CHEWBREW

In case you didn’t know, I’m originally from Detroit. More accurately I’m from the suburbs but I digress. Perhaps one of my favorite foods of all time are the Coney Island hot dogs served up all around metro Detroit. You can’t go more than a mile in the Detroit area without running into a restaurant serving them.  To get the absolute best however you need to head downtown.

The original Detroit establishment (circa 1917) is American Coney Island. There is a rich history you can read on Wikipedia if you want but, basically the original owners got into a fight and split the restaurant in two a la King Solomon (see Lafayette Coney Island next door). Many argue which is the best, however; I chose American Coney Island as it is the original.

Above is a plate consisting of the classic coney hot dog and one loose coney. A loose coney is made with ground beef instead of a hot dog but has the same toppings as the regular coney hot dog. They are each served on soft buns and topped with an all meat chili, yellow mustard, and diced onion. The dog is in a natural skin casing  that has an incredible flavor and a distinct snap when you bite into it. The chili is meaty and it blends perfectly with the onion and mustard. Oh. So. Good.

My friend Winnie was in town for Thanksgiving and curiously I had never taken her to have a coney before. We decided to get chili fries as well and she put up with me snapping photos of her while she ate.

The giddy smile above is the delight of one having their first coney. It is something you’ll never forget.  Many cities have their version of the coney but to truly experience one you have to head to Detroit Rock City.

There is a new Chicago-style hotodog place in DC you say? It’s not a food truck? What’s it called? Chi-what-o? Ohhhh. ChiDogO’s!!

Today marked the opening of an actual brick and mortar restaurant serving a regional cuisine not of DC origin. One would expect a food truck dispensing such items, however; ChiDogO’s has opened up at 14th & U St. NW. Their tagline is: ‘Brining Chicago Style Hot Dogs and Italian Style Beef Sandwiches to The District!” If they’re brining it, I brought my appetite.

Reminiscent of a 50s diner, ChiDogO’s has a diamond cut steel counter with aluminum high top tables. You order your food at one end and pick it up at the other. The menu consists of two main items. Obviously the hot dog and the Italian beef sandwich. There are a variety of sides and combinations along with the ability to order two Goose Island Beers (312 or seasonal variety).

I went for dinner (apologies for the dark photos) therefore I was in need of a lot of food and a beer. None of the combos include beer so I ordered a la carte. One ChiDogO with the works, one Italian Beef Sandwich with hot peppers, and a 312 Goose Island Beer.

First up was the ChiDogO and it was excellent. The poppy seed bun was super soft. The sport peppers were hot. The tomato was crisp and flavorful. Most importantly, the Vienna Beef hot dog gave a perfect snap when biting. All the other standard toppings were there (mustard, relish, onion, pickle spear, and celery salt). While I haven’t been to DC-3 yet, this is a great benchmark.

Next up was the Italian Beef Sandwich and overall, I was not a huge fan. I found the beef to be chewy and there was not a great meat to bun ratio. I made a mental note that the larger bun used was probably to absorb the au jus in the ‘Dipped’ option. I went with ‘Juicy’ (a little extra gravy) so it seemed like too much bun. The hot peppers were good but to make this a great sandwich, the beef should be tender and the bun shouldn’t consume the meat.

Overall, I really enjoyed the hot dog and, having a Goose Island 312 was a nice touch. Next time, I would pass on the beef sandwich and get an extra hot dog or a side of fries. Something fun to offer in the future would be a happy hour combo that includes a beer as well.

Check it out next time you are at 14th and U St and let me know what you think in the comments.

DC’s ever expanding food truck scene received a new addition this week in the name of CapMac. While this week is considered their soft opening, you can count on them very soon to get you through the upcoming Winter season with their menu of creative comfort foods. I happened upon their Twitter account this afternoon and was fortunate enough to have them serving in my neighborhood.

While their menu will be rotating several items (click image above for readable menu), I decided to go with the namesake dish of CapMac’n Cheese. For $6 you get a medium sized container which after inhaling, is more than enough for lunch.  Other items were Chicken Parm Meat Balls and Beef Bolognese both served over Rigatoni for $8 a piece. Creatively, those two items were served in Chinese-style takeout containers.

Without a doubt, CapMac serves up a well balanced Macaroni and Cheese. The cheddar offers just the right amount of sharpness while the pimento provides the extra dimension to make it stand out on your palate.  The pasta is appropriately cooked to al dente which avoids the most common disaster in mac ‘n’ cheese. Adding crumble cheese-it as the crust is a nice touch to make the experience reminiscent of being a kid again.

With so many food trucks in the DC area, it’s getting harder and harder to make a decision about lunch. With CapMac now on the streets, I will likely be returning all Winter long when they’re in my neighborhood to shake off the Winter blues.