great friends & great hotdawgs

<---These are my generous hosts while in Chicago. 

(left) The lovely and enormously talented Shannon Ulis.

(right) The fearsome twosome of Kent Weaver and Steve Shumaker.

Shannon is one of my good friends from back home. She is a kick-arse interior designer for a very swank firm here in Chicago, and I am endlessly proud of her (even if she would hate me saying that) - check out out her firm Simeone Deary. 

Kent (beard) is a good friend, who ironically went to Kent State. Steve (no beard) is also from Kent, and he might be the most athletic non-athlete I have ever met. If it involves a ball, the kid can play it and play it well. (insert michael scott joke here). Many thanks to these upstanding gentleman for their hospitality...especially for introducing me to Doug's (Dawgs) hot dogs. 

The real topic of this blog....

The BEST hotdog(dawg) you've ever had - Hot Doug's Hotdogs

After hanging out in Wrigley-ville our first night in chicago, Kent takes us for hot dogs for lunch. After a short 5 block drive from this apartment, we find Hot Doug's (or Hot Dawgs if you ask Nate), and a line out the door and around the corner.  

After waiting for an hour in line, we finally reached the counter where Doug himself takes your order (see picture below). Doug greets me with a smile and by the end of my order is referring to me by name. I order a classic Chicago dog and an Italian sausage. To say these hot dogs were good would be like saying the sun is bright. As the first bite makes contact with my taste buds, I am dumbfounded by a wallop of flavor. I am so blitzed by deliciousness that I just stare at Kent for a few seconds before sputtering, "Oh... oh, yeah... that's good". I take my next bite and my next and my next - each time gushing some sound  of approval (mmmm, oh, geesh, wow).

Hot Doug's/Dawgs is a truly local Chicago treat. It is nestled on an unassuming street corner below a plain sign in a mostly residential neighborhood. It is only open 10-4 everyday because the owner actually works the counter - everyday. If he (doug) isn't there the store isn't open. This hotdog/dawg joint is no secret, however. Later Monday night, we were watching No Reservations, a food travel show, and where should celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain go to in Chicago? Yup, that's right, Hot Doug's. 

Watch the clip 0f Doug's from No Reservations (starts at 3:00 min)

Bourdain called Doug's dogs, "Nirvana for lovers of tubed meats". He is right, and I have been enlightened.