Slaw dogs, just tried it again.

[kevin]

it's good but not great. and way too expensive. the spicey polish with chili and cheddar is pretty darn good, i like their chili which is not in the same vein as the pastey glopp you get at tommy's. i also had the natural casing dog with chili and cheese, but i could detect Virtually no Snap whatseoever with the natural casing dog, no snap, what's up with that? and the supposedly natural casing dog was a little rubbbery, similar to when dodger dogs have not been steamed properly, although the spicey polish was pretty good, and garlickly and paprickyie. but the natural casing just was not good. also, had a Mexican coke in the bottle. this whole meal was over 15 dollars, it's way too expensive for what it is.

the same thing at the old wiener factory would've costed me all of 9 to 10 bucks.

[highforpie]

I have only tried Slaw Dogs once (about a week ago) but found it very disappointing. Everything was oversauced, fell out of the mushy bun...just not good. I live right nearby so will give it another shot but was not impressed.

-----
The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

[WildSwede]

Have you tried Dog Haus on Hill/Green yet? I prefer it over Slaw Dogs.

-----
The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

Dog Haus
105 N Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

[Jack Flash]

It's actually at Hill & Union, not Green. :-)

[WildSwede]

ARRRGGG! Thank you! ;-)

[jsaras]

AFAIK, all Target fast food stands serve Vienna hot dogs. Read here: http://www.grubgrade.com/2011/02/23/r...

[Jordan]

Oh, right. I thought you meant that you could buy them in the grocery section (which is possible in Midwestern Targets), but I forgot about their own little cafe.

[jsaras]

Slaw Dogs uses the same Vienna hot dogs that you get at Target. Their basic "dog" and bun aren't as good as Fab's, period. Slaw Dogs' hot dog assembly isn't as good either. Everything falls out of the bun.

That said, I actually appreciate the 'yuppie bar' atmosphere (I love wine with my hot dog) and the toppings are good, though I'd like a vinegar-based coleslaw as an option.

-----
The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

[Jordan]

You can get Vienna hot dogs at the Pasadena Target? Since when?

[mikeop34]

I really enjoyed my meal here tonight. 3 of us split 4 dogs/sausages plus chili cheese fries. Here's the rundown:

- Thai salad dog, this came with chicken apple sausage - this was the biggest surprise and my favorite. The sausage itself was flavorful, and the thai salad on top complemented it nicely, providing a little bit of sweetness, tartness and spice. I wish I could've eaten a whole one of these myself.
- Reuben dog, came w/ spicy polish sausage - this was a decent reuben sandwich kicked up with a juicy, spicy sausage, so this was my 2nd favorite.
- TNT, "10" rippered dog" not sure what that means exactly - this would've been awesome if I was drunk or something because it's stuffed with a larger hot dog, fried egg, chili, fries, cheese, grilled onions and pastrami. There's a lot going on, and it may be too much together. The dog itself got a bit lost in all of this. I was impressed that the egg yolk managed to stay medium with all these hot ingredients sandwiched around it.
- Caesar salad dog, came w/ chicken apple - this tastes like it sounds, a Caesar salad on top of a sausage. This didn't really work for me, all I really tasted was the Caesar dressing oh well.
- chili cheese fries - the fries stayed pretty crispy, and the chili was excellent as others have said. Good side.

I can understand some of the complaints about the chili cheese dog being pricey, but I thought everything we ordered was fairly priced. Other places like Wurstkuche or Golden State charge $6-8 for a decent sausage and minimal toppings. By comparison, with some of these interesting Slaw Dogs offerings, you get much more toppings, and some of those combinations are really good.

It seems that this thread is much more focused on chili cheese dogs in particular, but we didn't try it. As for the comparisons of casing/snap, I don't have much to say given that everything we got had tons of toppings and different flavor combinations, so I didn't really notice.

I was impressed with the service at such a casual place. As the line got longer, I noticed the owner/manager going into the line to take others' orders and speed things up. He and his staff also walked around during the meal to check on our orders and to offer refills to my friends for their sodas.

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Wurstkuche
800 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

The Golden State
426 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036

The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

[ns1]

went to Slaw Dogs for first time over weekend, here's my report

We got the chili cheese dog (no mustard) + cheeseburger and a side of belgium fries (well done)

CCD - Pretty standard CCD. I didn't think it was a major step up from Weinerschnitzel or anything. Actually reminded me of a costco dog with chili cheese on it.
Hamburger - good classic burger. I mean I'd order it again but there was nothing truly remarkable about it.
Belgium fries - pedestrian. Well seasoned but terrible crunch, even when asked for well done.

Damage - $18 for 2 dogs, a drink, and fries

Notes - water bowl for dogs. 2 outside tables that are in direct sunlight after 3pm. decent happy hour/lunch specials.

