We’ve entered the era of the dog. It’s official. I mean, don’t get me wrong, burgers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. But the newest trend lately seems to be the gourmet hot dog restaurant. Today’s review comes from a recent trip I made down to San Diego. I was staying with my great friend, Lisa, who has the most comfy air mattress in the history of the universe. Seriously, that thing is goooood. Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh, right, hot dogs.
Daddy’s Hot Dogs – On University Ave, in Hillcrest
Back in the day (i.e. the 80s) the concept of gourmet food meant white tablecloths, celebrity sightings and people who I would normally refer to as “total douchers.” Luckily, the concept has evolved a fair amount over the years and legitimate gourmet food can be found in the most unlikely place, or places (if it’s a food truck). Daddy’s Hot Dog’s isn’t going to win any awards for decor, and it would not inaccurately be described as a ‘hole in the wall.’ Literally.
See? A hole… in a wall.
I think I might be paraphrasing Yogi Berra here, but the greatest thing about simplicity is that it isn’t complicated. Daddy’s Dogs is run by the eponymous Daddy. He is the one-man-band of hog dog deliciousness. Because he does everything himself, it takes a little while for you to get your dog. But trust me, it’s worth the wait…
Chicago dog (left) and Pig in slop dog (right)
Daddy’s Dogs gives you 3 options for your frank: Beef, Buffalo, and Veggie. Considering that I am a huge fan of the old west (I’ve watched Dances With Wolves like 86 times) I decided to go with the buffalo. Lisa chose to do the same.
The menu is simple and straightforward, and not overloaded with a ton of different dogs. I was in a chili mood, so I opted for the “pig in slop” which comes with bacon, chili, onions, mustard and cheese (glorious amounts of cheese). Lisa decided to go for the “chicago dog,” a delicacy containing onions, tomato, sweet relish, a pickle spear, mustard, peppers & Daddy’s secret ingredient of awesomeness: celery salt. Here are a couple more closeup pics…
I didn’t get a chance to try Lisa’s chicago dog, because by the time I thought to ask it was already gone. I didn’t mind though, because I demolished my dog in record time too. As far as taste is concerned I had no complaints. The dog was halved on the grill and seared perfectly. It was equal parts juicy and springy as a perfect dog should be. The chili was the traditional beef (no bean) chili that you’d expect to find and was spiced well and not overly sweet. The mound of cheese was enough to provide that mix of melted and unmelted cheese that really separates the men chili dogs from the boy chili dogs. Finally, the bacon provided a nice crunch and occasional bursts of salty fatty goodness.
Interior view
Even though Lisa and I scarfed down our dogs like they were the first thing we had eaten in weeks, we still had time to get a couple of embarrassing pictures during the process. These are those pics:
As you can see, we really enjoyed our little visit to Daddy’s Dogs. One dog was enough to fill me up, and the prices were very reasonable in my book (between $4-6). If you’d like to see the menu in full, please visit www.daddyshotdogs.com.
Of course, I’d prefer it if you just took my word for it and went down there to grab a dog for yourself. Tell Daddy that EatMeCalifornia sent you.
EatMeCalifornia 