Gourmet Hot Dogs

In the late summer of 2012 a rather interesting mural took shape on the side of a building just outside Toronto’s downtown. It would portend a new hot dog emporium. Dedicated to one of the latest food trends sweeping across the United States. Gourmet hot dogs or Haute Dogs as their known. Better quality dogs topped with a wide array of toppings from the simple to the extravagant.

Local restaurateur, Angelos Economopoulos knew the hot dog craze would thrive in TO. Our hot dog carts are are rather ubiquitous and considered among the best. Simply put, we love ‘em. His plan, take them indoors and dress them up. Angelos would venture south on some scouting missions and craft his own Haute Dog strategy. In October of 2012 he threw open the doors of Fancy Franks and was an overnight sensation. The hype created by the mural had done its job. The city was instantly hooked.

Outside of the mural mentioned above, Fancy Franks is just another in a series of storefronts.
Inside the mix of exposed brick, wood and a collage featuring vintage photos of people eating hot dogs, including a cameo of JFK, dress the place up.
There’s a long communal table in the middle and a ledge around the front windows. Stools numbering about 20 provide seating.
Following another trend these days there are two kitchens. One in the back where the prep work is done and another in front of that where some cooking and final assembly takes place.

I should point out that these types of dogs, weighed down with toppings aren’t really my thing. A chili cheese dog is about the high end for me. That said, I still love this concept and am glad to see this type of place in the city. It’s also great that I can build my own dog from the bun up. So there’s a little something for everyone here.
Let’s have a look shall we?? 

I got a sample of the dog just plain and lemmie tell ya, it's great. Not as garlicky or spicy as I like, (like Nathan's) but terrific otherwise. They're made by a local butcher to the recipe supplied by FF. I'd like to see it cooked just a bit longer. Maybe get some charring on that baby for added flavour. I think, and this is just me personally, that a more robust dog may stand up to some of the more assertive toppings a bit better. What is likely to have doggie fans excited in the city is these franks have natural casings. For that added snap.You can substitute a a sausage for an extra dollar as well. I have yet to try one so I can not attest to it’s taste.

The Chi-town Fancy (tomato, pickle, mustard, relish, peppers, celery salt) was my first Chicago Dog and it was pretty much what I expected. (Keep in mind it’s not a "True" Chicago dog. The sport peppers and neon green relish are replaced by pepperoncini and Heinz relish). It's good but for my tastes, too much with the vegetation. “Drag it through the garden” as they say. The dog is almost lost in there. If you like Chicago dogs I'm guessing you'll be happy with this incarnation but in future, unless I'm in Chi-town, I’ll pass. It's also quite messy, which I'm sure you know doesn't bother me in the least, which is surprising considering this is basically a street dog in the Windy City.

The Franko Fancy-aano (wrapped prosciutto, arugula, reggiano, balsamic Dijon mayonnaise) is not really a favourite nor was it of my friends Vicky, Nancy or Peter. Not that there was anything wrong with it per se. It just didn’t work for us. Others may love it. As they say in the Twitterverse, YMMV.

A definite favourite is the Franks Got Seoul (beef rib, kimchee, sesame seed, green onion). The kimchee isn’t as assertive as you’d think and the beef rib somewhat steals the show. That said, the dog can still be tasted and all in all, it’s quite good. I think next time I’ll add some hot sauce to kick it up a notch or two.

Frankie Goes to Buffalo (deep fried in panko, carrot, blue cheese, Buffalo wing sauce) is a terrific contrast of tastes and textures. The deep fried, panko crusted crunch is nice though I think a little more of the wing sauce would be good. It smelt a lot more vinegary that it was.

The Frankaphone (smoked gruyere, horseradish cheddar, squeaky curds, honey dijon mayo) was certainly the favourite among the group of us. It was closer to a hot dog in general and as such, was destined to be my favourite. It really let the wiener shine. The toppings nicely added creaminess and tang.

I opted to create my own fries. I thought for sure they'd have Coney Fries on the menu and they didn't. They do have Chili Poutine but the thought of both chili and gravy didn't appeal to me. So I opted to swap smoked gruyere (yes I know it should be cheddar but they don't have plain cheddar) and hold the gravy. I ended up with a pretty reasonable facsimile of Coney Fries and they were great. The fries themselves are fresh cut. Not the best I've had but solid none the less. The chili is really good and a bit unique. It tasted like there was a hint of curry powder in it. (Now, before you go getting upset that there's curry powder in it, should it actually be there) just keep in mind that curry and chili powders are basically cousins. They work very well together. In hindsight I think the addition of chopped onions would have made it even better.Another new trend that is popping up is a donut robot. A machine dedicated to cranking out tiny donuts. Their is right there in the kitchen and spits out warm, soft, delicious dough rings. They come with a variety of toppings. Some of which are as follows.
Chocolate Sauce & Caramel: These babies are just about everything I could’ve hoped for. The sauces, while inherently sweet aren’t too much. I thought, though my dining partners disagreed, that it was missing a little something to put them over the top. Upon reflection, I think whipped cream would’ve done it. That said, the others were happy there wasn’t any more sweetness added.
Lemon Curd or Strawberry and Powdered Sugar: These are a really nice combination. Pretty much like a lemon filled donut. This sampler of the two flavours, in my mind could’ve used a tich more sugar.

