Chicago Dog

Last month, I made another trip to Chicago. In a recent post, I talked about Lou Malnati's in the windy city and mentioned how I didn't have enough time to try a Chicago dog. I made it a must-do on my list this time around. Fortunately, I got a hot dog in the ultimate American setting - at a Chicago Cubs game.

I'm not exactly a hot dog fan. There's something about scrap meat jammed into a clear casing that doesn't lead me to salivation. But perhaps I was in the right mood, right setting, and right level of starvation that this Chicago dog left me lapping up my drool like a dachshund.

I opted for pretty much everything on the dog to get the full experience. The price tag to gobble one of these was pretty high, but I guess that's what you pay to eat the all-American fa(s)t food during an all-American pasttime. I wouldn't say it's worth the price, but it's definitely a lot better than the dog I've had off the cart in New York or the ones my family grills at home. My family isn't big on hot dog grilling, but your family may put Wrigley Field's hot dog business to shame.

The first bite had a beautiful snap that any good hot dog should have, and it had a bit of a spicy taste. I thought the heat married nicely with the cold tomatoes and my mouth appreciated the texture and heartiness of the chili. This dog was much longer than any other dog that I had ever seen anywhere else, so it was quite filling. I ordered a side of fries (I decided to indulge and make my body hate me) with the dog and left that stadium stuffed. If you're a small person with a regular appetite, I would recommend just getting the dog. It'll fill you pretty well.

I had some other food adventures during this trip in Chicago, but I will write about those in a later post. There are so many things that I've been taking pictures of but haven't had time to write about. Hopefully I'll find some time now that I'm relieved of school. Next time, look out for cannolis, monkey cakes, or filet mignon. I wouldn't recommend eating all of those in one sitting.