Best Kosher hot dogs

Friends coming in from New York in a couple of weeks and they want to experience the best of Chicago. I need to find the best hot dog but it has to be kosher. I'm also thinking Honey 1 BBQ and Pasticcerio Natalina. They don't seem to want pizza. For some reason, they think they're getting the best in New York. I know. BTW, he's a cardiologist whose favorite "food group" is french fries. Best place for those?

Now where do I take them for dinners? Not Tru, not Trotter's. They've done that. They liked the looks of Le Lan's menu. How about Aigre Doux also? Never been. They'll be staying downtown.

HELP!

Kosher Hot dogs required, yet a visit to Honey 1 in the plans? Please explain this mystery to me. By insisting on kosher hot dogs, you are eliminating just about every top tier hot dog stand in the city.

Jean Blanchard wrote:Friends coming in from New York in a couple of weeks and they want to experience the best of Chicago. I need to find the best hot dog but it has to be kosher. I'm also thinking Honey 1 BBQ and Pasticcerio Natalina. They don't seem to want pizza. For some reason, they think they're getting the best in New York. I know. BTW, he's a cardiologist whose favorite "food group" is french fries. Best place for those?

Now where do I take them for dinners? Not Tru, not Trotter's. They've done that. They liked the looks of Le Lan's menu. How about Aigre Doux also? Never been. They'll be staying downtown.

HELP!

If they're keeping kosher, honey 1 won't work.

Vienna Beef is a kosher-style dog. Otherwise I'm not real sure who serves a kosher dog other than Comiskey park. Maybe a bagel joint somewhere.

My favorite french fries: Chickie's, Al's #1, Top-Notch Burgers. Great ones at a lot of good hot dog stands too, like Gene and Jude's, 35th street red hots or Jimmy's.

Jean Blanchard wrote:I need to find the best hot dog but it has to be kosher.

Kosher Kosher or kosher style?

Kosher kosher hot dogs. It's just the hot dogs they want Kosher...no, I don't know why.

Jean Blanchard wrote:Now where do I take them for dinners? Not Tru, not Trotter's. They've done that. They liked the looks of Le Lan's menu. How about Aigre Doux also? Never been. They'll be staying downtown.

HELP!

I think Le Lan is fantastic. It's great fusion of Vietnamese and French, with facinating flavor combinations. I've enjoyed Aigre Doux as well, but if I had to pick one, it would be Le Lan.

Jean Blanchard wrote:Friends coming in from New York in a couple of weeks and they want to experience the best of Chicago. I need to find the best hot dog but it has to be kosher. I'm also thinking Honey 1 BBQ and Pasticcerio Natalina. They don't seem to want pizza. For some reason, they think they're getting the best in New York. I know. BTW, he's a cardiologist whose favorite "food group" is french fries. Best place for those?

Now where do I take them for dinners? Not Tru, not Trotter's. They've done that. They liked the looks of Le Lan's menu. How about Aigre Doux also? Never been. They'll be staying downtown.

HELP!

I wouldn't try to steer them towards pizza, bistros, delis, sushi, or chinese food. For a dinner, I'd try to steer them towards an upscale-ish Mexican spot. Topo perhaps? Tepatulco? Also, Marigold for nice-ish Indian crosses my mind for New York visitors (if not straight to Devon for an experience)

Just a suggestion.

Jean Blanchard wrote:Now where do I take them for dinners? Not Tru, not Trotter's. They've done that. They liked the looks of Le Lan's menu. How about Aigre Doux also? Never been. They'll be staying downtown.

My top pick for a visitor from New York: North Pond. For food, I like Aigre Doux a lot too, and one sixtyblue even better - one sixtyblue is my favorite "casual fine dining" restaurant in the city, with the BEST food IMHO - but North Pond's exquisite setting in the park trumps both of those (and the food is excellent too).

For the dinner, what about Polish? That's a cuisine with little representation in NYC. I like the upscale-ness of Lutnia, and the elaborate interior at Szala's. I still have to try Smak-Tak and Podhalanka, but they both get very good reviews here, as do other places which don't immediately come to mind.

Lutnia
5532 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago
(773) 282-5335.

Szalas
5214 S. Archer Ave., Chicago
(773) 582-0300

Smak-Tak
5961 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60646
773 763-1123

Podhalanka Polksa Restauracja
1549 W. Division Ave., Chicago
(773) 486-665

Some excellent ideas. I like the idea of North Pond. Polish is also a great idea but I know my friend won't like that kind of food. I'll save those suggestions for myself on another night. We all just got back from Mexico so I think I'll stay away from that although I know that New York is not well represented in that area. Thanks for all of your thoughts. Those hot dogs are going to be a problem. Maybe just Italian beef.

