Hot Dogs on 32 Fox News 5/23/05

Hi,

Here is the transcript from Test the Best Hot Dog. The basis of this story was not to find THE best hot dog, rather to see if these self-promoting hot dog stands did indeed fulfill their promises.

No wonder there's a battle over who serves the best. With places like Jimmy's, which says, "Give Us a Test: Ours Are The Best," Polk & Western Hot Dog, which claims to be "Chicago's Best Hot Dog for Over 50 Years" and Franky's, which says it is "Frankly the Best." So we had to bring along our top dogs for this Test the Best.

Each hot dog was ordered with 'the works,' whatever that meant to each establishment. I personally liked that they let each hot dog stand define themselves.

They had a 5-mustard bottle rating system:

Jimmy's: 3.75 bottles mustard
Polk & Western Hot Dog: 4 Mustard bottles and a 'Taste the Best' certificate
Franky's: 3.5 bottles mustard

[edit to correct mustard rating as per ReneG's post]

As a final indicator, all indicated they would welcome returns to any of the hot dog stands.

Cathy,

Thanks for the heads up. I tivioed Fox News, guess there is a first time for everything, not much in the way of facts, but fun to watch and Bruce Kraig was cool as a cucumber on a 6 to a pound Vienna.

Fox 32 talking about Polk & Western Hot Dogs
"They wouldn't tell us what that product was, but did say that after all these years, they were glad to be finally recognized."

Last time I was I was at Polk & Western Hot Dogs, over a year ago, they were using Big City Reds made in South Dakota.

I jotted down a few notes after lunch.

==
Polk and Western Hot Dogs

Steamed Mary Ann bun w/poppy seeds
Thinish hand cut fries w/some peel left on.
Clean as a whistle
Counter to eat at along window, no stools, small place.
Ice cream shop next door, same owners, not open when I was there.
Owner said they used Big City Reds made in South Dakota, or distributed in South Dakota, she was not clear.
Been in business for 60 years, 4th generation.
Dogs were skinless, but they had a little snap. very little
Dogs seemed to be 7-lb
They had chili fries, chili dogs, polish.
No menu, no email, no cards, no nothing, she seemed to be proud of that.
East side of Western just North of Polk.

Special was 2.48 total, 1 dog, fries and small drink

Barber Foods Big City Reds
Yankton, South Dakota
==

Enjoy,
Gary

Gary,

It's so great to know you are ahead of the curve! I have already forwarded your link to Bruce for his edification.

Did you ever post on this place or simply kept your notes for someday?

Totally cool!

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Did you ever post on this place or simply kept your notes for someday?

Cathy,

I mentioned Polk & Western in passing in a couple of posts on c-h, but never a Polk/Western specific post.

Enjoy,
Gary

Big City Reds.....interesting.

I just got back from the National Restaurant Show at McCormick Place were I tried that Brand. The guy did say that it was the #1 hot dog in chicago. I do find that hard to believe.

Overall, I tried 7-8 different hotdogs and I would put BCR in the middle of the pack.

Gary:

Little had I realised that I live mere metres away from such fine dining!...

In all seriousness (as I just mentioned in a footnote to another post), I smell their grease pretty often when I'm out and about in the neighbourhood and there are days when I get a little touch of a memory of the frituurs -- the frit-shacks -- in Belgium... But then there are times when it's a bad smell, really bad...

Since I just went on the all-new South Side Dog Diet (all the hot dogs you want, but nothing else), I'll try P&W straight away!



A

Cathy2 wrote:Jimmy's: 3.5 bottles mustard
Polk & Western Hot Dog: 4 Mustard bottles and a 'Taste the Best' certificate
Franky's: 3.75 bottles mustard

Slight correction: it was Jimmy’s that got 3.75 and Franky’s 3.5 mustard jars. I never heard of Franky’s but have long been a fan of Jimmy’s, as much for their great fries and seedy ambiance as their hot dogs.

In addition to being on Fox News, Bruce Kraig had a recent article in Gastronomica, that overly pretentious (but often worthwhile) food journal from University of California Press. His article focused on Chicago hot dogs and was illustrated with Patty Carrol’s fine photographs. I noticed, in an older photograph, one of the stands proudly advertising a Jew Town Polish. These days they’re usually referred to as Maxwell Street Polishes. That issue (Winter 2005, Vol 5 No 1) is no longer available in the stores, unfortunately.

G Wiv wrote: Last time I was I was at Polk & Western Hot Dogs, over a year ago, they were using Big City Reds made in South Dakota.

I’m not sure I was aware of Big City Reds until now. They contain “no leftovers, rework or questionable meat substances,” according to their website. What more could you ask from a hot dog? Actually, it’s not a bad dog, especially considering it’s skinless. Showing that not much has changed, here’s a link to something I wrote about Polk & Western several years ago. I guess I really should stop by again.