Topdogs

Hot dogs are symbolic of summer and just about as American as apple pie. But these all-time favorites aren’t just for ballparks and backyard barbecues anymore.

Local chefs are getting into the action, with everything from Indian-style hot dogs with mango chutney to New Orleans-inspired franks with espresso-spiked barbecue sauce. They’re serving them up everywhere from full-service restaurants to mobile carts and roadside stands.

“Hot dogs are the best thing in the world. They sell themselves,” says Big Red’s owner Curtis Bytnar, watching cars pull in and out of the parking lot in brisk fashion.

One family dines al fresco in the back of a pickup as another customer pulls up on a motorcycle. They’re all here after the same thing: Big Red’s hot dogs, sausages and cheesesteaks served from Bytnar’s custom built sleek 7- by 14-foot hot dog trailer.

Born in Chicago, Bytnar missed the taste of home and wanted other people in Spokane to experience a true Chicago-style hot dog. He brings in Big City Red hot dogs, neon relish and sport peppers from Chicago, and footlong buns from Philadelphia. A professional chef by training, Bytnar makes his own barbecue sauce and pepper mix.

He chose the hot dog business because he wanted to offer people a good value. Ten dollars buys a jumbo sized Bacon Dog and generous serving of fries.

“You can feed a family for $20,” he says.

Across town at Wild Dawgs, owner Serena Belsby offers customers a swank environment with red leather chairs, table service and beer and wines by the glass.

“There was no gourmet hot dog place in Spokane,” says Belsby, who opened for business on Feb. 1. “For me, it was about creating someplace fun and unique. With the way the economy is, I wanted to offer something inexpensive that was a meal.

“We’re doing well with hot dogs, but we have a loyal customer base that doesn’t want hot dogs every day,” says Belsby, who is adding a new line of tacos and quesadillas to her menu. She’s also considering franchising her business.

Not your average frankfurter

Exotic sausage flavors like smoked duck with apple, buffalo chipotle, and chicken and turkey with mango and jalapeno are popping up around town. At a minimum, most hot dog places offer regular frankfurters, a Jumbo or chicken hot dog and few sausage choices.

Even the old standby, a plain beef hot dog, is not something taken lightly.

“People need to know what they’re eating,” says Loco Dogz owner Scott McCandless. The Cheney hot dog restaurant has its hot dogs and sausages custom-made by Hill’s Meat Co. in Pendleton, Ore., with spice blends to reflect the regional flavors of hot dogs on the menu.

Even vegetarians can join in the fun. Dangerous Dog in Coeur d’Alene serves the Hippie Dog, a veggie dog with alfalfa sprouts, mushrooms and roasted pepper mustard. Wild Dawgs’ vegetarian hot dog is a double link served with grilled onions, mozzarella, dipping sauce and crunched potato chips and has a loyal following, according to Belsby.

Steamed, grilled, baked and broiled

There are almost as many different methods of cooking hot dogs as there are flavors. Loco Dogz starts by steaming the hot dogs and then cooking them on the flat top or grilling them on the barbecue to give them that smoky flavor or char some people like, says McCandless.

“We slow-cook them on a hot dog roller,” says Daddy’s Belly Deli’s owner Jennifer Grow, who goes by “Little Mama.”

“It makes them juicier,” she says.

At Crazy G’s, the hot dogs are char-broiled and then served in a buttered toasted bun. “That gives the best flavor,” says owner Gary Swiss.

Bucking the trendy toppings, Swiss concentrates on high-quality hot dogs served simply. The Crazy Dog, with mustard, ketchup and relish, is the best seller.

Creative condiments

Sure, you can order a hot dog with just mustard, ketchup and relish, but why not try something adventurous?

Today’s gourmet dogs come with an astonishing variety of condiments. Names like the Dirty Mop Dog; It’s Not You, It’s Me; and the Funky Mama add to the playfulness. Don’t be surprised to find everything from scrambled eggs to peanut butter topping a local gourmet hot dog.

“Authenticity is important,” says Loco Dogz’s McCandless. He researches regions for frankfurter preferences and also collects hot dog ideas from his travels.

September’s special is the Chilean Dog with chopped tomatoes, smashed avocado and mayonnaise.

“You get the color of the Italian flag, but it’s the most popular flavor in Chile,” McCandless says.

Cream cheese is a favorite with local hot dog fans and appears on most menus.

“It’s an Inland Northwest signature. People love it,” says Big Red’s Bytnar.

Fruits and veggies are popular condiments too, with grilled peppers, pineapple, apples and sautéed pears making their way onto fancy frankfurters.

Dangerous Dog in Coeur d’Alene recently added a rabbit and veal sausage with leeks and peppers to its menu, and tops many sausages with fresh herbs and vegetables like baby spinach, carrots and celery.

Sweet and savory sauces

“That’s the key – making our sauces and sides fresh,” says Wild Dawgs’ Belsby.

Her business partner, Esteban Vallejo, who is from Colombia, created the menu, including the house-made salsa, tomatillo, chimichurri and pineapple sauces that top the dogs. The finishing touch is Wild Dawgs’ signature pineapple bits and crunched potato chips.

“You’re getting a little bit spicy, salty and sweet – it’s a cornucopia of tastes,” says Belsby.

At Daddy’s Belly Deli, you can top your dog with one of their house-made sauces, including neon-green Punisher mustard, huckleberry horseradish, chili sauce or sweet Southern cream cheese.

Even the mustard is getting fancy. Dangerous Dog makes six or eight different mustards, including mole, huckleberry and roasted red pepper.

Cart culture

Less than a block away from Wild Dawgs, Chad Rattray has been dishing out hot dogs from his cart on the corner of Riverside Avenue and Howard Street for nearly a decade. He’s does a brisk business from under his single orange umbrella.

“I haven’t ever noticed any impact from other businesses opening or closing,” he says.

Rattray likes to keep things simple, with $1 hot dogs, Jumbos that sell for $2.50 and several kinds of sausages.

Customer Tony Brown stops by a couple of times a week for lunch and conversation. “It’s convenient, it’s good and you can get in and out,” he says.

Operating in front of City Hall, Vladimir Yaryev sees his hot dog cart (called Bender’s hot dogs) as a stepping stone.

“This is just my start,” says Yaryev, who worked in restaurants for 15 years in his native country of Uzbekistan. “Maybe next year I want to open a restaurant.”

He’s added his own twist to the American classic by serving a Russian rice side dish and offering pickled carrots, spiced vinegar and tomato garlic sauce as condiments.

Mobile hot dog carts are popping up at soccer tournaments, car dealerships and birthday parties.

“We love to focus on events. It’s pretty fun,” says Spokane Valley mobile hot dog cart owner Sandi Wasteney.

 Bubbadogz, the business she owns with her husband Matt, serves up New York-style hot dogs and kielbasas. There’s a benefit to being mobile: “We go where the business is,” says Wasteney.

Whether you’re a fan of the time-tested all-American classic hot dog, or a food-lover in search of adventure, the Spokane area has plenty of places to indulge your hot dog craving. Check out these local vendors and remember to bring cash – not all food carts accept plastic.

If you have a favorite place that we’ve missed, let us know and we’ll pass the word along in a future Fresh Sheet.