Fast Food Feast: Sonic's All Beef Baja and Chicago Style Hot Dogs

Ah the Dog Days of Summer! Named after Sirius, the Dog Star that appears bright between late July and August, once believed to add to the summer heat.  However, for me they mean wieners, bratwurst, and HOT DOGS!  YEAAAAHHHHHH!!!

The national chain of Sonic Drive-ins has lately been touting it's new all Premium Beef specialty hot dogs on TV, on the Radio and on the internet.  Although my preferences for fast food dogs are more towards Wienerschnitzel and James Coney Island, the ads made them look quite good so I figured at the price advertised ($1.99 each) and since they were all-beef (the preferred kind of hot dog for this foodie--mystery meat hot dogs always taste too Nitratey and plastic), they were worth a try.  Sonic has a double dog (2 specialty hot dogs, fries/tots/onion rings and a Medium drink) for $6.99.  I chose their Baja Dog and their Chicago-style dog.  So here are your blueprints:

Baja Dog

Baja Dog Blueprint:
all beef hot dog
Tomato chunks,
pepper jack cheese
onions
jalapeño peppers
on a poppy seed bun

Chicago-Style Dog Blueprint:

all beef hot dog

Tomato chunks,

pickle relish

Chicago Dog

pickle spear

onions

sport peppers

celery salt mustard

on a poppy seed bun

First of all the hot dogs are made from very good meat.  It is chewy, firm, has a nice texture and has no chemical taste or aftertaste like some hot dogs do.  The Baja Dog was a nice surprise to me.  The pepper jack cheese, the fresh tomatoes and spicy jalapeño peppers gave it  a full flavour and a nice kick as you chowed it down.  While I do love a New York style (sauerkraut and mustard) or a Coney Island dog (mustard, chilli, cheese and onions), this dog is a spicy change of pace from those other kinds and would like to have it in the rotation on occasion.  The Chicago style dog isn't the genuine article though.  The relish isn't the right kind of relish and it doesn't have the proper kind of "dragged through the garden" flavour of the Chicago style dogs of other Hot Dog establishments in the Houston area.  The bun is also not steamed, or if it was, it was allowed to dry out a bit before the hot dog was assembled.  It was still tasty, but I am a big picky about how a Chicago dog should look and taste.

The Foodie Professor gives the Sonic Baja Dog an A, and the Sonic Chicago Style Dog a B-.  

Sonic Drive ins are all around and these hot dogs are a good value as well.

Eat Happy!
Zao an, Y'all!!!