Next time, try ordering the fries crispy like I did. They were perfect when I got mine. Of course, I've only been there once so far and my fries might have been an anomaly.

Mike G wrote:I think regionally there are still some bright red hot dogs out there.

David Hammond wrote: I believe I've seen packages of bright red wieners at Moo&Oink.

stevez wrote:They've got 'em at Peoria Packing as well.

Artie wrote:I've also seen them at Devon Market grocery.

The best selection of crimson sausages I've seen is at Tennessee Country Meats in Gary, Indiana. Other than red sausages and Bolshevik, there are many reasons to visit this fine store.



Tennessee Country Meats
5207 W 5th Av
Gary IN
219-944-0735

I just want to know what Doug thinks about his first real imitator. After hearing the punning name and seeing the pictures of the dogs, the logo, the primary-color decor, and even the slogan printed on the front counter, it'll be very difficult to convince me that fRedhots & Fries could be anything more than Radiation Dude to Doug's Radioactive Man.

However, Fred does offer Italian beef, and I've been looking for a good beef that's easier to get to from my Far North Side home than Elmwood Park or Taylor Street. And on the plus side, the place is in Glenview, so maybe they will be able to offer Joe Moore's Liberty Liver without having to be coy about it.

Bizarro Doug's indeed: fRedhots is a Pepsi establishment, whereas Doug's is Coke all the way.

Please forgive me if this is inappropriate, but fRed passed along this link that discusses his new restaurant as well as the inclusion of products from Leon's Sausage Company. My name is Mike McGuire and I am the Director of Sales for Leon's Sausage. As pointed out by chicagostyledog, we have been in business since 1924 and purchased Slotkowski Sausage in 1992.

Amy started the Sausages by Amy brand in the early 90s as an answer to many of the health issues associated with traditional sausages. They have grown on both the retail and foodservice side and are served at many local establishments.

I don't want to offend anyone by using this forum as personal advertising space, but anyone can feel free to email me at mike@sausagesbyamy.com with any questions.

I look forward to checking in to this forum on a somwhat regular basis and would be happy to answer any questions that anyone may have.

Again, please forgive me if any or all of this is inappropriate given my affiliation with Leon's.

Sincerely,

Mike McGuire

Welcome to LTHforum!

You haven't harmed any board etiquette by posting. You did what we always prefer: stated up front your professional connection. To interact with us, answer our questions, then please reply via this board as we are all eager to learn.

If you have a new product you want to comment on in the future, then please use our professional board.

We have lots of professionals who intereact on this board on many topics far from their business interests. When they do comment on business topics either theirs, a friend's or competitor's, then they reiterate their background and proceed to comment. Even non-pro posters will highlight their relationship when they are friends of an establishment.

Looking forward to your comments and interaction.

[edit - just because]

Regards,

Went there last night. I wanted to try the smoked alligator, but all they had was a Buffalo brat. So I went for the Italian Beef. I wanted to try the garlic fries, but I made a mistake when I ordered and got fries w/garlic sauce. Before I ordered I asked if the fries were crisp and I was assured they were.

I basically agree with what has been said above. The Italian Beef was a very good beef sandwich, but was a below average Italian Beef. They asked if I wanted it dipped and I said no, just your regular. As noted above it was dry. I don’t think I have ever had an Italian Beef this dry before, except once when I ordered very dry (got it to go) and had some juice on the side. The fries were very good and crisp, I enjoyed the dipping sauce.

They said they were working on getting the smoked alligator next week. I plan on going back just to try the garlic fries.

Thanks for the heads up on this location.

Dodger

fyi--the "best beef" guarantee was there during the previous owners regime. it certainly was not true then. hoping this one will hold up.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is the featured encased meat of the month at fRedhots. http://www.nbc5.com/news/10495615/detail.html#

chicagostyledog wrote:Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is the featured encased meat of the month at fRedhots. http://www.nbc5.com/news/10495615/detail.html#

What a great way to get some publicity this month. My hat's off to fRedhots.

