Portland's Best Hot Dogs: Enjoying the Dog Days of Summer, One Wiener at a Time

I’m not much of a meat eater. Artichokes, steamed clams and Gardenburgers are more my speed. I will make exceptions though: my husband’s lasagna, my brother’s BBQ, and, now and then, a juicy hot dog. Maybe it was my tenure in Germany—birthplace of the frankfurter—that ignited my affinity for the long dog, carefully smoked and lightly dressed in a toasted bun. Whatever the impetus, I rarely tire of the tubular sausage—even after chewing my way through seven of Portland’s best in 24 hours.

It seems I’m not alone in my affection for the wiener. According to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council:

• Americans spent more than $1.6 billion on hot dogs and sausages at supermarkets last year.
• This year, major league ballparks in the U.S. are expected to sell 21,233,839 hot dogs.
• During Hot Dog Season, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Americans consume 7 billion hot dogs, or 818 every second.

Who knew?!

To commemorate National Hot Dog Day (July 23rd), I hit the Portland streets to sample some of the city’s top dogs. My tour of dog duty focused on the all-American frank—all beef and classically dressed (in most cases).

Beez Neez Gourmet Sausages

I walked up and down Southwest 3rd downtown a couple times before finding Beez Neez. It’s a little food cart, tucked into the sidewalk sideways. What it lacks in space, it makes up for in popularity. Business was brisk the day I visited—with lots of the patrons waiting for an Alaskan Reindeer sausage or German brat. The owner, Bryan, hails from Alaska and sources some of his sausage from there.

Sticking to my mission, I ordered the regular all-beef dog. When Bryan told me the wiener itself was a Kirkland, my enthusiasm dropped a notch. How could a Costco sausage compare to the other truly gourmet brands I’d sampled around town? It fared fairly well. Probably because of how Bryan prepares it: split down the middle, cooked on a gas grill and served with sautéed onions—a nice touch—on a basic bun.

Stop by on a Tuesday and you can pick up a Polish or beef dog for $2. Night owls can score one for $2.50 after hours (9 p.m.-ish) on Friday and Saturday nights.

SW 3rd, between Washington and Oak
Hours: Mon-Thurs, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Fri, 11 a.m.-2:30 a.m.; Sat, 8 p.m.-3 a.m.

Kim Jong Grillin’

There’s been a lot of buzz about Kim Jong Grillin’—a Korean BBQ cart that opened in Richmond last month. Taking a cue from North Korea’s nuclear missile, this Taepodong hot dog has a powerful payload equipped with a Sabrett all-beef frank, kimchee aioli and a toasted baguette. If I were ranking the dogs by squirt factor and originality, this one would be the clear winner.

Biting into the Taepodong took me back to my wiener-wrap days in the Portland Public Schools. It’s not all about the hot dog; it’s more about the whole experience: crunchy, juicy, savory and smooth. The kimchee aioli has just enough kick not to overpower the experience and the baked baguette is a welcome departure from your standard, dough-ball bun. The only trick can be in finding the Sabrett buried in there.

Kim Jong’s mastermind is Han Ly Hwang, a clever chef who paid his dues cooking around town at the Carlyle, Couture, Night Light and Gold Dust Meridian. He says the Taepodong has been wildly popular. Besides the kimchee and baguette, Hwang says that grilling the dog—rather than giving it a dirty water bath—makes a difference.

SE 48th & Division
Portland, Oregon 97215
503.926.2868
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/kim-Jong-Grillin/122419044461722?v=info&__a=3
Hours: Tues-Sat, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Nick’s Famous Coney Island

Nick’s has been a Richmond fixture since 1935, serving hungry Portlanders its Coney Island dog for decades: an all-beef frank smothered in a ground beef sauce and onions, served open-face on a bun and sprinkled with American cheese. It’s a daunting presentation when you’re face to face with it. To be honest, I was a little put off by all the meat. And all I’d ordered was a “Single.” Braver souls apparently go for the Double, Triple and Home Run options—up to four wieners crammed in a bun. Maybe I should have gone for the Veggie Coney, I thought: a Tofurkey kielbasa with a vegan Coney sauce. That didn’t seem right though.

This wasn’t a handheld dog. I had to use my fork, though a spoon might have been more appropriate. The beef sauce had a nice mix of sweet and spicy flavors. The hot dog was melt-in-your mouth buttery and smooth—just a wee bit on the salty side. The bun: A disappointment that disappeared under the meaty heft.

Over the years, Nick’s ownership has changed. The menu has, too. But, the Coney Island has remained—only now it boasts a new dog. The staff wouldn’t reveal its origin, only to say they wanted a thicker, all-beef dog for this generation. Looks like they succeeded in that quest. Burp.

3746 SE Hawthorne
Portland, OR 97214
503.235.3008
www.nicksfamousconeys.com
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sat-Sun, 11 a.m.-1 a.m.

Otto’s Sausage Kitchen & Meat Market

Make your way to Southeast Woodstock and 42nd around lunchtime and you’ll understand why the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives made a stop here last year. The busy corner in Woodstock is home to Otto’s Sausage Kitchen & Meat Market, a Portland icon since 1922. Loyal patrons line the sidewalk, waiting to relish one of Otto’s homemade Old Fashion Wieners hot off the charcoal grill.

