Daredevil Dogs

How the dog should be dressed         photo by Arnold Gatileo

My friend Ron and I continue on our quest to find the best Chicago-style hot dog in Columbus. To that end, today we tried out Daredevil Dogs in the OSU campus district. This very tiny restaurant must do a resounding business in carryout and delivery to the bar next door, because there isn't enough seating to pay for the operation. It makes Dirty Franks downtown look cavernous.

Our conclusion? The all-beef hot dogs themselves were very meaty, large and tasty. The bun, a challah type, was a bit sweet for my taste and not authentic to the Chicago style. The pickle wedges were smaller than you might see elsewhere, and diced tomatoes substituted for the wedges that are typical. The lack of neon relish was noticeable, but the missing sport peppers really changed the flavor of the sandwich.

Nonetheless, if one puts aside expectations, the hot dog as presented was tasty enough. The price point of $5.50 was above market for Columbus. Ron gave his a B-, and I might agree, but I'd downgrade them slightly to a C for the bus-station ambiance.

Coney Cuisine

My friend Ron and I have reserved no expense in pursuing our quest to find the best hot dogs in Columbus. Today we tried the city's oldest (over 100 years) and most revered coney dog palace, Phillip's Original Coney Island. Once a staple of the north side when High Street south of OSU campus was very iffy, it now occupies a large and comfortable building with plenty of parking on West Broad Street near the old Cooper Stadium.

Ron had been a regular at the old Phillip's 50 years ago, and I'm pleased to report he found the current offerings just as good as  he remembered. I found the dog with coney sauce, onions, mustard and cheese had the perfect combination of spice and meatiness. The dog was well cooked (Skyline Chili, you of the raw dog, take note), the sauce a mild but flavorful accoutrement, and even the buns were fresh. (Stale buns are a pet peeve we encounter all too often).

Both of us usually prefer the Chicago-style hot dog, but for a change of pace, these coneys hit the spot. And did I mention they were dirt-cheap?