Jean Blanchard wrote:Some excellent ideas. I like the idea of North Pond. Polish is also a great idea but I know my friend won't like that kind of food. I'll save those suggestions for myself on another night. We all just got back from Mexico so I think I'll stay away from that although I know that New York is not well represented in that area. Thanks for all of your thoughts. Those hot dogs are going to be a problem. Maybe just Italian beef.

How about Thai? New York's got nothing like the food at some of the GNR Thai restaurants.

Why not pick up your own kosher hot dogs and take them some place to be prepared? Romanian makes excellent kosher hot dogs, and I'm sure a place like WASC or another hot dog stand would be happy to cook them up for you. Or call ahead to the hot dog stand and have them pick up some.

Romanian Kosher Sausage Company
7200 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 761-4141

Jean Blanchard wrote:Kosher kosher hot dogs. It's just the hot dogs they want Kosher...no, I don't know why.

I can't imagine why anyone who's willing to eat trayf of other kinds would insist on kosher hot dogs. You might need to explain about Chicago hot dogs to your friends and find out why they insist on kosher. You need to ask them if they merely want all-beef dogs or if they really want kosher dogs and if they want kosher, do they want them in a kosher environment?

For the latter, go here:

Great Chicago Food and Beverage Co.
3149 W. Devon Ave., Chicago
773-465-9030
www.thegreatchicago.com

Last I knew, Cookers in Deerfield served Best Kosher dogs, but it's been a couple of years so call to confirm:

Cookers Red Hots
469 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield
847/272-7222
http://cookersredhots.com

Kosher-style all-beef is what you get at 95 percent of the local stands, and certainly anywhere displaying a sign from Vienna, Red Hot Chicago or David Berg.

Best fries would be the duck fat ones on weekends at Hot Doug's.

best's kosher makes the best dog - go to the factory on Pershing & Racine - they have a store set up... or just get a pack at jewel at set up the grill.

Michael's in Highland Park used to serve an actual kosher dog along side their regular fare. I have never tried their kosher dog but I do enjoy the kosher-style all beef vienna dogs that they serve here. I am not certain if this item is still on the menu but if you call and ask for Debbie she will be able to tell you.

FWIW ordering a kosher dog at any hot dog stand that I can think of (please chime in if you can think of one that is glatt) will not satisfy a person seeking to satisfy jewish dietary laws. There are many many complex rules for food prep beyond shechita which determine whether or not a restaurant, or a meal for that matter, is kosher or kosher-style. Good Luck.

Michael's
1879 Second St.
Highland Park, IL 60035
847 432-3338

iblock9 wrote:FWIW ordering a kosher dog at any hot dog stand that I can think of (please chime in if you can think of one that is glatt) will not satisfy a person seeking to satisfy jewish dietary laws.

Great Chicago Food is certified kosher by the Chicago Rabbinical Council. I'm pretty sure they only certify glatt.

Jean Blanchard wrote:Friends coming in from New York in a couple of weeks and they want to experience the best of Chicago. I need to find the best hot dog but it has to be kosher.

HELP!

I will second someone else but the best Kosher Hot Dog in the city is from Romainian Kosher Sausage Company at 7200 North Clark - you can only by the uncooked hot dogs there but IMHO the best kosher hot dog in the US - they also make killer kosher salamis, corned beef, pastrami

To get a romanian kosher hot dog cooked is at Kens Diner in Skokie - Ken's Diner 3353 West Dempster Street Skokie Illinois - they grill the hotdogs and believe you can also get a romanian polish sausage as well

I'm confused. I thought (based on some Chicago culinary history I heard on a "Splendid Table" podcast) that the whole reason that Vienna Beef hot dogs became so popular in Chicago after 1893 was that they were kosher. So I would think any place hanging out one of those big yellow Vienna Beef signs would meet your in-laws needs. Are Vienna Beef dogs not considered kosher any more? And what is "kosher-style"?

Katie wrote:I'm confused. I thought (based on some Chicago culinary history I heard on a "Splendid Table" podcast) that the whole reason that Vienna Beef hot dogs became so popular in Chicago after 1893 was that they were kosher. So I would think any place hanging out one of those big yellow Vienna Beef signs would meet your in-laws needs. Are Vienna Beef dogs not considered kosher any more? And what is "kosher-style"?

Vienna have always been kosher-style, not Kosher. I'm not 100% sure what kosher-style means, though, other than to guess that it means there's no pork in them. They are, in fact, 100% beef.

=R=

I second the Best Kosher outlet store on Pershing. They serve good dogs and sandwiches at very good prices. As it's an outlet store so you can by the product at the store as well. No fries, only chips! I don't remember a whole lot of Greek in NY when I was there, perhaps Greektown. Chicago also has some of the best Mexican rest. in the country.

