Dirt Dog, Las Vegas - A Little Effort and Even Hot Dogs are Gourmet

The joke is that hot dogs (and chorizo) are really just animal lips and buttholes - the cuts of the animal that nobody would eat unless it was processed so heavily that it was unrecognizable by sight and flavor.  Stroll through your supermarket meat section and one can easily see that hot dog "meat" is among the cheapest available.  One does not make meat this cheap by using the finest parts of the animal (be it pig or cow).  So, if we accept the fact that hot dogs are the cheapest, crappiest meat available, why bother?

I am of the opinion that some of our favorite foods are our favorite food because they were cheap at one point.  How does that happen?  When a food is cheap, it is available to the entire populace, especially the poorer demographics.  The poorer folks can only afford the cheap meats and so they are almost forced to try to make them tasty.  I think this is fairly prevalent in ethnic foods of the "peasant" variety - low on protein, high on cheap vegetables.  Think about bulgogi.  Thin, crappy beef made delicious by the addition of lots of flavors and labor.  What about chicken wings?  I bet they were the throw-away cuts of the bird at one point, not much meat, hard to eat.  Ribs?  Same deal, tough meat, can't really eat it with a knife and fork, takes a lot of work, seasoning and skill to make it delicious.  The same could be said of tripe, chorizo, etc.  So, why not hot dogs?

Why not, indeed.  By a happy coincidence, I became acquainted with Dirty Dog on Instagram.  I hadn't been there, but I ended up following them and I'll be danged if they didn't have some good looking grub.  So, as soon as I had an excuse to be on that side of town, I made the trek.  It is a trek, by the way. I think they are in the same spot that Cheeburger Cheeburger used to occupy on the very south part of Rainbow.

I got there and was surprised that there weren't that many options.  I had expected a multitude of different hot dogs.  I was, frankly, a little bit disappointed.  I had to remind myself that my favorite places are those that do just a few things (i.e., have a small menu), but execute them flawlessly.  With that perspective affixed in my mind, I was ready to enjoy their wares.

The guy who took my order was friendly and knowledgeable.  He explained the different types of dogs.  I ordered the Red Dog.  This was a brave move on my part, as I was still recovering from a stomach bug that had ruined my New Years Eve.  I was determined, though, to end my flu's reign of terror, no matter what cost.  The Red Dog, was a bacon wrapped dog (I think all their dogs are wrapped in bacon), with a spicy tomato sauce and a chipotle aioli.  

 

I was a little nervous, since I was concerned that my stomach was not going to be up to the spicy task I had just assigned it. After my first bite, I forgot my fear and just loved the dog.  It was spicy, had a bit of crispiness and had a good mix of flavors.  The bread was good (they have options for the bread, I picked a good one), the sauces were zesty and the vegetables were cooked but not lifeless.  

For a side, I ordered a cob of Mexican corn.  I love Mexican corn.  It is salty (cotija cheese, chile powder and salt), sour (lime is usually squeezed on it) and delicious.  

 

They even put a bit of bacon on there.  The corn was of good quality (as good as one can expect for this season), the toppings stayed on as well as that type of topping does.  It was still hot when I got it.  It was great.  As I left, though, I noticed they also serve what looks like the same thing, but off the cob.  I think I'll try it next time, just to see if it provides a more even distribution of the toppings and their delicious flavors. 

I must discuss my beverage and I discuss it here so it's persuasive impact will be lessened via the principles of primacy and recency.  I was asked while ordering if I wanted a soda.  I asked if they had a Coke Freestyle machine.  I was told they did.  I ordered a beverage.  It turns out, they did not have a Freestyle machine. 

 

Not a big deal.  I just won't order a soda in the future (I can't have caffeine, it jacks up my jaw and I'm too fat to drink sugary beverages so the Coke Freestyle is my carbonated savior when I don't want water).  

After I ate the Red Dog and corn, I should have ended there.  It was early in the year, my New Year's resolution to lose some weight was still fresh on my mind and I should have said to myself "Self, you just enjoyed a fantastic hot dog and equally fantastic corn.  Let's get back to the office."  But I did not do what I should have.  I ordered a churro.

 

Holy crap. Look at that thing.  While this fine dessert is clearly too phallic for the likes of Ned Flanders, it was soooo good.  That is a piping hot, freshly fried churro with probably at least 50% more cinnamon and sugar than you average churro.  Textures and flavors were all 10/10.  That little plastic cup?  Horchata whipped cream.  While I didn't notice it came with a very strong horchata flavor, it was certainly some real whipped cream  and it was perfect with that churro.

So to wrap it up, I heartily endorse Dirt Dog.  The hot dogs are great.  The sides are great.  The desserts are great. Great, great, great.  Go there.