A fourth-generation, family-run business, Otto’s still uses the same sausage-making techniques and smokehouse the founder built way back when. In fact, the wieners are still hand-made using pork and beef from an Oregon purveyor that Otto used: Carlton Farms.

Gretchen, Otto’s grandson’s wife, says they sell 400-500 Old Fashions every day. I’m not surprised. It was one of my favorites on the tour: just the right amount of snap; a mild, smoky flavor; a smooth, juicy texture; a range of traditional fixings; and a simple bun.

I asked Gretchen why their wieners are so tasty. That’s when she showed me their smokehouse. The wieners hang there first, basking in a light alder smoke. From there, it’s off to a hot tank, an ice bath, and, finally, the charcoal barbeque. The age-old process and the quality ingredients—no fillers, no gluten, no additives—make for one delicious dog.

4138 SE Woodstock Boulevard
Portland, Oregon 97202
503.771.6714
www.ottossausage.com
Hours: M-Sat, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

SuperDog

SuperDog was my last stop, so I decided to live large and order their most popular dog: the chili cheese dog. It was a tough choice, considering some of the other options: a Mount St. Helens Volcano frank seasoned with extra hot spices and a Portland Original cooked in local micro-brewed beer. It was the right choice though.

The chili cheese dog started with a Nathan’s frankfurter—the Coney Island original. That was topped with SuperDog’s own all-meat, Skyline-style chili and Tillamook Cheddar Cheese. Then, it was nestled into a custom bun baked by Portland bakery, Alessio. The result: outstanding.

Feel like building your own dog? There are 18 toppings you can choose from, including parmesan cheese, marinara sauce, Chicago bright green relish and their signature chili.

If you’re on the run, keep your eyes peeled for SuperDog’s tricycle, which pedals their dogs on Portland streets and at various events.

1438 SW Park Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97201
503.243.5045
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Sat-Sun, 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

1033 SW 6th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97204
503.719.4009
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Wayne’s Chicago Red Hots

Step into Wayne’s Chicago Red Hots in Eliot and you might mistake the locale for the Windy City itself. That’s due in part to the Cubs paraphernalia everywhere you turn. The owner, Randy Sanders, sports a Cubs cap and a big smile. Look closely at the photos on the walls—scenes from Chicago—and you see Sanders’ signature in the bottom right corner. Apparently, Sanders is a man of many talents: photographer, musician and hot dog impresario.

While I perused the extensive menu, I overheard a customer tell Sanders, “It’s my birthday and this is where I wanted to come.” Seems like most of his customers are regulars, back for what they deem the best dog in town.

I settled on their signature frank, the Chicago Red Hot: an all-beef Vienna dog dressed with yellow mustard, onions, neon green relish, tomato wedges, sport peppers, a dill pickle and celery salt carefully arranged on a steamed poppyseed bun. I was in awe of how organized this dog was. All the fixings stayed in their assigned place. Nothing oozed or moved, creating the perfect symphony of flavors in my mouth. Equally impressive, the bun held up beautifully under all the pressure. The frank itself had a unique flavor: mild, not too sweet. I liked this dog. In fact, I’d have to say it was my favorite and you’ll probably be seeing me among the regulars.

3901 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Portland, Oregon
503.493.4537
www.wayneschicagoredhots.com
Hours: Mon-Sat, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun, 12 p.m.-7 p.m.

Zach’s Shack

A hot dog haunt in Richmond, Zach’s Shack is a cool hang-out—in keeping with the Hawthorne vibe. There’s ping pong on the outdoor patio and free video games all day Sunday. As for the franks, they live up to Zach’s tagline: “Dogs with a snap!”

Most of the wieners here are named for the owner’s favorite bands—Feat Dog, Syd Dog, Sgt. Peppers, Dylan Dog, Grateful Dog and so forth—and none top $4.00. You can build your own, too, piling your dog high with 25-, 50- and 75-cent toppings such as salsa, black olives, cream cheese and cole slaw. Or you can go with one of Zach’s bi-weekly specials. When I was there it was one called Wings, which was garnished with sour cream, carrots, blue cheese and Secret Aardvark hot sauce.

I opted for the Zach’s Favorite: an all-beef Red Hot Chicago frank dressed with brown mustard, red relish, sport peppers, onions, pickle slices and celery salt. The dog was snappier than most I tried for this roundup and had a straight-up, traditional flavor. All in all, a satisfying sausage.

4611 SE Hawthorne Boulevard
Portland, Oregon 97215
503.233.4616
www.myspace.com/dogswithasnap
Hours: Mon-Fri, 3 p.m.-3 a.m.; Sat-Sun, 11 a.m.-3 a.m.

Let’s Get Frank!

Portland’s home to hot dog spots a plenty. Tell us about your favorite frank in the comments section!

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction (7.30.10):

Americans spent more than $1.6 billion (not million) on hot dogs and sausages at supermarkets last year. We regret the error.