John's Doggie Shop

Recently I've been on a mission to get myself to all the Philly-area hot dog spots that I haven't been to yet, especially with a few of them have recently closed (Nicky & Pete's, Montgomery Lunch).

The West Chester area has a hot dog culture that goes back almost 100 years. Jimmy John's Piping Hot (which burned down last year but recently re-opened) is the king out here, but there's a bunch of other spots that have been around forever that you don't hear too much about, and may or may not be closed or in danger of closing.


Hot dog research can get confusing out here- along with TWO different John's Doggie Shops and Jimmy John's Piping Hot, you've also got Johnnie's Dog House in Wayne (part of a small chain) and Jimmy John's the sandwich chain.


Anyway I was happy to find John's Doggie Shop opened for business. A small luncheonette with a counter and 4 or 5 booths, this is your basic working man's "breakfast and lunch grill" sort of place with hot coffee, creamed chipped beef, burgers and dogs and secret sauce.


The plain skinless dog was grilled and sort of underwhelming, especially after trying Jimmy John's delicious natural special casing "special dog"half an hour before.


But buried underneath John's "sauce" it's a whole different story. This is a classic "texas weiner" or "greek hot dog sauce" type chili, super dark and strong flavored, and plenty of it. The kind of dog you wash down with a cup of black coffee and a pack of cigarettes. Really good stuff, if you like this sort of old fashioned hot dog sauce this is one of the better spots in Philadelphia / Pennsylvania to find it.

Also, the Black & White milkshake was terrific, surprisingly better than the same thing from Jimmy John's.

There's another John's Doggie Shop about 5 miles closer to the city that may or may not be open, and is somehow related to this one.

John's Doggie Shop
Holly Eats: Johns Doggie Shop
525 Conchester Highway
Boothwyn PA

All the Hot Dogs

In case you missed any of the latest hot dog news, here's a recap-


Gilbert's Craft Sausages
Gilbert's is a new company out of Wisconsin doing high quality natural casing (technically a "beef collagen co-extrusion casing") dogs and sausages, cured with beet juice and celery powder rather than nitrates or chemicals. They also taste great. The awesome folks at Gilbert's were kind enough to send me a case of stuff to experiment with for Serious Eats.


Here's my Chicago-style take on Gilbert's all-beef Froman dog. Neon relish, homemade pickles, mustard, pickled serranos, onions, tomatoes, yellow mustard.

Read more-
Hot Dog Of The Week: The Froman from Gilbert's Craft Sausages


Last week I tried out Gilbert's Shabeergan Brat (steamed in beer then finished on the grill) and the South American-style Catalana pork sausage (piled into a grill-toasted Torta with avocado, grilled jalapeno, and mexi-mozz) both also really really good.


As for now they are available in select stores in the Wisconsin area, as well as Costco stores across the midwest (and via mailorder). Hopefully we'll see a local distributor soon.. Wegman's would get my vote.

Read more-
Hot Dog of the Week: Grilling the Catalana and Shabeergan Brats from Gilbert's Sausages
Gilbertssausages.com
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Sandy's Pimento Cheese Dog
Ate this last summer in South Carolina. Easily in the top 2 or 3 hot dogs I've had in the south. Pimento cheese should be the next big thing.

Read more-
Hot Dog Of The Week : Pimento Cheese Dog from Sandy's Famous in South Carolina
twitter.com/SandysFamous
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Otto's Sausage Kitchen
Caroline went to Portland and came back with these hot dog pictures. This is place is the real deal, an old school German butcher shop that makes their own franks and wursts and grills them in front of the store. Looks amazing.


Read more-
Hot Dog of the Week: Otto's Sausage Kitchen in Portland, OR
ottossausage.com
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Memphis Taproom
Chau has already sung their praises here on DFF, but I have to agree that Memphis Taproom might serve the best hot dog I've ever eaten in Philadelphia, partly due to the fact that they use Best Provisions natural casing all-beef franks from New jersey, one of the best in the country. Known to hardcore hot doggers as the legendary Syd's Dog, you can also find this frankfurter at The Garage in north Jersey.