Fabs > OkiDog > Dog Haus > The Stand > Slaw Dogs > Vicious

[Peripatetic]

Did you get the CCD with the natural casing dog, or just the regular one?

By the way I mostly agree with your ranking (though I've never tried The Stand). I like Haus but think their "snap dog" isn't as good as Slaw's natural casing dog, tipping the balance in Slaw's favor. I like what Haus is trying to do, but wish they offered real buns and better dogs.

[ns1]

I just ordered a CCD #2. Didn't taste like a snap dog so I guess it wasn't.

I'm indifferent to the kings rolls, GF loves them. FWIW we used to use the kings as buns way before Haus did.

[Peripatetic]

You should definitely try Slaw's CCD with the natural casing dog. It's probably sacrilege, but I get the CCD with a rippered natural casing dog. It's outstanding!

About Haus: The King's rolls work better than I thought they would when I first heard about them, but they wouldn't be my first choice.

[ns1]

oh yeah, I wouldn't go out of my way for the Stand but it's a decent spot to bring some friends. They know how to work a fryer.

[Jack Flash]

You need to specify the NC dog. I think it costs an extra $0.50 or so. Well worth it, IMHO.

[ns1]

$5.19 for a CCD is psychologically atrocious.

[monku]

Natural casing dog is $1.00 more.

[ns1]

5.69 for a CCD is straight up ridiculous. divide by 0 ridiculous.

[cdub]

my biggest issue with slaw dogs is the price. 2 chili cheese dogs, fries and a coke should not run $20 unless you're at a ball game. i thought slaw dogs was good. nothing mind blowing and definitely nothing that should be charged that kind of premium over fabs, stand, etc...

[reality check]

I do think Slaw Dogs is overpriced, but the hot dogs are better than overrated fabs and the Stand.

-----
The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

[kevin]

i agree with this sentiment. for some reason, it feels way way way to expensive. it would be one thing if the dog meat was very unique or special, etc, but that's not the case at bar. i got a dog with chili the polish, and it was close to 7, plus a drink, it was like 11, a mex coke in the bottle, and then another chili dog was 6 bucks again. so yeah, about 18 bucks and some change for two dogs and a soda, not even including any fries.

[Jack Flash]

I like both Slaw Dogs and Dog Haus; each has its merits. DH's regular (no casing) dog probably gets the nod over the one at SD, but I much prefer the NC dog at the latter (the one at DH has been a bit too tough the few times I've tried it).

Personally, I'd rank Carney's above both when it comes to a straight chili dog; however, the choices are far more varied at the Pasadena shops, and they're much more convenient for me (I live in Pasadena).

-----
The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

Dog Haus
105 N Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

[Peripatetic]

"the one at DH has been a bit too tough the few times I've tried it"

Totally agree. Tough, mealy, and bland. It's frustrating because DH has so much else right, why can't they just go out and get a decent NC dog!?!? I'm almost tempted to bring a package of Hoffy's from Claro's and ask them to make our dogs with them!

[Jack Flash]

I wonder if it's the dog itself, or how they prep/keep them. I've noticed that they're not ready (at Carney's, for example, they pluck 'em right out of a steamer, and the supply is constantly being replenished because there's a lot of turnover). At DH, it takes several minutes from order to serving, while the dog is being (re?)heated. If they're reheated too many times, or kept warm for too long, I could see how it would toughen up. Once, when I was there at an odd hour and it wasn't busy (for a change), my dog at Carney's was tougher than it should have been.

[Peripatetic]

That's a possibility. I'll have to watch what they do next time I'm there.

Now that you mention it, I wonder if they're using previously frozen dogs. I have no idea what standard practice/best practice is with respect to freezing hot dogs.

[reality check]

The something can and has happen at Cupid's. Usually they get a lot of turnover, but go at an off hour, and the hot dog can be in the steamer for too long.

[WildSwede]

MMMM Cupid's - had one on Saturday!
At Dog Haus, they do have those comment cards. I wonder if enough of us comment on the natural casing dogs if they would source a diiferent one. I, too, am not a fan of their NCs. My friend swears by their turkey dogs. Says they are the best she has ever had. My heart belongs to their sliders - man are they AWESOME!!
Also, if you don't like the Hawaiian Rolls with your dogs, ask them to sub the french roll they use for their sausages as I have told several people at work to do. The rolls are delicious and they are happy to sub.

-----
Dog Haus
105 N Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

[ns1]

i did not find the rolls @ DH to be particularly tasty. Hard and dry probably more appropriate.

[WildSwede]

Really? The one time I had one of their sausages it was soft and really, really good. Complemented the sausage and grilled peppers and onions very well. People at work only get their dogs with the rolls now and I have only heard how much they like the bread.

[Jack Flash]

Agree re: rolls (I like them).

