Cuisine Scene: Hot Dogs
Summer is a season of maximum joy and appreciation for one of cuisine’s perfect creations: the hot dog. Fully contained, totally mobile, the hot dog is delicious, convenient and imminently customizable. In Long Beach, you’ll find classic dogs, Korean and Chicago dogs, chili, bbq and pastrami dogs. All that and so much more. Hot dog!
VICKY’S DOGHOUSE CAFE
Vicky’s Doghouse Cafe is located on the fantail of the battleship USS Iowa (250 Harbor Blvd.) Named for the ship’s famous dog mascot–Vicky was short for victory–its kitchen serves a variety of innovative hot dog creations including The Destroyer (chili, onions, gourmet cheddar cheese sauce), Chicago Piano (onions, peppers, pickle, relish, celery salt) and Steel Beach BBQ (bacon bits, bourbon BBQ sauce, onion rings) as well as sides, salads, beers and wines.
DOG HAUS
Dog Haus Biergarten’s (210 E. Third St.) gourmet, all-beef, skinless hot dogs and hand-crafted sausages are made with hormone and antibiotic free meats and served on grilled King’s Hawaiian Rolls. Open for lunch and dinner, customers can choose from one-of-a-kind Haus creations like the Downtown (smoked bacon, caramelized onions, pickled peppers) or customize their own creations from a selection of more than 30 quality toppings including fried eggs, avocados, pastrami or miso bleu cheese.
TUGBOAT PETE’S HOT DOG STAND
Located in Shoreline Village, Tugboat Pete’s Hot Dog Stand (421 Shoreline Village Dr.) looks like–you guessed it–the prow of a landlocked tugboat. From this charming landmark comes a wide selection of classic dogs, as well as some that range from creative to decadent. There are Polish sausages, hot links as well as hot dogs served Chicago style. The boat on the boardwalk also serves such favorites as barbecue beef, burgers and nachos.
DOGZ BAR AND GRILL
This Belmont Shore hotspot specializes in gourmet hot dogs and sausages, offering 20 different styles and sets of ingredients. There’s also a fully stocked bar and beer served at a frosty 29 degrees. Dogz Bar and Grill (5300 E. Second St.) has a laid back, beachy atmosphere that makes it a destination for families during the day and fun-loving adults in the evening. And, yes, Dogz, is dog friendly with a specially crafted dog menu that includes chicken breasts and, yes, hot dogs.
ONE ZO/MYUNGRANG
This North Long Beach location serves Korean hot dogs, a rather unique entry also as rice dogs. They are rolled in a rice flour batter and deep fried and finished with–wait for it–sugar. Crispy yet chewy, they draw some comparisons with mochi. One Zo/Myungrang Hot Dogs (4501 E. Carson St.) The hot dogs come in multiple variations, the potato hot dog features diced potato on its exterior, while the cheese dog features cheese where a hot dog would traditionally be.
DIRT DOG
These bacon-wrapped beauties come in all kinds of eye-popping, tastebud-pleasing varieties. Dirt Dog (1950 Ximeno Ave.) offers a House Dog with grilled veggies and a Patty Melt Dog with cheddar sauce. There's a Chili Dog and a Veggie Dog and, though there are multiple Southern California locations, Dirt Dog features one quintessential Long Beach item: Snoop’s Dogg! A bacon-wrapped dog with BBQ sauce and–wait for it–gin and juice ketchup. Interested in how this place got its name? Click here.
