The Chicago Dog

By: Rachel Lowen, posted Jun 9, 2009 at 9:00 am

View Comments

chicago-dog

Yes, there’s a hot dog under there. Folks, this is a Chicago Dog: boiled all-beef (most favorably, Vienna brand) served atop a poppy-seed bun, with (ready?) yellow mustard, chopped raw white onion, “Nuclear” green sweet-relish, a dill pickle spear (mine’s hidden in the photo), chopped or sliced tomato, hot peppers, and celery salt. NO ketchup.

All the aforementioned fixins’ come standard, and in my experience, most folks opt for ‘em all to get the authentic experience and certain challenge that ensues. They’re not easy to wrap your mouth around, and tend to fall apart as you might imagine, but luckily it is perfectly acceptable to pick every last fallen morsel up with your fingers (no onion left behind). The history is uncertain, but like many other cheap-eats is attributed to an innovative Depression-era sandwich connoisseur, who in this instance, found a way to fit a days-worth of veggies onto single bun.

Today, you can get a great Chicago Dog on nearly every block in town, but nothing quite pays tribute like ordering one up at a ballpark- Wrigley Field in my case, and while the Cubs got destroyed by the Dodgers, this bad boy certainly made the game worthwhile. And, in fairness to the whole city of Chicago, I’ll be attending the White Sox game next week and will in the interest of research, of course order one up there to see how the South Side Chicago Dogs compare. Something tells me I won’t be disappointed.

Tweet


Tags: , ,

If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment or subscribe to the feed to get future articles delivered to your feed reader.

  • Neb

    They really do know how to eat in Chicago.

  • Neb

    They really do know how to eat in Chicago.

  • Neb

    They really do know how to eat in Chicago.

  • http://twitter.com/andrewweiser Andrew Weiser

    Any clue what makes the relish a 'nuclear' green? Is it just a certain coloring or actual ingredients.

  • http://twitter.com/andrewweiser Andrew Weiser

    Any clue what makes the relish a 'nuclear' green? Is it just a certain coloring or actual ingredients.

  • http://twitter.com/andrewweiser Andrew Weiser

    Any clue what makes the relish a 'nuclear' green? Is it just a certain coloring or actual ingredients.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Kessler/10500021 Ben Kessler

    According to Wikipedia, it is called “nuclear” because it is dyed neon green. Not the best source, but good enough for me.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Kessler/10500021 Ben Kessler

    According to Wikipedia, it is called “nuclear” because it is dyed neon green. Not the best source, but good enough for me.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Kessler/10500021 Ben Kessler

    According to Wikipedia, it is called “nuclear” because it is dyed neon green. Not the best source, but good enough for me.

  • Mike

    On the way to shore off of the Atlantic City Expressway there is Mr. Bill's on Route 73 in Hammonton – they make an authentic Chicago dog right down to the bright green relesh

  • Mike

    On the way to shore off of the Atlantic City Expressway there is Mr. Bill's on Route 73 in Hammonton – they make an authentic Chicago dog right down to the bright green relesh

  • Mike

    On the way to shore off of the Atlantic City Expressway there is Mr. Bill's on Route 73 in Hammonton – they make an authentic Chicago dog right down to the bright green relesh

  • http://twitter.com/KellyWargo Kelly Wargo

    Hot Diggity Dog was the Chicago hot dog stand recommended to me by numerous locals when I was there two winters ago. It was fantastic. I also got my favorite style, a dog with just mustard, which, in Chicago, is called an “East Coast Dog.”

  • http://twitter.com/KellyWargo Kelly Wargo

    Hot Diggity Dog was the Chicago hot dog stand recommended to me by numerous locals when I was there two winters ago. It was fantastic. I also got my favorite style, a dog with just mustard, which, in Chicago, is called an “East Coast Dog.”

  • http://twitter.com/KellyWargo Kelly Wargo

    Hot Diggity Dog was the Chicago hot dog stand recommended to me by numerous locals when I was there two winters ago. It was fantastic. I also got my favorite style, a dog with just mustard, which, in Chicago, is called an “East Coast Dog.”

blog comments powered by Disqus