Chicago's Dog House

In a burger vs. dog face-off, what would you prefer? My friend is a dog man, and he was responsible for finding Chicago's Dog House. Aside from slicing my finger on the door of the drinks cooler, it was a good find.

We started out with a Chicago-Style dog (dragged through the garden), though I was tempted by the Blago (Chicago-Style with ketchup). Where did the Chicago-Style dog come from? If I had an intern, I'd have an assignment.

Then we opted for Chompers: a smoked alligator sausage topped with caramelized onions and sweet chili sauce.

I would have preferred something light, crunchy, slightly pickled to contrast the smoky sausage and rich caramelized onions, and my friend and I both agreed the bun was a tad too large. I forgot that alligator is a reptile and unlikely to have the meaty mouth feel of pork or beef. It's leaner than I had anticipated, but the flavor is maybe slightly more intense than a poultry dog.

In an unconscious attempt to have a cardiac arrest in less than 48 hours of Chicago eating, we ordered the chili cheese fries. The fries are really homemade potato chips, that one of the employees slices fresh via an attachment hooked up to your standard electric drill. The oil must not have been hot enough because these fries absorbed a lot of grease, but someone the addition of the Velveeta-like cheese and the homemade chili made it seem more balanced.

Chicago's Dog House, 816 W. Fullerton, Chicago, IL, 773-248-3647