Blog Archives
Saturday evening, Ryan and I met up with some of his dude friends at our local Beer Fest. The event, sponsored by Packs and Dogs (Shiloh Street, Mt Washington), offered drinkers a chance to sample more than 100 craft beers! Redbeard’s provided some hot, delicious bar food. Breweries sent their friendliest and most knowledgeable folks to acquaint attendees with their beer. What more could I ask for?
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love a thick, buttery filet mignon as much as the next carnivore. But I gotta say, hot dogs have a special place in my (cholesterol-saturated) heart.
I have been hearing about Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe for years. Like the O in Oakland and D’s SixPax & Dogz in Regent Square, Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe specializes in wieners. I find it odd that a restaurant would stake it’s whole business model on a food that is probably the easiest food in the world to cook. You could cook your dog with a Zippo, if you really had to. I suppose that speaks to what the hot dog means to us as a country: fast to cook, easy to eat, and lots and lots of choices when it comes to condiments.
When I moved to Pittsburgh, my new friends encouraged me to visit The Original Hot Dog Shop. “They have the best hot dogs in town,” they kept telling me. I had yet to explore the city, so I went for a ride. After zigzagging through Oakland, I finally came upon the “O”. “So, this is the famous Hot Dog shop that I’ve been hearing about,” I thought to myself. I was impressed. The façade of the restaurant was bejeweled with various neon lights and signs. Once inside I was amazed at the baskets upon baskets of French fries being plunged into hot oil, and what seemed to be hundreds of hot dogs on the grill. Cheese sauce was flying everywhere; on dogs, cheese steaks, and fries- cheese is popular in Pittsburgh.