Well, I couldn't bear the thought of trying Rudolph, at least in front of my kids, but we did pop into fRedhots today and were quite pleased with it as an alternative to our usual Kohl's Children's Museum fare. (It's not exactly close to the museum, i.e., not in the new development area, but it's under 10 minutes away and thus a reasonable stop on the way to the birthday party we were attending.)

I LOVED the fries with garlic mayo/aioli/whatever to dip in, if there were problems with the fries before they seem to have gotten into a groove with very reliably good ones. I wasn't that taken with the sound of today's more exotic choices, and had just had exotic sausages at Hot Doug's a couple of days earlier, so we mostly stuck to traditional Chicago dogs-- and they make a first-rate one. I had recently been to a well-known Chicago dog place (clue: just changed its name) and an overall good dog had been ruined by tired, over the hill onions. Everything on fRed's natural casing dog was bright and fresh and just what it should be. The one offbeat sausage I tried was a buffalo sausage with spicy mustard and pomegranate onions; buffalo's easy to overcook and this was a little, and I'm not sure the combination was entirely felicitous, but all that means is fRed's still getting a sense of what combinations work and arriving at ones that can be distinctively his.

All in all, this is a rising star in a city of a million interchangeable hot dog stands, and my new default choice in this part of the world. Not that beating the pretzel sandwich place was that tough, but still...

eatchicago wrote:

chicagostyledog wrote:Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is the featured encased meat of the month at fRedhots. http://www.nbc5.com/news/10495615/detail.html#

What a great way to get some publicity this month. My hat's off to fRedhots.

I agree. Too bad they got the name of the restaurant wrong in the article.

Mike G wrote:It's not particularly spicy (though it'll have more spice, as in garlic and such, than a supermarket dog bought in, say, Provo, Utah). Hot dogs used to be dyed bright red, we're talking unnatural, lobster red, until some of the red dyes were banned as carcinogens in the 60s. I know a lot of folks had trouble getting used to the idea of dogs that weren't bright red but rather, well, human flesh-toned. I think regionally there are still some bright red hot dogs out there.

They still do em that way up in Maine (where I went to school for 5...erhhm.. I mean 4 years). A weenie that gloes in the dark? Didn't I see that somewhere around Clark and Belmont?

Stagger wrote: A weenie that gloes in the dark? Didn't I see that somewhere around Clark and Belmont?

Or, to really yank the thread around, over here.

Giovanna

ryg88 wrote:fyi--the "best beef" guarantee was there during the previous owners regime. it certainly was not true then. hoping this one will hold up.

Havent been to Fredhots yet... but saw it for the first time, driving past it a couple
days ago when it was closed. And what you saw above reminded me, I
was *sure* I had eaten at that location a few months ago! As you say
above, also a hot-dog place, advertising great beefs etc. Does anyone
remember what that place was? (It wasnt bad, the one time I tried it, but
far from great - no relation with the current Fredhots, I take it?)

c8w

stevez wrote:

eatchicago wrote:

chicagostyledog wrote:Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is the featured encased meat of the month at fRedhots. http://www.nbc5.com/news/10495615/detail.html#

What a great way to get some publicity this month. My hat's off to fRedhots.

I agree. Too bad they got the name of the restaurant wrong in the article.

The AP just picked this up, and it appears in the Trib (at least on-line version) today. And the got the spelling right!

chicagostyledog wrote:Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is the featured encased meat of the month at fRedhots.

CSD,

One of the best hot dogs I've had in my life was a reindeer hot dog from a street cart when we were in Alaska a few years ago. Coarse ground, natural casing, terrific texture and a taste that reminded me, surprisingly, of an old style Jewish deli style dog.

I was going to go to fRedhots yesterday (Sunday) for a reindeer dog, especially after I read they are being shipped in from Alaska, but fRedHots is closed on Sunday.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is high on my Must-Try list for this week. And, yes, I agree, a terrific publicity idea!

