to the ballpark. The Goldie Dog is entirely too much of a good thing. The jumbo hotdog earned points for its preparation — split then grilled — and the toasted buttered bun was a nice touch. The toppings were poorly dispersed and the dog was overflowing with chopped bacon, grilled onions and nacho cheese, most of which ended up on the plate. And it lost major league points for a uniform flavour of salt on salt on salt. Pickles and freshness were sorely needed.

🌭🌭 out of five weens

 

North Star Drive-In: Bacon Cheese Dog, $7

531 McGregor St.; Monday to Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This is it. The pinnacle. Everything I didn’t know I needed in hotdog form. North Star’s bacon cheese dog excels in its simplicity: a basic boiled wiener, split and grilled, served on a buttery-soft, lightly toasted bun. The topping application takes it to the next level. A full strip of bacon nestled between the dog, slices of pickles running parallel to the meat, melted American cheese, sweet red onion, yellow mustard and a house-made mayonnaise that tastes like burger sauce. The condiments and garnishes are ideally distributed so each bite has a little bit of everything. The atmosphere is great, too, with cheery counter service, order buzzers, picnic tables, music and fun exterior murals.

🌭🌭🌭🌭🌭 out of five weens

 

Willy Dogs: Smokie, $7.50

St. Boniface Hospital, 409 Taché Ave.; Monday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

A satisfying, unpretentious hotdog with a range of garnishes. The Winnipeg Old Country smokie was nice and snappy, served on a pillowy, lightly toasted City Bread bun. I topped my dog with pickles, white onions, sauerkraut, crispy onions, yellow mustard and a sweet, tangy homemade barbecue sauce. Bacon bits, hot peppers and several styles of specialty mustard were also available. The cart manager was kind and attentive, tidying up between customers. The Willy Dogs cart is stationed outside the hospital throughout the summer and a wider menu can be found at the Deer Lodge Curling Club during the off-season.

🌭🌭🌭½ out of five weens

 

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com

Twitter: @evawasney