Happy Hot Dog Month!

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
-Red Hots Around Chicagoland

July is National Hot Dog Month. I thought now would be a fun time to share some random hot dog spots from around the Chicagoland area. Since July is the seventh month of the twelve and also since seven is a lucky number we'll take a look at seven hot dogs found around this way. The truth is it might be near impossible to go and try each and every stand in Chicagoland but if there's anyone who's been to more than most, I'm one of them. I don't know the exact stats but I would have to bet that Chicagoland has (by far) more hot dog stands than anywhere else in the world, here are seven to scope out.

Lincoln Park's old Doggie Diner (RIP)


Frankie's, vacated in da burbs

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Slim's

Located on Montrose in Ravenswood

Slim's is one of the newer to the scene hot dog shops in the Chi. As many as there are up and running there are that have come and gone. Of the seven spots we take a look at today, Slim's was my most recent one visited. I like the place and it seems to be doing well in the Ravenswood neighborhood but I went in with the hope they were another place going minimalist style since they have the Vienna Beef neon in the window and also do fresh cut fries. Well the fries were great and the dog was good. I think the VB natural casing dogs are superior to all others including their own ones which arent natural casing. Nonetheless Slim's looked like a place I'll be back to. Burgers and sandwich options looked and smelled sweet.

Hot dog with everything and fresh cut fries from Slim's

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The Hut


Located at 36th and California

The Hut is a popular place with the locals who live near there in the Brighton park neighborhood. As I was saying we as a city have 1,000's of these type of spots. They use Red Hot Chicago brand hot dogs which is yet another stellar wiener company used by many hot dog stand around Chicagoland. The menu at The Hut is just like the rest of the places similar to it's. Hot dogs, burgers, beefs, gyros, Polish sausage and so on. If your from near there you've had yourself a few hot dogs from The Hut. That's one of the fine things about living in Chicago, every kid has a local hot dog joint they grew up on.

Hot Dog with everything from The Hut

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Skyway Dog House

Eastside Chicago near Indiana border

The Skyway Dog House has been helping me out with a quick no time wasted bite to eat since I've had my license and been going up to Michigan City over the Summer. Located on Ewing right off the Chicago Skyway they've been serving the people of the Eastside for over forty years. A member of the Vienna Beef Hall of Fame and a well deserved one. Again I wish everyplace out there would use the natural casing dog but a Vienna Beef dog that's not natural casing is still better than most everyone else.

Hot Dog with everything from Skyway Dogs

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Hot Dog Richie's

Located in Palatine, IL

Hot Dog Richie's like the rest of the places featured here is a family owned joint that keeps their neighbors happy with quick tasty food at good prices. They've been a staple in Palatine since 1975 when they first opened up. The menu is just like the rest of the spots and the service is too, friendly and efficient. People not from Chicago might recognize that each 'Chicago style' hot dog is different in these pictures and this is true. Although we have the standard definition with listed ingredients, not every place offers up each exact topping or uses a poppy seed bun while other places load them with even more than whats listed in the definition. Then there's the other Chicago style, completely different which is also my favorite, the minimalist. Hot Dog Richie's drags 'em thru da garden as you can see in da pic below.

Hot Dog with everything from Hot Dog Richie's

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Sma's

Located in Willow Springs, IL

Sma's is one of the 100's or so seasonal hot dog stands in Chicagoland. As you can see in the picture above from across the street, they're just a little shack you walk up to and order your food at outdoors. They do have picnic tables to sit at off to the side. It's located along Archer ave not too far from the big golf course out there and the couple times I have stopped buy always saw some guys in their short shorts and bright colored Polo shirts having a hot dog or burger.