Enjoy,
Gary

HI,

They are not missing beat in the PR department. I've been listening to the WLS-AM radio this morning. I have heard several conversations as well as treated as a news item after the national news on the hour. Just a few minutes ago they commented fRED will bring Reindeer hot dogs to the station to sample tomorrow.

Regards,

HI,

Frank D's was the prior tenant at the fRed Hot's location.

Regards,

Talk about getting the publicity machine in full gear.

I just had lunch at Fredhots and not only was the place packed, but Cathy2, Stevez, and Gwiv were there being interviewed by CBS 2

saluki9 wrote:Talk about getting the publicity machine in full gear.

If any of you guys are sports radio fans... Mike North from the Score 670 AM is going to broadcast live from Fredhots on Wed of this week:

"Congratulations to Fredhots and Fries in Glenview. They have won a LIVE
BROADCAST with The Mike North Morning Show on Wednesday, December 13th from 6am-10am. That's not all! Fredhots and Fries will also host a Vienna Beef Pups Eating Contest, and Mike North, himself, will also be serving up some Pups! See ya there! "

Source: http://www.670thescore.com/

saluki9 wrote:Talk about getting the publicity machine in full gear.

My sister just called me from LA asking about the place. ABC radio picked up the AP story and she heard it on the radio in California. We lived in Glenview for a few years as kids. I had to tell her about the Buffalo Brat and the tasty beef!

I had a delicious Reindeer dog for lunch today. I was accompanied by GWiv and Cathy2. I'm sure both of them will have an interesting story to add to this thread along with some pictures. I'll limit my post to the reindeer dog. It was actually quite tasty. It reminded me very much of the so-called kosher hot dogs you used to get at Wrigley Field. I got mine with some grilled onions and mustard, Maxwell St. polish style. If I have another, I'll add some giardinare. I also got a beef for us to split. This time when I asked for it dipped, they actually dipped it. The added gravy was a good addition to an already good sandwich.

saluki9 wrote:Talk about getting the publicity machine in full gear.

I just had lunch at Fredhots and not only was the place packed, but Cathy2, Stevez, and Gwiv were there being interviewed by CBS 2

Worse yet, if you turn on Channel 2 news at 5 PM today, then fRed Hots will be featured with your LTHforum friends as typical customers.

We only came to try out the reindeer sausage. Coincidentally the CBS 2 crew was there shooting a story. When Gary mentioned we were from LTHforum, the reporter instanty recognized the name having visit the site before.

Go out for lunch and it becomes an adventure!

Regards,

LTH,

What a great lunch, not only was fRedHots Reindeer hot dog quite good.


Italian beef was surprisingly tasty as well.


Though, by far, the best part of lunch was when Vince Gerasole, of CBS 2 News, and Cathy2 sang Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer for the camera.

Reindeer Hot Dog - $8, Garlic Fries - $4.50, Soda - $1.50, Cathy2 singing with Vince Gerasole, Priceless





We, most likely Cathy, may be on the CBS 2 News at 5pm, video will be on the CBS web site in a day or so.

After lunch we stopped at Chocolate Potpourri just down the street from fRedHots, recommended for chocolate truffles and toffee by RevrendAndy. A little hard to find, but terrific quality and very reasonable, especially considering the quality, prices.

Enjoy,
Gary

dig the Moonshine shirt

So where was SteveZ on the broadcast???

Gary,

I saw Mike Anderson and his MA's Gourmet Dogs cart on PBS's "A Hot Dog Program" years ago. Since then, another similar cart is on the same block. I had the opportunity to try a natural casing bison dog at the Chicago Organic Food Show in the spring. It was as flavorful as any old time, real Maxwell Street Polish. I look forward to trying a fRedhot reindeer dog.

Christopher Gordon wrote:dig the Moonshine shirt

I accidentally wore the proper attire for all foodie occasions!

Regards,

nr706 wrote:So where was SteveZ on the broadcast???

I was right where I belong...not on camera.

Cathy2 wrote:

Christopher Gordon wrote:dig the Moonshine shirt

I accidentally wore the proper attire for all foodie occasions!

Regards,

rock on