[monku]

The Stand is decent.
Natural casing hot dogs(I think Cantella), grilled or steamed dogs, choice of aim or poppy seed buns, free pickle chips which are fantastic and many of their toppings are made in house. Monday nights after 5pm is dollar dog night for most hot dogs and $2.50 for custom dogs like chili cheese dogs.

[Servorg]

"Fabs > OkiDog > Dog Haus > The Stand > Slaw Dogs > Vicious"

Where would you have Carney's in that rank ordering for CCD's?

[ns1]

My GF is allergic to peanuts so I walked out before I could get my food (peanut oil). Everything on the grill LOOKED great though

Also, that's not my rankings for CCD's, just hot dog joints in general. Fab's CCD is garbage unless you specifically request the cheese on the bottom.

IMHO Oki Dog's CCD > all the rest. Something about their chili makes it special, and the guys who make the CCD's are always super neat about it.

[Servorg]

That's a tough thing to walk away from... ;-D> You'll just have to visit again by yourself!

[Briggs]

"the same thing at the old wiener factory would've costed me all of 9 to 10 bucks."
Well, you've got to admit that it's not fair to compare 3 year old pricing - right?. My own opinion is that unless it's Costco, I think hot dog prices at most places seem a bit out of line. And I'm a fan of Slaw Dogs.

-----
The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

[kevin]

yeah, 2007 till know would make it maybe 12 bucks but possibly still less, but still there would be that 3 to 4 dollar differential between the two i would guess if we took inflation, as well as CPI or some other index into consideration.

[monku]

Not counting Slaw Dogs I think the average price for a chili dog in this town is about $3, so your figure of $9 isn't out of the question.
Tommy's $2.75
Pink's $3.30
Chroni's $2.75

[Burger Boy]

For $9 I better be getting a great 12 inch 1/2 lb hot dog with some serious chili!
Fab's Chili Cheese Dog is $3.99
Vicious Dogs is right around that some price.

-----
Vicious Dogs
5231 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601

[monku]

Prices I quoted are without cheese.

[Burger Boy]

I am just saying $9 is crazy unless it is a Kobe or something.

[monku]

BB,
Take it easy. He didn't eat one chili dog...he's talking about getting a chili dog, spicy Polish chili dog w/cheese and a Mexican coke.

OP had:
Slaw Dog $4.99 (someone said $1 extra for natural casing)= $5.99
Spicy Polish $4.99
add custom toppings 99 cents each--Chili and cheese
Mexican Coke $3-$4
Plus Tax 9.75%

-----
The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

[Burger Boy]

Sorry, I missed that, sorry. I love a great dog and am still mourning the loss of Big Wiennie's and Jay's!

[monku]

Slot's-A-Fun Casino on the Las Vegas strip used to have a 12 inch 1/2 pound hot dog for 99cents. Was in LV one weekend with my dad and he bugged me all weekend to take him there. We finally went and when he saw it, he realized he'd never be able to eat it and passed.

Speaking of hot dogs, what kind of hot dogs does your buddy Rod serve and are they any good?

Also heard something about him serving CFS now....how's that?

[kevin]

Who's rod? Is this a new hot dog joint to add to the list of places?

[monku]

I think next to 26 Beach, Nick's Cafe (owned by Rod) is one of Burger Boy's favorite restaurants.
Seems like Rod has everything on the menu including hot dogs. I joke with Burger Boy because he sends me on these wild goose chases to eat at Nick's.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/727833

-----
26 Beach
3100 Washington Blvd., Venice, CA 90292

[Burger Boy]

Rod is actually my 3rd cousin twice removed on my adopted 1/4 sisters step mother's side. Not sure what kind of hot dog he serves, have not had it yet nor have I had the CFS. Maybe this weekend. If you want a 1/2 lb dog, Willy's Chill Grill on Victory in a liquor store sells them, grilled. They use a french roll for the bun, the dog is good the bun not so much.

[ns1]

"Maybe this weekend. If you want a 1/2 lb dog, Willy's Chill Grill on Victory in a liquor store sells them, grilled."

Find it too salty, stick with the FnC IMHO

[Burger Boy]

What is FnC?

[monku]

You're going to send me there and don't know?
FnC=
Franks n chli ?
Fries n chili ?

[Peripatetic]

Fish and Chips?

[ns1]

Sorry, I figured anyone that goes to Willy's knows that FnC = fish n chips?

[Burger Boy]

I only get the grilled 1/2lb dog.

[ns1]

wow, do check out their FnC next time.

[Will Owen]

I did finally get a chance to try their FnC (now that we all know what THAT means!), and it was almost as amazing as I'd been led to believe. What I found annoying was the non-user-friendly ordering setup for a first-timer, and the fact that after I'd been waiting almost fifteen minutes for my order there were guys walking up, ordering burgers, and getting them right away. I will admit this was right around noon, and things were pretty crazy in there.

