Visit #10 - September 19th, 2014

Close to the Edge...or End...

We're almost there.  We're now less than two weeks away until the closing of Hot Doug's.  

After deciding on Wednesday to go again, I was checking emails and saw this pop up on my Facebook feed -

"While we totally understand there are only a few days left to enjoy a Hot Doug's sausage and be "entertained" by the Scotch-fueled cashier, we have an obligation to respect the neighbors and neighborhood. Therefore, Hot Doug's may have to stop customers from entering the line before 4:00pm. We're going to play this one by ear. We thank you for your understanding."

Damn, now it's getting serious.  And sure enough, by the time we got there just after 9, the line was already past the alley.  DAMN.

I also noticed that there were some camera folks walking around and sure enough, we saw pieces of paper that said, "NOTICE:  HOT DOUG'S THE MOVIE IS BEING FILMED" or something.  So there's apparently a movie tape in the works about Hot Doug's.

Surprisingly, none of these corndogs became "pocket corndogs."

This week had that new Butcher & Larder sausage that people were going crazy about.  For some reason, I didn't get it.  Maybe because of something?  Who knows.  All I know is that Friday's meal was delicious, and it was the second-to-last time that I'll eat there.

Due to awesome things beyond my control next week, I doubt I'll be able to make it then.  I will be there the last day though.  With bells on.  And with donuts or something.  Seriously, come find me and I'll have the donuts for you.  You see the guy with the donuts? That's me.  Got it?

Here's the tally:
Me - Andouille, uber garlic, corndog, fries.

Beth - Thai chicken, thuringer.

C/Dr. J - Corndogs, Butcher & Larder guy, Chicago dog, buffalo chicken, others?  Probably.

Visit #9 - September 12th, 2014

Where we get pelted with rain and then get dumplings afterwards.

Well, if last Friday's weather was any indication, summer is over.

Beth and I stood in the cold, wind and rain for a while.  I think we got in line at...9:15 and weren't inside for maybe 2 hours or so. Usually I wouldn't mind that wait but standing in the rain made it slightly more difficult, but also made the sausages ultimately more rewarding (even though Beth forgot Doug's opened at 10:30am and not 10:00am, which made me the chooch who crushed her dreams for a brief moment there.)

At some point we got a text from Andrew that said something like, "Dougin'?", so we told him to hurry on over and that he did.  We all ate together and were warm, filled with sausage, and generally happy to be alive. 

Double photo as I couldn't get the whole table in one shot for some reason.  Action Doug's.

Afterwards, Andrew drove us to Joong Boo where we bought groceries and these giant $2 dumplings that were insanely good.  We did not need to eat all of that food.

Here's the tally:
Me - thuringer, bacon cheeseburger sausage, corn dog, cheese fries.
Beth - veal sausage, bison sausage.
Andrew - Hot dog (steamed), veal sausage, duck fat fries.

Visit #8 - August 23rd, 2014

Watching someone take their first bite of a Thuringer is a beautiful thing...


I have been waiting for that moment for years.  YEARS.  John finally goes with me to Hot Doug's.

You see, John's got a wicked pissah dairy allergy that makes him a nuisance to take restaurants to.  Every time we go somewhere, it's "So there's no dairy in that, right?" and "Can you please use clean gloves and knives in preparation of my food so I don't die?" and it's been like this ever since I've known John (jeez, 7 years? 8 years?), and probably like this John's whole life.  Ever since I started going to Doug's a few years ago, I've tried to get John to go.  However, given his allergy, he was always (rightfully) skeptical about waiting in a two-hour line and then not being able to eat anything.  Now, months ago, I asked Doug about the dairy thing and I told John what Doug told me - "Buns are fine, hot dogs are fine, and any sausage that doesn't have cheese in it is totally fine, but there is butter in the caramelized onions."  So I told John this and apparently all he heard was "Hot dogs are fine," and then got all pissy at me when he emailed Doug directly and Doug told him what I had told him months ago.

So yeah, I get in line, Lee shows up and John's a chooch and saunters up to us at 10:10 or something because he "slept in" or whatever.  OH! And other buds Esme and Zoe show up.  So BAM!  Look at that.  People standing in a line.  I think that might've also been the day I finished Pink Noises (end of an era!)  I'm having trouble remembering more details as this was almost a month ago...

Also, man, that linguiça is a damn JAM, son.  

Oh, but so the five of us are sitting and starting to eat and out of the corner of my eye I see John take a bite of his thuringer and immediately, his eyes light up and all he can say is, "Damn." 

Here's the tally:
Me - thuringer, linguiça, fries, corn dog.
John - italian, thuringer, duck fat fries.
Lee - Don't remember, duck fat fries.
Zoe and Esme - BLT sausage, 3 or 4 corn dogs, Chicago dog, one or two others, chili-cheese fries.