The Chicago Traveler

If you have ever had a Chicago Hot Dog, you foam at the mouth at the very mention of this beautiful experience.  There is nothing quite like it.  It can be hot or cold outside and a Chicago Hot Dog will still taste just as good.
Ingredients added are yellow mustard, green relish, chopped onions, tomato wedges, pickle slice, peppers and a dash of salt served in a steamed poppy seed bun.  The order is very very important.  Ketchup is a very controversial add.  As a true Chicagoan, I will not ever add Ketchup to my Chicago Hot Dog and you …read more

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Chicago has plenty of upscale restaurants, but let’s face it, the Windy City is best known for its greasy comfort foods: Italian beefs, hot dogs, burgers, gyros, etc. Grease Freak is a website full of photographs of Chicago-style food—“edible and not”—rated on their taste, presentation, and restaurant ambience.
Start stocking up on napkins now.
Photo credit: GreaseFreak.com
http://www.greasefreak.com/

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Can you name the seven key ingredients for a Chicago-style hot dog? Here are ten great places to conduct your research (courtesy of Citysearch and Yelp).

10. The Wiener’s Circle. Love it or hate it, this greasy spoon has got a “charm” all its own.
9. Gold Coast Dogs. All ten locations follow the Chicago-style recipe to the ‘T’.
8. Superdawg Drive-In. The winking hot dogs on the roof will be a sight you won’t soon forget.
7. Huey’s Hot Dogs. While serving up great dogs and burgers, this eatery is also well-known for its vegetarian-friendly dishes.

6. Portillo’s Hot Dogs. Both the nostalgia and …read more

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Do I sound like a broken record yet? From one of my earlier articles:
The Chicago-style hot dog has seven essential toppings: a boiled or steamed all-beef dog on a poppy-seed bun with (1) mustard, (2) relish, (3) chopped onions, (4) tomato wedges, (5) a pickle spear, (6) sport peppers, and (7) celery salt. I’ve seen a few varieties on this (including lettuce, sliced pickles, cucumbers, and/or green peppers) but the “lucky seven” mentioned above are the components of a classic Chicago-style dog. And yes, the exclusion of ketchup is just as important as the ingredients that are included. Why? …read more

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Anyone who enjoys a good hot dog in Chicago has heard of Hot Doug’s. But Doug is not the only friendly guy in the Chicago area that serves up great and unusual fast food.
Meet Fred, owner of fRedhots and Fries in Glenview. He’s not too hard to identify. When you step inside the restaurant, you’ll notice his face is just about everywhere: the sign, the menus, the t-shirts. Most likely, you’ll find Fred either behind the counter taking your order or talking with diners looking for feedback.
Fred’s menu offers items you’d expect to see in any Chicago hot-dog joint: jumbo …read more

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Anyone who knows food knows the name Anthony Bourdain, host of the Travel Channel’s No Reservations. The show is currently taping its fifth season, and it has finally come to Chicago.
So where did the famously critical chef and author dine? One of the restaurants Bourdain sampled was Hot Doug’s (which is now serving the ‘New Chicago’).
“I’m a huge fan. You can’t praise the place enough. I hope there’s never a backlash because of them being too popular or anything. They are wonderful in every way. The classic red hot is superb. And I don’t have to tell you how good …read more

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As I reported a little over a week ago, Hot Doug’s and Time-Out Chicago challenged people to create a brand new hot dog recipe. The winner’s entry will be featured on Hot Doug’s very own menu for at least a week.
So which dog is the lucky victor? The New Chicago! Created by Kevin Haas, this dish celebrates the Windy City’s diversity:
Mexican chorizo sausage, Asian pear chutney, Indian paneer cheese, chili mustard, served on a multi-grain roll. As the original Chicago dog reflected our immigrant heritage (Greek, Italian, and Jewish immigrants), this encased meat reflects our new and future immigrant population. …read more

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I’ve described it several times before, but it bears repeating. The Chicago-style hot dog has seven essential toppings: a boiled or steamed all-beef dog on a poppy-seed bun with (1) mustard, (2) relish, (3) chopped onions, (4) tomato wedges, (5) a pickle spear, (6) sport peppers, and (7) celery salt. I’ve seen a few varieties on this (including lettuce, sliced pickles, cucumbers, and/or green peppers) but the “lucky seven” mentioned above are the components of a classic Chicago-style dog. And yes, the exclusion of ketchup is just as important as the ingredients that are included. Why? One could argue that …read more

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Burgers, tacos, pizza, sandwiches: fast-food chains run the gamut of cuisines. However, Lindy’s and Gertie’s has a style all its own: chili and ice cream.
The oddball couple wasn’t always a pair though. Originating on Chicago’s south side, the original Gertie’s Ice Cream began in 1901, and Lindy’s was the city’s first chili parlor in 1924. Joseph Yesuits bought both of the businesses in 1977 and, despite the naysayers, put them together. The concept has been a hit ever since.
The chili, made both with and without beans, is just as hearty and delicious as it’s ever been. The recipe’s been left …read more

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It’s that time of year again. The Taste of Chicago is an annual food festival, where dozens of restaurants from across the city gather along Columbus Drive. Millions of locals and tourists sample hundreds of dishes from every cuisine imaginable, from hot dogs to ravioli to veggie gyros to pad thai to empanadas to omelets… Everything and anything edible can be found at the Taste, along with cooking demonstrations, live music, a wine garden, and kids’ activities. New additions this year include a sports pavilion and an international entertainment pavilion.
Admission is free, but the food and drinks aren’t. Tickets come …read more

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