The Chicago Traveler

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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If you were a child in Chicago anytime between 1961 and 1994, you will recognize the following names: Cooky, Wizzo, Cuddly Dudley, Garfield Goose… These characters and more were all regulars on Bozo’s Circus and then on the even more popular The Bozo Show, both of which were produced locally and aired on WGN.1
You might drive by the WGN television studios and not even know it. While most of the other TV stations in Chicago broadcast from beautiful skyscrapers downtown (including the NBC Tower), the WGN structure looks like a boring office building. That’s because it was constructed in 1963, …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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With crazy gas prices and now high sales taxes, Chicagoans and visitors are looking to save money where they can. But don’t let your budget prevent you from going out to enjoy a good meal. Here are eight of the best restaurants (courtesy of Citysearch and Yelp) where you can get a big meal for a small price.

8. Red Apple. This Polish buffet just keeps on going and going and going…
7. Reza’s Restaurant. As if the extensive Mediterranean menu wasn’t enough, the Sunday brunch buffet offers an incredible number of options.
6. Mr. Greek Gyros. Everything from hot dogs to pork …read more

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Sure, the sign over the door may say Czerwone Jabluszko, but for those of us not fluent in Polish, there’s a large image of a Red Apple to subtly hint at the translation. This restaurant is located in a prosperous Polish community and offers buffet fare for cheap prices. If you ever get the chance to visit, make sure you’re good and hungry.
The buffet here is SO big, it takes up two rooms. No, really. To give you an idea, most buffet lines offer less than a handful of cold salads. Red Apple offers up to ten daily, including chicken …read more

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• These are the last few days to take part in the Chicago Originals Restaurant Week Celebration. A select number of restaurants offer two- or three-course dinners specially priced at $20.08 in honor of the New Year. For a list of participating businesses, head to http://www.chicagooriginals.com/ (ends Feb 3)
• Brrrr… It’s cold out there, which is perfect weather for Chicago’s newest attraction, Paintings Below Zero. A brilliantly colored ice wall that is nearly 100 feet long (30 m) and over 10 feet tall (3 m) is the largest and perhaps most stunning work from Canadian artist Gordon Halloran. (Feb 1-29)
• …read more

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Let’s continue our International Tour by heading to Central and South America. A large majority of Central and South Americans live in the Logan Square neighborhood, but their influences can be found throughout the city.
For example, Mayan Sol Latin Grill in Albany Park is a great eatery that can take you to Central America because that’s where the owners are from. When co-owner Erwin Piril left Guatemala City (the capital and largest city of Guatemala) for Chicago back in 1998, he knew right away that he wanted to open a restaurant. So with his mother’s recipes and her flair …read more

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Happy Halloween everybody! Even though it’s a weeknight, there’s still plenty to do out there in the city…
• The Dead Diner will be serving up Halloween-themed food and drink specials, along with ghostly tunes, horror flicks, and a midnight costume contest with a $200 cash prize.
• Roscoe’s Halloween Night offers over $4,000 in cash and prizes in two big costume competitions: Best Costume and Best Drag. Each is limited to 30 participants so be there at 9:00 p.m. to sign up.
• Debonair Social Club celebrates its first anniversary with seven guest DJs and a live video photobooth.
• Casey Moran’s, across …read more

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• A ghoul’s gotta eat. The Dead Diner (a.k.a. the Orbit Room) will be serving up Halloween-themed food and drink specials, along with ghostly tunes, horror flicks, and a midnight costume contest with a cash prize. (Oct 27, 31)
• Eat, Drink, and Be Scary at the Museum of Surgical Science. Hosted by the Foundation for Community Betterment, this costume party and fundraiser features festive drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and tours of the unique venue. An after-party and raffle complete the celebration at aliveOne. Proceeds benefit 7-year-old Mallory Langill, diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at birth. (Oct 27)
• Vision and Excalibur come together …read more

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