Ray's Red Hots - Chicago Style Hot Dogs in Ann Arbor
William Gatziolis & Harry Werts
Issue date: 11/9/09 Section: Features
WG: Ok, that's a good reminder. Let's tell the good people what we ordered:
2 Chicago Hot Dogs (mustard, hot peppers, tomatoes, green relish, celery salt, a pickle, lettuce, onions, and NO KETCHUP) ($3.50 for each)
1 Reuben Dog (sauerkraut, some sort of Russian mustard stuff, and Swiss cheese) (a bit more than $3.50)
1 No-Dog (a tofu dog soaked in teriyaki then grilled with whatever you want - we got honey mustard, tomatoes, grilled onions, lettuce, and Swiss) ( around $4.00)
2 orders of waffle fries ($2.25 for a small, if you get bigger you need help)
Thoughts, Mr. Werts?
HW: I was kind of fascinated by the buns. Apparently these buns are part of the Chicago hot dog experience? They worked really well for the regular dogs, absorbing some of the strong flavors of the condiments, but I was not feeling it with the Reuben Dog and the No-Dog. The flavors were just swallowed up in bread. When I go to Ray's Red Hots again, I'm sticking with straight Chicago Hot Dogs. Nothing fancy.
WG: As someone who grew up on Chicago Hot Dogs (check out Muskie's, Portillio', and pretty much anyplace that has a Vienna beef sign on it next time you are in Chicago) I think they do a pretty good job overall. The hot dog is supposed to be a bit crispy in that it makes a noise when you bite through the skin. This hot dog did that. The fixings are fresh and colorful (the relish is the right color of green, which means it has been affixed with the right amount of food dye) and the overall taste is right on.
The No-Dog is a favorite of mine. It allows for vegetarian friends to join me at Red Hot's and I find it to be a healthier option if I really want to push myself and get some cheddar fries. I know you didn't love it - but I think it is a pretty ingenious offering by the owners (see sidebar for more information).
Finally, the Reuben dog is not my cup of tea. I think we got it since we were going to do this whole NY vs. Chicago thing and we thought "Ha ha, let's get a Reuben since NY is known for their delis". Well, I hated it. Many may enjoy the taste of sauerkraut and Russian dressing on any meat product but when I eat a hot dog I want the other flavors to mask out the taste of the questionable meats I might be eating.
2 Chicago Hot Dogs (mustard, hot peppers, tomatoes, green relish, celery salt, a pickle, lettuce, onions, and NO KETCHUP) ($3.50 for each)
1 Reuben Dog (sauerkraut, some sort of Russian mustard stuff, and Swiss cheese) (a bit more than $3.50)
1 No-Dog (a tofu dog soaked in teriyaki then grilled with whatever you want - we got honey mustard, tomatoes, grilled onions, lettuce, and Swiss) ( around $4.00)
2 orders of waffle fries ($2.25 for a small, if you get bigger you need help)
Thoughts, Mr. Werts?
HW: I was kind of fascinated by the buns. Apparently these buns are part of the Chicago hot dog experience? They worked really well for the regular dogs, absorbing some of the strong flavors of the condiments, but I was not feeling it with the Reuben Dog and the No-Dog. The flavors were just swallowed up in bread. When I go to Ray's Red Hots again, I'm sticking with straight Chicago Hot Dogs. Nothing fancy.
WG: As someone who grew up on Chicago Hot Dogs (check out Muskie's, Portillio', and pretty much anyplace that has a Vienna beef sign on it next time you are in Chicago) I think they do a pretty good job overall. The hot dog is supposed to be a bit crispy in that it makes a noise when you bite through the skin. This hot dog did that. The fixings are fresh and colorful (the relish is the right color of green, which means it has been affixed with the right amount of food dye) and the overall taste is right on.
The No-Dog is a favorite of mine. It allows for vegetarian friends to join me at Red Hot's and I find it to be a healthier option if I really want to push myself and get some cheddar fries. I know you didn't love it - but I think it is a pretty ingenious offering by the owners (see sidebar for more information).
Finally, the Reuben dog is not my cup of tea. I think we got it since we were going to do this whole NY vs. Chicago thing and we thought "Ha ha, let's get a Reuben since NY is known for their delis". Well, I hated it. Many may enjoy the taste of sauerkraut and Russian dressing on any meat product but when I eat a hot dog I want the other flavors to mask out the taste of the questionable meats I might be eating.
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