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Katie wrote:I'm confused. I thought (based on some Chicago culinary history I heard on a "Splendid Table" podcast) that the whole reason that Vienna Beef hot dogs became so popular in Chicago after 1893 was that they were kosher. So I would think any place hanging out one of those big yellow Vienna Beef signs would meet your in-laws needs. Are Vienna Beef dogs not considered kosher any more? And what is "kosher-style"?

Vienna have always been kosher-style, not Kosher. I'm not 100% sure what kosher-style means, though, other than to guess that it means there's no pork in them. They are, in fact, 100% beef.

=R=

What makes a hot dog kosher-style (besides being all beef) is a flavor pattern similar to a kosher hot dog, which may contain garlic juice, extractives of paprika, and other spices and flavorings.

selanator wrote:best's kosher makes the best dog - go to the factory on Pershing & Racine - they have a store set up

citywide03 wrote:I second the Best Kosher outlet store on Pershing. They serve good dogs and sandwiches at very good prices. As it's an outlet store so you can by the product at the store as well.

I don't know that Best('s) Kosher makes the best hot dogs but for ready-to-eat Kosher weenies it doesn't sound like there are a lot of options. The factory store, at Pershing and Morgan, is kind of worth a visit, especially if you want to pick up some really cheap sausages. The store is located in a greenhouse-like structure on the Pershing side of the factory.



Inside there are banks of refrigerators and freezers holding a changing selection of discounted sausages and meats. They carry the elusive natural casing Best's red hots. Some prices are absurdly low.



Much of the room is occupied by an open kitchen where hot dogs, Polishes, sandwiches etc are prepared for take out.



I ordered a hot dog ($3 with tax) which came on the oddest bun I've ever seen (a factory reject I assume).



For a skinless frank (and ignoring that freakish bun) it was decent. To them, "everything" means mustard, relish, onion, sport peppers and pickle spear (from Puckered Pickle Co).

Other than your car, the only places to eat are a couple of picnic tables outside. Best's Kosher is directly across from the north end of the old stockyards, now an industrial park. It's a certain slice of Chicago that not many tourists see.

Best's Kosher — Pershing Store
1000 W Pershing Rd
Chicago
773-650-6339
Sun 9-3, Mon-Thu 7-5, Fri 7-3:30 (hours vary seasonally)

I happened to go past Gina's Cuisine, a gyros/sandwich joint in the Loop yesterday, and noticed it displayed a sign for Best Kosher hot dogs. I did not go inside to determine whether the dogs actually were Best Kosher.

Gina's Cuisine
424 S. Wabash Ave.
312-554-1215

My parents went to the Best's Kosher store today in anticipation of my brother's visit (his family keeps kosher, we never did -- go figure). My brother doesn't even eat meat, being a kosher pescaterian vegan, but his family likes to come visit grandma, who will prepare kosher meat to their liking and fill her fridge with kosher cold cuts. We went to my mom's for dinner tonight and on our way out the door were handed a good sized bag of corned beef ends from the Best Kosher store, which cost her a dollar. It will make several good sandwiches for lunch in the next few days.

Suzy

citywide03 wrote:I second the Best Kosher outlet store on Pershing. They serve good dogs and sandwiches at very good prices. As it's an outlet store so you can by the product at the store as well. No fries, only chips! I don't remember a whole lot of Greek in NY when I was there, perhaps Greektown. Chicago also has some of the best Mexican rest. in the country.

Some sad news...

Sara Lee closing S. Side kosher hot dog plant
November 19, 2008
BY CHERYL V. JACKSON cjackson@suntimes.com

Sara Lee Corp. is closing its South Side kosher hot dog and meat processing plant, 1000 W. Pershing, leaving about 185 people without jobs.

The Downers Grove-headquartered food maker is exiting the kosher meat business, cutting its Best's Kosher, Sinai Kosher, Shofar and Wilno brands. Sara Lee -- which owns Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean and Ball Park brands -- has been trimming brands to focus on areas of business in which it believes it can be most profitable. It sold its sauces and dressings business in September.

The kosher meat plant, as well as the Sinai Kosher outlet store located on the premises, will close on or before Jan. 30, the company said. Sara Lee plans to sell the facility and property.
http://www.suntimes.com/business/128906 ... -w.article

No!!!!!!!!! Worst news I've heard all day. Maybe Reinsdorf will buy the plant and keep it running...

Well you can go to Romanian Kosher Sausage for your Kosher Hot Dog - IMHO best in the city

What are they going to sell at Sox Park?

AgriProcessors, Inc., one of the largest kosher meat companies has declared bankruptcy and shut down. Three of the five major kosher meat companies are now closed, creating a shortage of kosher meat, that is now harder to find and more expensive. http://www.forward.com/articles/13394/

good question about sox park... I doubt they'll be able to absorb the price bump. Hopefully they find an alternate kosher or use big Vienna Beefs for the "good" dogs.