Hot Dog with everything from Sma's

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Hey! Hot Dog

Located in Joliet, IL

Hot Dog month is in July which also happens to be the most "American" of months with 4th of July also being celebrated during this time. America is the land of regional hot dogs but one variation that can be found just about anywhere is the American classic, the chili cheese dog. I stopped into a place in Joliet called Hey! Hot Dog for some homemade root beer when I drove by one day last year. I ended up grabbing a CCD with my root beer and enjoyed the classic version of it. The cheap hot dog with a mess of chili and some fake cheese with raw onions on top is a guilty pleasure of mine.

Chili cheese dog from Hey! Hot Dog

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Jaenicke's Root Beer Stand

Located in Kankakee, IL

Let's see All American related food trends. Hot Dog's? Check. Chili Dogs? Check. Root Beer Stands? Check. Drive In's? Check. Jaenicke's Root Beer Stand in Kankakee, which might be outside of Chicagoland but is a place visited by folks passing thru and should there ever be football again, people going to Bourbonnais for Chicago Bears training camp. Jaenicke's has been around these parts since 1940. Located right along the river they are famous for their homemade root beer and red hots.

Walk Up Window (Click all pics to enhance)

I was put on here by a poster at LTH who said " But the real draw is the tiny hot dog with a sauce that is somewhat unique. It's similar to the sauce used on Rochester white hots (Zweigle's, eg). I've had a similar condiment in Toronto, and it's in the same neighborhood as the red onion sauce one sees in NYC. Born of leaner times in an already modest place, Jaenicke’s offers "sauce buns," a meatless treat not unlike Chicago's gravy bread." I tried these suckers and liked them in that guilty pleasure way. The sauce tasted like a mix of chili and spaghettio's yet somehow it all worked well. Happy Hot Dog Month!

Red Hot Deluxe dog from Jaenicke's

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Slim's
2020 W. Montrose ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 878-7546

The Hut
3601 South California ave
Chicago, IL 60632
773-847-0240

Skyway Doghouse
9480 South Ewing Avenue
Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 731-2000

Hot Dog Richie's
220 North Northwest Highway
Palatine, IL 60067-5396
(847) 358-8560

Sma's
8744 Archer Ave
Willow Springs, IL 60480
(708) 839-1981

Hey! Hot Dog
601 Ruby Street
Joliet, IL 60435
(815) 723-5487

Jaenicke’s Root Beer Stand
390 East River Street
Kankakee, IL 60901
815-549-9706

Mr. Beef

-Got Beef? Italian Beef
as seen on 'What's Your Beef?'

We're 34 beef joints in and I finally decided it was Mr. Beef's time. No I didn't just go there for the first time recently I just wanted to get some of the lesser known places up on the board and scored first. I've been going to Mr. Beef since I can remember. When people (tourists) talk beef it's usually a discussion of Al's or Mr. Beef. Mister has been getting big love since I've been around in life and since it's a pretty close car ride from where I grew up it was in my regular rotation during my youth. Especially high school days when it was a favorite food stop of me and my friends. I don't get there nearly as often as I used to but did get back recently to be able to score a beef fairly.


a locals and tourist favorite on Orleans street

As you enter, order to the counter at your left

Randy (RIP) was freaking me out my most recent visit

During my youth of the 90's Mr. Beef was most likely my favorite beef at least on the northside. Then for a while I felt like they had a fall off in quality and weren't putting out the same beefs as when Scala's used to be right down the street back in the day. Some people said it went down hill while others claimed their allegiance to Dom and the boys. My most recent visit was everything I remembered Mr. Beef to be. This time around the beef was tender and thinly sliced and their gravy had the taste I was used to when eating a beef with hot from MB. I've always been a fan of their hot pepper mix and enjoy the fresh celery, its not as hot as other mixes but goes well with the beef and gravy. Since Mr. Beef is so big with tourists you usually don't have to worry about the bread which is delivered fresh daily. I'm not quite on Jay Leno's bus but I've always been a big Mr. Beef guy and I'm glad my latest visit was what I remember it for and that's a good beef sammich. They need to stay consistent since they rep the IB and many out of towners judge all beefs by theirs.


