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Seven Days: Hot Dogs For Hungry Dawgs
by Sera Kate Sims  photo by Allison Carter I don't know what came over me to make this seem logical, but in one week I ventured to six different hot dog stands and restaurants to see what frankfurters Athens has to offer. First and foremost, let it be known that I am a fairly health-conscious girl who doesn't make a habit of eating greasy, grimy food that comes from a vendor (who gets them from God knows where) on a corner downtown. That being said, this entire week of hot dog-eating was probably the most delicious and disturbing serial fat grams that I've consumed in quite some time. Here are the results, catalogued for your culinary pleasure and gastrointestinal discomfort:  Hot Dog King brings the cheese. photo by Allison Carter Today began my week-long epicurean experience of all the hot dog vendors in Athens. It started out like any other Friday night; I had just finished work and decided to go downtown. After a few drinks with my friends, the nighttime seemed like the right time to indulge in my first frank of the week. My decided stop was the Hot Dog King, located at the corner of Clayton and College, a block up from the Arch. The King himself, whose name I was unable to decipher, was obviously not the biggest fan of his job and seemed to want to talk about his obnoxiously drunk patrons rather than discuss the array of hot dog choices he had to offer. After some coaxing, though, he opened up and suggested the sausage dog, even offering it to me for free. Impressed? Why, yes I was! The sausage had just enough spiciness to it, while also being plump and juicy. Hot Dog Week was definitely off to a good start.  The line forms to the right at Gourmet Hot Dogs on College and Broad. photo by Allison Carter My second day on the hot dog trail was not a good day. It was a Saturday, and all I have to say is, "Enough with the Rocky Top already!" Feeling no need to sulk in the post-game traffic for hours on end, I chose the only other option available after a rarer than rare night game. I went downtown, of course, to drown my sorrows and indulge in my hot dog of the evening. The Gourmet Hot Dogs stand, across from the Arch at Broad and College seemed like the perfect place to accomplish the latter of these goals. This vendor, whose name I missed yet again, was a little more excited to be on the serving end of his stand. He chatted with his clientele, many of whom seemed to be his long-time friends. He even shared stories about his recent finger injury! He's now fully recovered, by the way. Tonight seemed like a straight-up, good old, normal hot dog kind of night, and my Gourmet Dog was no disappointment. It was juicy, plump, and full of flavor – everything a hot dog should be! I found myself looking strangely forward to the next five days. Day 3: Sunday: The Varsity (open daily) Arrggg! After struggling to roll out of bed around 12:30 (OK, that's a lie. It was more like 1:30), I decided that greasy food was just what the doctor ordered to cure my hangover and post-Tennessee blues. But where to go, I wondered, since it was a Sunday and I knew the downtown usuals would not be manning their stands. The Varsity, with it's pristine atmosphere and greasiest of foods, seemed to be just the right choice. It had been quite the long weekend, so I even went so far as to get a big ol' Coke and an order of onion rings to go along side of my chili cheese dog. I was assured by the woman taking my order that two slaw dogs were a customer favorite, but because of my disdain for slaw, I had to pass. If that's your thing though, I say go ahead. The chili dog was kind of a mixed bag. While initially settling my hangover, they left me with a not-so-hot feeling a few hours after the last bite. But maybe had I stopped at the hot dog alone, I would have been fine. I am pretty sure it was the onion rings that did me in. Day 4: Monday Well, I had to take a day off sometime. I had started to feel deprived of essential vitamins and minerals, and was finding myself quite lethargic after three dog days. So I hopped on the internet to check out some nutritional information, and it's no wonder I was feeling sub-par! The components of a hot dog were (surprise!) not the most conducive to a healthy lifestyle. The amount of sodium in a hot dog, even without any of the good stuff (i.e., chili, cheese, relish, ketchup, etc) is almost 50% of the recommended daily intake. It's a wonder we don't shrivel up when we eat a couple of them in one sitting. Not to mention the saturated fats (bad!) and trans fats (yup, hot dogs have lots of them even though nothing else seems to!). I was gradually identifying more and more with that guy from SuperSize Me. While I was online, I looked up some frankfurter fun facts (how's that for alliteration?) to make myself feel a little better about this whole ordeal. Did you know that 450 hot dogs are consumed every second of the day in America? And that 87% of hot dog eaters zigzag their bun-wearing sausages with mustard, making it the favorite hot dog condiment? But perhaps that's because the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council calls it gauche to use ketchup after the age of 18. And then I found the make-me-feel-better statistic I had been searching for: New Yorkers consume more hot dogs than any other city, with Chicago and Los Angeles as close seconds. So I don't feel that bad about my week-long binge afterall. After my day of rest, I felt like my system had been at least a little detoxed. My advice: if something ever possesses you to eat hot dogs every day for week, I strongly suggest you take an intermission day, as well. Without it, you might not finish.  The Grill is a neon beacon in the nighttime cityscape. photo by Allison Carter After a long group meeting on campus, a downtown lunch break was much needed. Since yesterday had been my recovery day, I was more than ready to get back into some heavy hot dog consumption. A change of some sort was needed, however. And that's when I remembered that The Grill offered a vegetarian-style tofu dog! It seemed like a dog my week would not be complete without. Besides, I had never tried tofu, and figured it couldn't be all that bad... Man, was I ever WRONG!!! Now, I know my vegetarian/vegan readers are cussing me out at this point, and all I have to say is, I'm sorry. But I am a proud and avid meat-eater who prefers her hot dogs not to crumble as I chew them. The taste was decent, but since I'm not used to the tofu texture, it really got to me. The tactile flaws of this eggless, meatless version could possibly have been disguised if enough toppings were included. Maybe onion, peppers and sauerkraut next time?  The UGA Dog is all that it appears to be, and more. photo by Allison Carter On Wednesday night, it seemed that Top Dog Concessions on College and Clayton was beckoning to me. Lee, the man behind the stand, seemed to be one of the most popular vendors I encountered all week. He had a bevy of friends, including some quite attractive ladies chatting it up about "old times", and he even has the reassuring protection of no less than two of our Athens' bicycle cops. Lee's specialty, the UGA Dog, comes topped with chili and cheese. It being Homecoming Week and all, this seemed to be the obvious choice, and it did not disappoint. Chili? Good. Cheese? Good. The combination of the two atop a hot, juicy hot dog? Really good! Worth all three dollars, and I even sprang for a little tip for Lee.  Looks can be deceiving. JB's Polish Sausage is a late night delicacy. photo by Allison Carter It was finally my last day on the hot dog hunt, and I think I may have saved the best for last. JB's Polish Sausages are cooked on an open grill to perfection right outside the 40 Watt, and his trademark "Comeback Sauce" is the only condiment good enough for the topping job. Don't ask him for his secret recipe, though, because he'll get a little protective of his concoction. The best I can describe the sauce as is a tomato-based flavor with hints of chili powder, onions (maybe), and an assortment of spices. Not only are JB's Sausages delicious, but his eagerness to converse with the townies and everyone who wanders down towards the hip side of town made the experience that much more enjoyable. Verdict: So, my hot dog week is over, and my body is no doubt thanking me for ending the madness. However, my experience, I must say, was worth all of the time, effort and value-less calories that I consumed. Now I know where to go after last call for what is truly the best dog in town. I would suggest to anyone who wishes to indulge in hot dogs, even to a lesser extent than I did, to drink lots of water and, more importantly, spread out your days of consumption. Hot dogs are a good thing, but everyone knows that too much of a good thing can be very, very bad. Happy eating! Comments [post a comment]
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Monday, January 05, 2009
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