So there you have it. A great place to get your hands on some dogs in the city.

You can find Fancy Franks at 326 College St in Toronto, On.

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You can also find them on the web, facebook and Twitter.


Well that’s all for now folks, see ya next time in the food court.

Davwud

“If You Don’t Eat Here, We’ll Both Starve”

Unfortunately this restaurant has now closed pending relocation. A message on their answering machine says to check the website for updates. So far, the website doesn't even mention it being closed.

That’s what the sign hanging on the wall says at Chicago Pizza Kitchen. What it really oughta say is, “If you don’t eat here, you’re missing the boat.”

For over three years now, the Toronto suburb of Maple has been treated to what Chicagoans have been enjoying for decades. Chicago style pizza. A deep dish, stuffed crust pizza, loaded with ingredients.

As a young boy Spiros Drossos learned at the feet of his father Denny, a master chef and provisions officer on Greek Cruise Lines.
Denny eventually settled in Sausalito, California and opened a restaurant called “The Boat House” before moving on to Napa Valley to open “The Penguin’s Fish Grotto.” Spiros learned the restaurant business front to back, literally, by working every job imaginable. Eager to create his own American dream he opened a steak and seafood place named “Speero’s Restaurant and Tavern.”
Six more successful restaurants would follow before, in 1997 he brought the taste of Chicago to Hercules, California. His Chicago style stuffed crust pizzas with their premium ingredients and signature sandwiches (including Chicago beef) would become a huge hit in the Bay Area.
Fast forward almost 10 years and Spiros life was to take an unexpected turn. North. Enter Helen Antonopoulos. With Helen, Spiros would find love again and bring his culinary talents to the Greater Toronto Area. Together they married, started a family and founded Chicago Pizza Kitchen. His spectacular pizzas and sandwiches were instant favourites in the area. Spiros strives to use only the freshest and best ingredients and makes as much in house as possible. The Italian sausage, giardiniera and of course sour dough pizza crust being prime examples. Heck, he even grinds his own beef for burgers.

So on to the food.
The regular thin crust pizzas a very good but the mammoth stuffed crust pizzas are the business. A large can weigh in at over 10 pounds and are enough to feed 4 big appetites. They come in over a half dozen different styles ranging from veggie to meat lovers. You also can create your own from dozens of toppings. My usual is pepperoni, Italian sausage, bacon and green olives.

Today we had the (medium) Dionysos. Our meat lovers is named after Spiros's son and came stuffed with pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, meatballs and bacon. It’s topped with sliced garlic, chopped tomatoes and dusted with parmesan cheese. It’s cut into 8 slices and each slice clocks in at over half a pound. It’s one of the best pizza I’ve had.

Bringing the taste of Chicago to the GTA also means bringing a Chicago Beef Sandwich. The sibling of the roast beef au jus is made from house roasted beef and home made giardiniera on a French stick which is then dipped in the jus. I order it extra jus so more is ladled on after. It comes with a salad which today was a fantastic Cesar. The dressing was of course made in house and had a nice rounded flavour. It was even made with anchovies.

Often, I’ll sub the salad and get potato wedges instead. The seasoned wedges are fresh made in house as well.
I’ve sampled many other menu items and they’re all first rate. If you’re lucky, Spiros will even play guinea pig with you. He’s always tinkering in the kitchen and will often bring a possible new menu item out for some customers to test drive.
That brings me to my final point about CPK. This is a family run business that has a strong emphasis on service and quality. Spiros (or Helen) will come check on you personally to make sure your visit is enjoyable. Today it was son Denny’s turn at the controls. This type of customer appreciation is a dying art in the restaurant game these days and it is welcomed by your truly.
“Get in here” and “Experience something better” as Spiros likes to say.
You can find Chicago Pizza Kitchen at 2338 Major MacKenzie Dr., Maple, Ontario.

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Or on the internet. You can also become a Facebook friend

Well that’s all for today. I’m stuffed.

Davwud