beef with hot from Mr. Beef

Rating Scale 5/5

beef: 4
bread: 4
gravy: 4
hot peppers: 4

Score: 16/20

Mr. Beef

666 N Orleans St
Chicago, IL 60654-3916
(312) 337-8500

Wedl's Hamburger Stand

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Wisconsin

After logging in some miles down Highway 51 towards Chicago last summer we took a little sidetrack that would take us to Jefferson, WI which is the home to another very old seasonal burger shack. Wedl's is a 90+ year old joint that's been mentioned and rec'd by real deal bloggers and is also featured in George Motz's book-Hamburger America. It hasn't always been named Wedl's and used to go by Peterson's until it was sold to a family of longtime customers who just changed the name but not the burgers or how and where they are made. Much like Pete's and the Lake Mills VFW Post featured on S'C'&C before, Wedl's is a shack on the sidewalk.


a locals favorite in Jefferson, WI

The picture above is the view from across the street and as you can see, the shack is on the left in front of the building which is an ice cream parlor. There's also a patio to the right for people to sit at and eat. If you go inside the building where ice cream is served you can see some old time photos of the hamburger stand and other shots of it from thru the years. You walk up to the sidewalk shack outside for burger orders. The menu is rather packed and I'm sure most of the items have been added on the last 20 some years. The grill dude told me the steak sandwich was also very popular and really good but I was there for their classic burgers which they've been doing up the same since the shack started.

"Wedl you taste one"

Seen in the large photo below is a shot inside and a look at the grill where the burgers are made. Wedl's gets fresh ground beef from the towns butcher and they start off as balls that are smashed into patties making them the much loved by myself and others, 30's style burgers. Next to the patties are a pile of onions grilling away that flood the air and can be smelled by anyone near. When your burgers are ready you take them over to the side of the shack and can top them with ketchup, mustard and pickles. I ordered a double with onions and put some mustard and pickles on it and I was ready to go.


The burger shack

Well you can put another burger on the board for WI. A classic 30's style burger with fresh meat and potent and perfectly grilled onions and just mustard and pickles to top it off was the way I love them. Add in a soft bun and you got yourself a great flavor combination. Wedl's took the bronze for burgers on a trip with as many good burgers as I have ever had . The reality is six of the spots were fantastic and further proof Wisconsin is a great burger state. Jefferson is 40 miles east of Madison, WI and worth the stop if in the vicinity, just "Wedl you taste one."


double cheeseburger from Wedl's

Wedl's Hamburger Stand (seasonal)
200 E Racine St
Jefferson, WI 53549
(920) 674-3637

GT Fish & Oyster

-Grubbing in Chicago
New to the 'Scene'.

I had a really nice dinner last month at one of Chicago's hot new spots GT Fish & Oyster. Let me star off by saying, don't you loyal readers worry, I'm not going all fancy on that ass. I usually let the 'elegant know it all's' take care of (and argue about) the new trendy places but just because a place is new and trendy doesn't mean it cant be good. It's definitely a hot spot and the place was packed, no seats at the bar, booked for the night but everyone that was able to be in there was having a good time and it was all casual. Sure the ladies were pretty and most of them with men double their age but I had a good time looking around. The bar stocked some nice craft beers and had a cocktail list as well. First up were the oysters in the restaurants namesake.

The Days fresh shucked oyster selection, I'll try two of each please

Livin' the High Life

These oysters were the best yet I have had in Chicago. It's hard to to give a real answer as to which ones I liked best, they're all great, extra fresh and full of ocean flavor. You really can taste the difference from which oceans they come from, climate etc.. The dipping sauces which included a ponzu and GT style cocktail we're excellent with just a tad of one on each oyster. In the end I decided the Cortes Island oysters from West British Columbia were my favorite and that's just more bait to get me to Canada's B.C area sometime soon. As I mentioned already the menu at GT consists of smaller sized samples and you have a selection of items both hot and cold. I was with the fam so we we're able to try pretty much everything. The fresh oyster menu varies but they let you know the days selection and where they're from. A few of these ultra fresh oysters and some good handcrafted brew is as fancy a night as I need at this point in life.