The fish was almost white-hot, but tender, and the crust was very good if greasy. Ditto the fries. What I lacked mostly was a good environment in which to consume everything, as I was in my car and headed out for a camping weekend …

[ns1]

" Ditto the fries. What I lacked mostly was a good environment in which to consume everything, as I was in my car and headed out for a camping weekend …"

Yeah those tables inside aren't super comfortable (lol) and I've had to eat my lunch on the back of my trunk more than once. It's like street food to me!

[reality check]

I tried the 1/4lb hot dog. It was OK, only two differences between the hot dog at Willie's & Costco, is price, $3.50 or so at Willie's, compared to $1.50 at Costco. And Willie's is grilled.

[reality check]

Victory and what cross street?

[ns1]

http://www.yelp.com/biz/willies-grill...

[Burger Boy]

I do enjoy the breakfast at Nick's as I do at 26 Beach and El Tepeyac. I also fancy some good dim sum sometimes!

-----
26 Beach
3100 Washington Blvd., Venice, CA 90292

El Tepeyac Restaurant
385 E Mill St Ste 4, San Bernardino, CA 92408

[Briggs]

"Tommy's $2.75
Pink's $3.30"

Is Tommy's all-beef? In any case, neither of these two are in the league of Slaw Dogs or Haus Dogs. If not quite gourmet, they're certainly more upscale in terms of quality (and yes, price).

-----
The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

[monku]

Tommy's uses Cantella
Pink's uses Hoffy (not sure if it's all beef)
Chroni's uses Hoffy
Those seem to be the big names used in this town.

Only other natural casing they may use is Vienna. Most places that use Vienna advertise that they do.

-----
Chronis
5825 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90022

[Peripatetic]

"2007 till know would make it maybe 12 bucks"

There's been a lot of downward pressure on restaurant prices since 2007.

[reality check]

Wiener Factory prices in 2005.

Chili cheese dog; $3.15,

Kraut and cheese dog, $3.40.

Red cabbage & Cheese dog, $3.40.

What would prices be in 2010? Maybe north of $4?

Polish sausages:

$4.15-$4.85 for kraut/cheese and red cabbage & cheese.

So in 2005 prices, the chili cheese dogs, polish and coke, would be about $9. In 2010 prices at least $12, even in this economy.

[monku]

How about chili dog no cheese?
Cheese usually adds at least 75 cents.

[Jack Flash]

I've never had a problem with the natural casing dog at Slaw Dogs. In fact, I much prefer the Slaw Dogs' natural casing wiener over the one served up at nearby Dog Haus.

-----
The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

Dog Haus
105 N Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

[Briggs]

Completely agree

[reality check]

You know, any place can serve a hot dog that has been in the steamer for too long. It happens and owners/managers aren't always there to supervise an inexperienced employee.

I loved WF but I got a rubbery natural casing dog from them once. It happens at Costco, quite a bit.

[Burger Boy]

Have they changed to the natural casing dog as their standard dog because the crap I had several months ago, no casing, was awful. Why offer a mediocre dog as your basic dog, why have it in the restaurant at all. Serve a great dog and go up from there.

[Peripatetic]

This raises an interesting question: is there a great skinless dog?

I prefer a natural casing dog, but I know people who don't for one reason or another. Does Vienna or Hoffy do a skinless? If so, are they up to the standards of their natural casing dogs?

[monku]

Vienna and Hoffy make skinless dogs, I wouldn't doubt the recipes are the same.

[Peripatetic]

Interesting. I wonder if Slaw Dogs and Dog Haus believe they are using a better dog, or if they've simply made a business decision to offer an inferior product. Considering the prices both charge, it would be unfortunate if it was the latter. After all, I can by Hoffy dogs for less than $1 each at Claro's. I'm sure it costs considerably less for trade.

[monku]

I don't think the wholesale price is significantly less than your paying at Claro's.
I'm guessing the wholesale price is somewhere around $4/#. remember this hot dogs are 2 ounces each.

[monku]

A rubbery natural casing hot dog is a sign that it's overcooked and sitting in the steamer too long.

[monku]

Speaking of the Weiner Factory...Kevin the owner told me he throws hot dogs like that away, they aren't even fit to give to a dog...this was after I told him I got an old dog buried in chili at his competitor in Studio City.

[reality check]

That competitor being Carneys?

[Peripatetic]

As you've been in touch with him, do you know if there's any chance of a WF resurrection?

[monku]

This was a couple months before he closed.

[Burger Boy]

I was not blown away with Slaw Dogs like I am with Fab's. Did you like DogHaus or Slaw Dogs better?

-----
The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

[kevin]

overall, for dogs i give doghaus the edge but for chili i give slaw the edge.

[ltseligman]

Slaw Dogs by a mile.

-----
The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104