Potato Chip Showdown

Is this for real? A blog post about potato chips? It’s as real as a swift kick in the beans, and hopefully will show that while I enjoy writing about (and eating) really fancy things I am not a food snob. The humble potato chip is considered a major food group to those who watch a lot of sports on big screen HDTV’s and pairs well with wonderbread-esque mass produces lagers pumped out of mega factories the world over. The “store brand” chip has always been the ugly duckling of the dog eat dog chip market but Presidents Choice is aiming to crush those stereotypes by introducing bold, out of the box flavors.

The first of these unique flavors is BallPark Hot Dog. A thick cut ripple chip made with “hot dog, mustard and relish seasonings”. The term hot dog seasonings frightens me. These things actually tasted like hot dog. I’m not sure if I liked them though, I like hot dogs and I like chips but a hot dog flavored chip is a stretch. As with most bags of chip left open and unattended around me they did not last long. The actual chip was nice and thick and would have been great for dipping sans wiener flavor.

The second chip sampled, and by sampled I mean devoured and by devoured I mean I ate the whole bag, was Sweet Chili Thai. These were more along the lines of a traditional chip flavor, so much so that they probably should be called BBQ because that’s what they taste like. They were good but the name doesn’t suit the flavor. While I’m on the subject of “Sweet Thai Chili” flavored things…ENOUGH ALREADY!! Every restaurant has something on its menu with these 3 words in the title and quite frankly I’m getting sick of it. Sweet Thai Chili is to the new millennium as cilantro, mango salsa and Wolfgang Puck were to the 90’s.

So the title said showdown and this really wasn’t one. I had to get your attention somehow right? Long live chips and beer.

Scott.

The Truckstop Dog, read if you dare

I should never be left home alone… It can be said that I am officially not a food snob and here’s why.

Bacon

Chili

Aged Cheddar

All beef hot dogs in a cast iron grill

Crumbled and smoky bacon added to the dog

Add the chili and and cheese and put in oven at 400 degrees

Done. awesome. I might have a small blockage so tweet me later to make sure I’m still alive.

Scott.

Dougie Dog

A very wise man named Anthony Bourdain once said that food is at its best when served in tube form. This is especially true when it comes to meat. Sausages and hot dogs have been a staple of western cuisine for ages and have evolved from foods that were inexpensive and easy to prepare into something more than their humble beginnings. The evolution started in the culinary hot spots of New York, Chicago and Minnesota….??? There is a place in Minneapolis called The Weinery that has been doing dogs that are both classic and a little out there at the same time for years, check it out on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on The Food Network if you get a chance.

Vancouver’s hot dog scene floundered in the “cart” era for many years until someone decided that the carts needed to serve dogs with a Japanese twist. They were good but there was a whole area of hot dog excellence that this city didn’t even realize it was missing. That all ended when a man named Dougieluv decided to open Dougie Dog

Located at 1011 Granville street (Granville & Nelson) Dougie Dog is in a great location to serve all kinds of customers. The late night party animal who is sick off pizza can grab a dog until “late”, the weekend boutique shopper can grab a bite on the go and the weekday business lunch crowd is also nearby.

Serving many varieties of the common hot dog, Dougie Dog sets itself apart from other hod dog purveyors by offering a wide variety that a cart simply can not compete with. The all natural, nitrate free wieners are made locally and have a nice snap to them from the natural casing similar to a European style wiener.

The original Dougie Dog is very tasty, with horse-radish, Grey Poupon mustard, Italian pastrami and cheddar cheese is a nice combo of rich flavor and heat, The Mac n’ cheese is creamy and rich and with over 10 varieties of root beer there should be one for every taste. You can check out the rest of their menu here. There is a vegetarian option as well and rumor has it that the vegetarian Trailer Park Dog (processed cheese and crumbled potato chips) is awesome.

Late night hot dogs on Granville after a night of partying sounds like a winner to me. They deliver in the downtown core and have a cool phone number, 604-HOT-DOGS. So will a place selling $7 hot dogs survive? The answer is yes, as long as the quality stays where it is and the clubs on Granville keep serving booze.

http://dougiedog.com/

Scott