The days selection off the 'cold' menu (click pics to enhance)

I really like the menu and how they set it up. It works well for larger groups of people and also anyone who wants to stop in for a drink and maybe try one or two of the options off of it. Also great is the fact it isn't a huge selection but does cover a good ground and what they do offer they do well since there isn't a million things that need to be done in the kitchen. I'm not sure how often they switch up the menu. The items came out almost as fast as they were eaten. I thought the cold menu might of been better overall than the hot on my visit. Maybe this was because it was a nice hot day outside but it also had my favorite eat of the night on it, and although the excellent oysters have their own section, they're cold so they count as that. I'd order all of these items again, they were all great, my favorite was the BBQ eel, I'll be back just for that.

A taste of the Pacific ocean in Chicago

Sunfish Ceviche

Tuna Poke with mango, cucumber and black sesame


Smoked Hamachi Crudo with Asian pear, edamame and hijiki


BBQ eel with wasabi and potato octopus salad

The days selection off the 'hot' menu (click pics to enhance)

The hot part of the menu was also very good but not quite as much as the cold portions but it's hard to beat fresh oysters and such on a nice sunny day. We ate a good amount off of it including some non seafood selections. If I had the chance I might of "tried this instead of that" but again it's all good when you got a group with you. Others enjoyed some of these dishes best. Nothing was awful but I wouldn't order the fish and chips again and was underwhelmed by the fish tacos, they were pretty good, I'd just spend the $12 on a different dish next time. I'm a lifelong big time clam chowder fan and this was an excellent rendition and the pork belly off the 'not seafood' selection as well as the steak. The steak was very good but your there for the super fresh seafood. The pasta dishes were what stood out for me on the hot selection side as well as the crab cake which was my favorite from it.

GT Clam Chowder


P.E.I Mussels with roasted tomatoes, basil and ciabatta


Fried Pork Belly with Beans and Slaw


Crab and cheese Stuffed Zucchini Flowers


Fish tacos with chicharron and chipotle aioli

Crab Cake with red bell pepper aioli


Brandade Croquettes with salt cod, potato, fennel orange salad and mustard


Crab Agnolotti


Basil Gnocchi with mussel-shrimp ragout and cherry tomatoes


Fish and Chips


Perfectly cooked Strip Steak from Allen Brothers Beef

I'll for sure return to drink at the bar at GT and eat some oysters which are one of my favorite food delights along with a few other options from their nice small plate selection. I was very satisfied with everything from the fresh well prepped food to the friendly service of each and every employee. GT is a well run restaurant that lives up to the 'scene' and worth a return.


Strawberry (gelato) shortcake for dessert

GT Fish & Oyster

531 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 929-3501

Website

Dorfler's Meat Market

-Grubbing in Chicago (land)
Where the locals shop.

Well I hope y'all enjoyed 'travel month' @chibbqking as we head into July, a month all about the grilling, I thought now was the perfect time to share one of my favorite meat markets in Chicagoland. I first visited Dorfler's last summer after I found myself all the way out there in da burbs and remembering reading about their meats somewhere. I'm glad I stopped in because what I found is one most excellent meat market that the people of the North Central suburbs are lucky to have. I'm from the middle of the city but have found myself making the extra trek up there when I was already halfway there in other suburbs. If your going to be around BG at all before the 4th of July or anytime this summer I would highly suggest stopping in.


a popular locals favorite in Buffalo Grove, IL

Located (like everything else out there) in a strip mall this family run butcher shop/deli has been doing it up the right way since 1978. Dedication to quality and the customer is what they give and do and I was very impressed with my first visit and each one since. With baseball in this town becoming irrelevant and almost unbearable to watch, they have most everything you need for a great day of grilling in the summer sun. They get USDA prime beef and dry age it for up to six weeks. They also have a fresh seafood display case and a deli with sandwiches made from Boars Head Meats and prepared meals and salads are on display as well. Here is a little peak at the display cases and what I saw on my first visit.

