Detroit style Coney Island hot dog in GTA

[jono523]

Any tips on finding a Detroit style Coney Island dog in the GTA or closer than the drive to Detroit? I am more particular as to the quality of chili sauce than the type of weiner used. Any help is appreciated.

[Davwud]

Have you checked the Detroit Eatery on Danforth?? I somehow suspect that they don't but in all honesty, you really shouldn't be calling yourself that and not serve Detroit's signature dish.

DT

[grandgourmand]

I think they're big Red Wings fans.

[Davwud]

But still. It's Detroit's signature dish. How can it not be on the menu??

DT

[grandgourmand]

I don't know...go ask the owner.

I think the place has been around forever, and is basically a greasy breakfast diner spot. They've been around long enough, well before the trend of re-creating american classics in Canada came along. Not every place is into that type of thing.

If they named it Detroit Eatery because they're big Red Wing fans (which is obvious when you walk in) then good for them. It's irrelevant that they don't have coney dogs (if they don't).

[Davwud]

"It's irrelevant that they don't have coney dogs"

Uh, no it isn't. You wouldn't open a "Cincinnati Eatery" and not have Double Deckers or Cinci Chili. You wouldn't open a KC Eatery and not serve BBQ.

DT

[terrycar]

Well there's nothing particularly New York about the New York Cafe Restaurant just down the street.

[grandgourmand]

You realize Paris Ontario doesn't have a replica of the Eifel tower, right? Maybe you should go talk to the mayor.

My point is they named it Detroit Eatery not as a tribute to food in Detroit but to the hockey team. Oh, and quick internet search uncovers:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/artic...

Would it be more "Detroit" if they served coney dogs (which I'm not sure if they do or don't yet)? Sure. But it's irrelevant. In Toronto, we've had a trend of restaurants starting to focus on U.S. regional/casual/fast food specialties. Burgers, BBQ, etc. This isn't one of them. It's a greasy spoon that happens to have Detroit in its name.

For the record, I love coney dogs. Or "Michigans" as they're called in Quebec.

[Davwud]

I'm thinking of opening a place called Seattle Pizza and making Chicago style hot dogs.

DT

[grandgourmand]

Or NY Subs and serve burritos? Oh, wait, that's been taken already.

"Pizza" implies you serve pizza. "Eatery" just implies you serve food. Can be anything.
But hey, if the hot dogs are good, I'd be there. I don't care about the name.

[Davwud]

LOL, I never thought about NY Sub.

DT

[jono523]

A good lead, but further research leads to the conclusion that they don't serve Coney Dogs. I found a picture of their menu here:
http://www.urbanspoon.com/u/menu/1348854

Any comments on how a Detroit Coney Dog compares to a chili dog from a place like Ted's in Buffalo? I am looking for the chili experience specifically.

[jmeggs]

To your original question as to whether the Coney Dog is on Food Cabbie's permanent menu, the answer is yes. He does have a rotating menu as well, but both the Coney and the Chicago Dogs are permanent.

BTW, don't ever make the mistake of buying the Coney Island [meatless] chili in a can that's ubiquitious at Detroit-area supermarkets... I tried to make my own Coneys at home, but that canned chili is pretty bad.

[grandgourmand]

Beef hearts are a special ingredient in the real deal, I believe.

[jmeggs]

Food Cabbie does a jumbo version... It is pretty close: beanless chili, mustard, onions, and a weiner that snaps.

[jono523]

I am following their facebook feed to see when they are close by, but do you know if this is something they would always offer, or do they have a limited rotating menu from day to day?