Read more-
Hot Dog of the Week: Memphis Taproom Beer Garden in Philadelphia
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Scott Dogs
As you might have heard Memphis Taproom has some competition coming with Scott Schroeder's hot dog cart in the works featuring hand-made dogs from La Divisa Meats and Detroit Chili which If you've never had it is probably the best thing in the world. High hopes for this one.

Read more-
Meal Ticket: SPTR's Schroeder to start doggin' it
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Hot Diggity
Last but not least is Hot Diggity, a brand new hot dog joint opening on South Street in Philadelphia sometime in the near future. The dogs are awesome, grilled Sabrett dogs on Liscio rolls served in ten (or more) different varieties. Oh and I should also mention that I illustrated the menu, in the form of ten giant hot dog paintings that will be hanging in the shop.


I've tried all the dogs and they are delicious, especially the Saigon Fusion which if you closed your eyes you might think you were eating a real Banh Mi. The fries are also OUTSTANDING. More info to come as the opening progresses...

Read more-
Meal Ticket: Hot Diggity! opening on South Street
Naked Philly: Hot Diggity Respecting The Dog
Hotdiggity on facebook

La Marqueza Taco Truck

Last week, Chau was talking smack on the Garces Guapos Tacos truck, so perfect timing to come across this real taco truck parked near the Art Museum.


I was on the drive home from a failed pre-memorial day Tomato Pie/Hoagie mission, pretty bummed and hungry (place was closed) but this brightly colored soccer ball and skull covered taco truck saved the day.


The carnitas were delicious and tender and unlike some in these parts pleasantly free of gristle. Although the lettuce and sour cream is less than authentic ( "Lettuce?!?" groans my outraged friend from San Diego, who insists there's "no good Mexican food in Philadelphia") it tasted great as did the orange carnita grease dripping out of the end of the taco mixed with sour cream.


And a complimentary bag of homemade tortilla chips. Awesome.


This place gets my vote for real deal Philadelphia taco truck made by real Mexicans. A notch above Taco Loco, but not quite as good as the unlicensed tamale/taco car that used to park on Moravian street every saturday.

No twitter or internet presence I can find (unless it goes by a different name?) but it was parked on 22nd & the Parkway on the weekend, and word is they set up near Phila Community College (15th and Spring Garden-ish) during the week.

Norristown-Style Mexican Hot Dog - Or Not

For years I've been meaning to check out Montgomery Lunch, an old school luncheonette and "Texas" style hot dog joint in Norristown that's been around since 1940.


In the last couple years the place was bought out by some mexican cooks who fused it into a sort of "texas lunch tacqueria" keeping the american classics on the menu (hot dogs, burgers, breakfast, cheesesteaks, hoagies, zeps) along with tacos, tortas, sopes, carnitas, and supposedly a "secret" menu of mash-ups like a chorizo hoagie and, in my dreams, some sort of MIND BLOWING, never before seen "norristown style mexican hot dog".


So imagine my hot dog dreams shattered before my eyes seeing the place empty, with a big "uninhabitable" sticker slapped on the door. Apparently there was some sort of explosion under the restaurant earlier this year, and it looks like they actually closed a few weeks before that.


I'm bummed to have never tried this one-of-a-kind place, although on the bright side my visions of jalapeno-hotdog-greek chili-cheesesteak-gordita fusion will never be tarnished by what in reality might have just been a sad, weird diner in a run down neighborhood.

Or more likely, a great spot for mexican food with OK hot dogs. Anyway, if anyone out there has more photos of this place, especially the food, I'd love to see them... I think the first time of heard of this place was a comment right here on drawing for food.

•Montgomery Lunch Menu at allmenus.com
•More photos including interior at norristown patch
•Montgomery Hot Lunch at alleewillis.com

Elote Corn

See the Magic of Summer's best treasure via the Wheat Beer fest at the South Philly Taproom.

