Julio H.
Yelp
Sweet dogs? Why not Sweet Dawgz?
The evolution of the hot dog has reached its pinnacle. What originated as convenient food on the go, competing street vendors, hot dog versus pizza, has now become a real meal. Well, to a majority of New Yorkers or Chicagoans, it is lunch probably more than once a week. Here in Miami, not so much, unless you visit the courthouse chronically like a repeat offender.
Coming out to Sweet Dogs was a challenge to me. After all, if you've had one hot dog, you pretty much have had them all. My contenders may say, it is not about the hot dog, but the toppings, to what I may reply "do you want your coffee with sugar or not? Cream?" Coffee is coffee. Also, hot dogs' firm rooting in American blue collar lore made me feel that I may enjoy the same delicacy in any street car, in any part of town, anytime I wanted. But how far from the truth that is.
Before setting foot on Sweet Dogs, I had read the menu online. The multitude of toppings on the dogs was like opening your eyes under muddy water. Trying to imagine what a hot dog may taste like is very difficult, and probably a challenge not worthy of your time. But what the brain can't decipher, your taste buds will decode. And that is precisely what makes Sweet Dogs one of a kind. If you already went crazy for sushi, cupcakes, burgers, Eating House, and recently going crazy for donuts, well, let me introduce you to hot dogs.
First of all, these hot dogs are a meal. And messy. But they are pure genius. I have tried several already, and trust me, they are all good. Looking at the menu is daunting, and ordering will be like jumping in the dark, but you will be rewarded. To get the full experience, you need to order one of the team dogs, otherwise you just wasted a perfectly good hot dog like if you wasted a perfectly good beer. The closest hint I can give you is the following: The Sweet dog and the Panther are Asian style, the Heat and the U are Mexican style, the Marlin is Cuban style and the Dolphin is Sweet Italian style.
My favorite dog is the Dolphin and, unlike the Dolphins my generation grew up with, this Dolphin gets a ring. The melted cheese over the pineapple is delicious. Add to that the smoked bacon and the grilled ham, which complement the hot dog majestically and anonymously. Plus, the house sauce jells all the ingredients together. And if that is not enough, string potatoes top it all. Magic.
Added bonus: you can have your hot dogs grilled for a caramelized surface, or deep fried, for texture and flavor. I prefer mine deep fried, having my latest one fried till it ripped, imitating the famous New Jersey dogs. In honest excitement, all I got to say is you can only find it at Sweet Dogs.
Sweet dogs also sells a mean milk shake, corn dogs, French fries, baked beans, sausages, mac and cheese, etc.
Like that line from that movie, "you my dog ..."