Grinder Bash dogs

"Grinder Bash" is fan appreciation day for the Chicago White Sox. Season ticket holders are invited to free food,  access to the dugouts, bullpen, the field (not the grass!) and concourses at Cellular One. It's a lot of fun to have the stadium all to yourself. Free food included hot dogs, so I jumped right in. The dogs are Vienna Beef, the dog of choice served in Chicago and at The Cell. the condiments were serve yourself, I went with mustard and sport pepper. We were in line just in time for a fresh batch to be put out, so they were hot and the buns freshly steamed. Good as always, but the most fun was walking the field, and running and bouncing off the outfield wall.

Hot dogs and fried chicken!

Yummies!

Fun things to do. Hot dogs and baseball-I'm a happy camper!

Angus Dogs for lunch @ home

It really feels like grillin' time so let's throw on the dogs. I wanted to try Angus beef (it's everywhere!) and decided to give Oscar-Meyer Angus Beef dogs a whirl. Once home, I discovered they were pre-cooked, and claimed no "nitrates or nitrites". Ok, and on the grill they went. I was hungry, and could go for two so tried them with two different toppings. One a little "Chicago style", a homemade pickle, tomato, sport peppers and mustard. The next one was topped with tomato, sport peppers, mustard and a super-duper hot dog condiment, Sriracha hot sauce. Grilling gave them a nice snap, and good grilled flavor. Although it was advertised as no nitrites, nitrates, nightime, whatever, they did taste like it a bit. A tad salty. Longer than most dogs, but not as plump as others. I would give a chance to a different brand of Angus beef, though. Bring on the nitrates! Or nitrites. Whatever.

Chicago dogs-Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field! The best ballpark experience I have ever been to. My beloved Phillies lost to the Cubs, but that still didn't stop me from having a great day. We got a hot dog first thing, and they were really good. At Wrigley, the hot dogs are made from bison meat and really delicious. Grilled, the casing has a nice crunchy snap and are very juicy. Nice smoky flavor, juicy thick beef, mustard, sport peppers and tomatoes on a soft poppy seed bun. The condiments were serve-yourself so get busy! I really enjoyed the dog, the game and the atmosphere at Wrigley. No electronic scoreboard, old time organ player, a wandering horn band, and sunny skies...baseball at it's best. Hot dogs went perfect with this semi (Phils lost!) perfect day!

Vienna Beef Hot Dog Stand-US Cellular Field Chicago

Two of my favorite things on the planet are hot dogs and baseball. I have been going to see White Sox games with my honey since last summer and we always stop and get a hot dog at the beginning of the game. The dogs sold at the park are Vienna Beef, so they are always good, but the only toppings to choose from are mustard, relish and onion. Until the day I spotted a Vienna Beef cart vendor!!! Sport peppers! Pickle! Tomato! Relish! Onion! Celery salt! A true Chicago-style dog! I couldn't believe we had been missing this friendly site all along. Seriously, I had never spotted this cart before and if I have to fight the crowds on the concourse and possibly miss the first inning, so be it. A true Chicago-style dog at the game makes everything so much better. This guy makes a great dog. The poppy seed bun is slathered in mustard, the plump juicy dog nestled inside. Top it off with sport peppers, tomatoes, a large crunchy pickle spear and a generous helping of celery salt. Grab one and rush to your seat and enjoy the game!

Portillo's Redux

Yesterday for lunch we went to Portillo's again. I must say something for consistency. You are guaranteed a good, beefy dog and Portillo's tends to be plump and juicy. I chose the jumbo beef dog with sport peppers, mustard, tomato and pickle. The tomatoes were a bit mushy, and I tend to be a tomato snob. Having grown up in South Jersey, the lovely Garden State, we hold our noses up to inefficient tomatoes. But the pickle slice was a healthy size and had a great crunch. And some extra sport peppers were snuggled under the dog, always a happy surprise. I find Portillo's to be the standard chain but the dogs are fresh and taste good. And please get the cheese fries, crinkle cut, crispy and cheesy. Yum!

new place i can't wait to try

korean food, kimchi deliciousness and hotdogs...definitely next in hotdogland adventures..will keep you posted
http://www.nyhotdogcoffee.com/

Byron's-Forest Park, IL

Byron's is a Chicago chain, we went to the one in Forest Park on Madison Ave. It is pretty hard to miss, as the windows are painted all crazy, posters and advertising will almost fill you with anxiety and make you want to just run on past. Now, if you don't do that and do go inside, approach slowly. This place has everything but the kitchen sink. Burgers (cheese, bacon, turkey, veggie) pizza, italian beef sandwiches, soups, onion straws (didn't want to know) and cheesesteaks. Cheesesteaks! Now, being from Philly/South Jersey, I snicker at cheesesteaks that have the nerve to be sold anywhere but there. I thought we were going for hotdogs?!! I did manage to locate "hot dogs" on the enormous menu and ordered a jumbo Vienna Beef with "everything" no onions, no relish. And then order up! Whoaaa! Everything but the kitchen sink indeed! Byron's version of "everything" is lettuce, tomato, cucumber, sliced green pepper, sport peppers (hot peppers) pickles and topped with celery salt. Underneath the "big salad" lies the hot dog. No poppy seeds on the bun, though. I had to eat some toppings alone to lighten it up, but actually managed to keep it all together until the last bite, which was some feat. The good thing is the hot dogs are quite tasty and juicy, and you can taste that underneath it all. And the fries are not bad, not too thick, not too salty and come in a brown paper bag. I have come to be amazed at the enormity of the "Chicago style" dog, and this place is the biggest yet. If you can make it past the busy windows, busy menu and just order a dog, go for it. Just pay attention to the "toppings" offered. You might end up with a salad.