Hot Doug's

Sometime in everyone's childhood, there's that kid who tells you exactly what is in certain foods -Jello, marshmallows, hot dogs- that ruins them for you (at very least, temporarily). Though, eventually, the goodness factor may come to outweigh the gross-ness factor. I got over the Jello thing, and I definitely enjoy a marshmallow from time to time. However, hot dogs only sort of made the cut; hot dogs are only to be eaten at cook-outs from a grill, or at baseball games.

Then, I was introduced to Hot Doug's. For the last couple years I've heard wild reports from suposidly sane friends who've experienced the purported amazingness of Hot Doug's first hand. They are willing to stand in line, OUTSIDE, in Chicago's January temperatures for more than an hour to eat a hot dog from this place. And they all say they'd do it again, "It's just that good."

Still, I remained doubtful. Seriously, how can a HOT DOG be good enough to induce people to stand in freezing temperatures just to partake of it??

After some time, my hubby convinced me that it would be worth the trip for me to go. With a strict stipulation that it must not be raining or cold, I agreed. So, one sunny afternoon in August, we went.

I'd been warned in advance that the line would be long. Even on a Monday, that wasn't a holiday and past the normal time for lunch.

Here's the line that greeted us as we approached:
Here it is an hour and ten minutes later, once we finally got inside the front door:
Inside, on one wall, they share a pearl of 'wisdom':

Here's the menu:

There were many choices.. luckily, we had another 20mins before we got to the counter and had to make our decision: What meat? What toppings? How should it be cooked?

My hubby got the Paul Kelly (a bratwurst, char grilled with onions and ketchup):

Here he's waiting for me to take my first bite,
assuring me that I need not doubt

I got a Martin Allen (beef, pork and garlic, char grilled with tomatoes, mustard and celery salt):

my dubious face

It actually was amazingly good.. today I had a gourmet hot dog. And, with the continued stipulation that it must not be raining or cold, I'd do it again!