Grilled Corn + Stick + Limes + Mexican Cheese + Mayonaisse + Chili Powder = So Stoked

Summer Means Truck Eatin'

Guapos Truck

 

I admit, the Guapos Truck is not my favorite. To me it's something to fancy in a guise of a lunch truck. Before I realized it was a Garces Truck ( and I LOVE Jose Garces mind you ) I thought it seemed a little tooo nice, and it was fishy that the people inside weren't excited about the line of people wanting tacos.

And of course its because its not their truck.

What makes a lunch truck so so so great, is that it's cheap, and it's so so so good because the people in it, LOVE their food, and maybe can't afford a restaurant. So you get excited people serving you what they love. it's a whole experience.

With my lunch truck theory said, the food was a little too expensive for what it was, BUT it was delicious and beautiful and made with care. Skip the guac and chips and get the warm corn salad instead and spoon it onto your tacos. YUM.

Corn Salad, Fish Tacos, Chips and Guacomole, and Pork Tacos

 Memphis TapRoom Beer Garden

This charmer of a place really kicked my crush on summer and Philadelphia hardcore.

Charming, well done, beautiful outside seating and totally loyal neighborhood place. Nothing is better than hot dogs and canned beer in the sweet warm nights of Philadelphia.

Memphis Taproom

2331 East Cumberland Street
Philadelphia, PA 19125

215-425-4460

La Copine Brunch Truck

This now, is killing the brunch game. These charming charmers Clare and Nicki run this darling little truck every Saturday and Sunday at 2nd and Poplar across from the Standard Tap. The patio area is absolutely lovely and I can't say more about how great of an experience this is.

I love love love supporting people who want to make something awesome happen through hard work and passion. I would do anything for these ladies. They still have day jobs and then work all night long prepping the truck for the weekend. I told them pretty soon they are going to have to quit because the word is out, the food is toooooo goood.

 Homemade Hibisicus Tea and Iced Coffee 

VIP seating.

Homemade breakfast sausage with local pork from Meadow Run Farms. Hash Browns cooked in butter and spicy tomato jam. Killin' the game. Best Hash Browns in the city hands down.

Grilled Homemade banana bread with peanut butter and jam. SOOOOO secret genious.

And with that this summer is too rad.

Tamales Benedict

Caroline's delicious leftover tamales from today's Cook The Book recipe out of the awesome Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook.


Topped with ultra fresh local-pastured-organic eggs from Your Family Cow that made the most beautiful poached eggs I've ever seen in my life. Some herbs from the garden and a dash of Texas Pete. Best breakfast ever.

New Prints!

New hot dog prints!!

•Yesterdog
Super cool hot dog place in Grand Rapids, Michigan that's been there since the 70's. No burgers and trying to order a "plain hot dog" might get you kicked out. Big thanks to photographer Mike Donk for tipping me off and sending awesome photos.

• Blackie's
Old School Connecticut hot dog joint, one of many featured in the documentary A Connecticut Hot Dog Tour. Blackie's will also be selling these prints at the restaurant in a few weeks!

• Rolf's Pork Store
Mind blowing traditional German sausage shop in the middle of Albany. Hand made frankfurters, kielbasa, ring bologna, everything smoked in house. Amazing.




• Fricano's Deli
Awesome sandwich spot in Austin, Texas. Great sandwiches and a bunch of signature dogs including Chicago style and the Reuben Dog. They also do specials every once in a while like a pretty damn authentic Venezuelan Dog. The Reuben dog as well as a few of my other prints are available for sale at the Deli itself, thanks guys! My buddy Garrett Morlan has also done some awesome posters for them, which I'm fairly sure are also available to purchase.

All of these and more are available at hawkkrall.net.


•Taco Prints
Also - these limited edition prints are only available at LATACO.COM! Only a few left!
lataco.bigcartel.com