They have all your beef/chicken/sausage needs

Dorfler's also has many pre-marinated ready to grill items like fajitas, wings, kabobs, burgers and housemade sausage along with popular local products like natural casing Vienna Beef and other all beef wieners and sausages such as Leon's Polish sausage. I didn't get any fish but it looked nice and they had some huge scallops that I was tempted by but stuck with beef on this visit. I looked around and saw that skirt steak was their specialty and also one of my favorites so I knew I was going to be getting some of that. It comes to your liking as they trim it up to your request after you order. You can get their pre-marinated trimmed and ready to grill skirt steaks from the display case as well.


Skirt Steaks to your liking (to the left)

I ended up getting a little over 3.5 lbs of their skirt steak cut to my request and I had some great meals the few days it took me to eat all of it. They also take the leftover skirt steak trimmings and hunks of fresh skirt steak meat and will ground you skirt burgers fresh after ordering. The people here are really helpful and will do whatever you need and I'm sure would order you what you want if they don't have it. The skirt burgers were something else as you can see in the picture below, the fat content and marbling of the patty is very visible. read on to see what I did with them.

Skirt steaks ready for grilling from Sunday night dinner (L) Fresh ground skirt burgers (R)

On top of a great meat selection they also have a really nice deli using the aforementioned Boars Head meats and also some great made in store salads and such. They have a sandwich menu for lunch which people were coming in and out of the store to order off of it on each visit I have made. I ended up getting some feta olive and macaroni salads for the fridge both of which were great. I've ordered a few different selections since those two and each one was great.


Nice large case with different deli options

I got hungry looking at all the meat and ended up trying the Dorfler Sandwich off the deli menu which is made with their house made roast beef served on a sub roll with a horseradish sauce and the other usual toppings. It was a mighty fine sandwich. I also like the hot giardineria sausage made in house that has the giardineria ground into the meat. Those are always a crowd please every time I grill them.

House made roast beef and Italian sausage

If your ever in the area I would without a doubt make the stop at Dorfler's to fill up the fridge for the weekend. I thought the skirt steaks were as good as I've had and will have to stop up there and pick some up for the grill some point soon. They also have a freezer with alot of their popular specialties available frozen and they sell produce and have an aisle of regional seasonings and sauces. Nice place to have if your in that area. Places like Dorfler's are actually becoming near extinct in the city with all the garbage from big boys like Dominick's and Jewel.


Dorfler Sandwich made with their own roast beef

I grilled up some Dorfler's skirt steak burgers last summer and loved them greatly but might never make them again due to there being so many different styles of burgers I want to try. One things for sure, I'll be using their skirt steak patties again. I decided to top one of the burgers with a standard pickled onion recipe I like use on grilled skirts steaks and for the other I went big and did grilled onions with homemade bacon bits, real Wisconsin cheddar cheese and and a fried egg on top. Warning...reading forward will make you hungry for hamburgers.

I come from the all burgers need onions camp

Grilled cheddar burger with sauteed onions mixed with bacon bits and a fried egg on top


Grilled skirt steak trimmings burger with Pickled Onions*

*Recipe

1 Lg Red Onion
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 TBSP Raw Sugar
1 TBSP Coriander
2 TBSP Olive Oil
Dash of red pepper flakes

1) Peel and slice the onion as thin as you can. Keep it whole before you do so so you have circles of onions to use as topping.

2) Combine water, vinegar and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil and proceed to pour it over the onions and then add the coriander, olive oil and red pepper flakes and let sit and cool. Drain the liquid before using although you might want to save it for other uses.


Simplicity has always worked well with hamburgers


Grilled Skirt Steak with loaded baked potato. Happy 4th!

Dorfler's Meat Market
1182 Mchenry Rd
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089-1335
(847) 459-3060
Website