What do you do when it's gone?

Only a true Chicagoland person can relate so I'm happy I found this board....

So, I ventured into my favorite neighborhood hot dog stand, U DAWG U (Glenview) last week and walking in I got a strange feeling of change. The people behind the counter were all different and the walls seemed a little torn up. Excited for a great dog and the *best* cheese fries I wondered up to the register and ordered. While waiting for my meal I walked to watch them prepare the food and a sign on the back register caught my eye: "Dear Franks formerly U DAWG U"

I could not believe it. U DAWG U was the absolute best. What happened? They were always busy. Always friendly. Truely a sad day for me.

My question for the group is: What do you do when your neighborhood hot dog stand is replaced with something not as good? Do you embrace it and give it a few chances? Do you scour the area for something else?

Help me through this tough time. I'm sad!

Kesey wrote:My question for the group is: What do you do when your neighborhood hot dog stand is replaced with something not as good? Do you embrace it and give it a few chances? Do you scour the area for something else?

Help me through this tough time. I'm sad!

Give it a shot and see if it is still good, otherwise, use the search function to try to find another recommended place near you. If Skokie is not too far to travel for a dog, Poochies, Hot Dog Island and Herm's Palace are three board favorites...all on Dempster.

P.S. FWIW, there is another branch of U Dawg U on Touhy and Carpenter in the Village Crossing shopping center.

Hot Dog Island is NOT a board favorite! Hot Dog Island is a recipient of the Mike G curse (it only forced them to move, not close, but still! Do not trifle with my dark powers!)

Mike G wrote:Hot Dog Island is NOT a board favorite! Hot Dog Island is a recipient of the Mike G curse (it only forced them to move, not close, but still! Do not trifle with my dark powers!)

Mike,

I will have to strongly dissagree with you on this one. Their polish is in the top 5 in my book. What is the reason for the curse?

A curse upon thee, Hot Dog Island.

Then read the ludicrously overwrought followup...

Schadenfreude is not congruent with causality.

Mike G wrote:A curse upon thee, Hot Dog Island.

Then read the ludicrously overwrought followup...

Schadenfreude is not congruent with causality.

Mike,

This does not sound like the HDI on Dempster (althought I could be wrong). This HDI formerly sat on the triangular island at the northern terminus of Crawford (Pulaski) in Skokie. It is not owned by anyone resembling someone called Nick, but rather by a Jewish couple whose male component more closly resembles someone called Sol or Irving. In any event, you are missing one fine polish sausage sammy. I suggest burying the hatchet.

It's not the same place. I know the place you're talking about.

Kesey wrote:Only a true Chicagoland person can relate so I'm happy I found this board....

So, I ventured into my favorite neighborhood hot dog stand, U DAWG U (Glenview) last week and walking in I got a strange feeling of change. The people behind the counter were all different and the walls seemed a little torn up. Excited for a great dog and the *best* cheese fries I wondered up to the register and ordered. While waiting for my meal I walked to watch them prepare the food and a sign on the back register caught my eye: "Dear Franks formerly U DAWG U"

I could not believe it. U DAWG U was the absolute best. What happened? They were always busy. Always friendly. Truely a sad day for me.

My question for the group is: What do you do when your neighborhood hot dog stand is replaced with something not as good? Do you embrace it and give it a few chances? Do you scour the area for something else?

Help me through this tough time. I'm sad!

if they are affiliated with the Dear Franks in Deerfield then you should still be able to get a good dog. the one in Deerfield is good

I think all of us have experienced either a cherished place either closing or no longer being available because we moved. We then spend the rest of our time looking for substitutes or driving long distances to go back to our old neighborhoods.

And of course, even when we go back, eventually those places close too. And we start the process of looking in even more earnest. Sometimes we get lucky and find a place that's just as good. Sometimes we even find better places. But just look at the R.I.P. thread that's here and you'll get an idea of our passion for the food we've eaten for many years.

And sometimes what we seek isn't even that good. And sometimes what we seek is right under our nose and we don't even know it. Here's a great example:

Living in Rogers Park for my entire youth, I loved Ming's on Sheridan Rd. And what I loved the most was their BBQ Pork. I didn't know other places made it different until they closed down. Every other place I went to served me the pork smothered in some type of yucky red BBQ sauce. At Ming's it was just dry pork that was great when dipped in sweet and sour sauce. I've tried for 10 years to find another place that served it like this, but no luck.

At the same time, I have a good friend that loves to meet me at Kow Kow in Lincolnwood for lunch. We've been going there for at least the last 7 years. Of course, I never bothered to even inquire about the BBQ Pork there. Then I find out it's exactly what I've been look for and I could have had it for the last 7 years. I just didn't know it.

And of course, I'm sure 90% of the population would prefer it with the red sauce like every other place serves it. But that's how I grew accustomed to it and that's what I missed.

I do believe that hotdog island is for sale. So if u dreamed of owning a hotdog stand.

[/quote]
if they are affiliated with the Dear Franks in Deerfield then you shoudl still be abel tog et a good dog. the one in Deerfield is good[/quote]

does anyone know if they are the same ?

Hi,

Today I had a late lunch with a friend who took me to Dear Franks in Deerfield. She'd been there the day before for a grilled Polish on French bread which was toasted on the griddle. She was quite delighted with her Polish and thought I would feel the same.

When I walked in, I saw signage advising there are two new locations in former 'U Dawg U' locations. I remembered this post and the laments from Kesey, so I asked the owner some questions. He indicated he made some additions to the menu, kept most of the same staff, he felt they were already making good product and hoped it would continue. I asked him if any of the changes would affect how an old 'U Dawg U' client feel about his hot dog. He gave me the infamous 'deer in the headlight look,' which I often encounter, then responded, "I would expect a customer should expect the same." I wanted a take-out menu but they are reprinting them to include the new addresses, so I would have to wait for another visit.

My grilled Polish came on a seeded hot dog bun. I guess I threw them off with my inquiries, he forgot to ask which bun and I forgot to request it. My friend returned hers for the French roll, which because of its width could accomodate the split and char-grilled Polish better. I kept my condiments down to mustard, fresh and grilled onions. I ordered cheese fries, which were very long skin-on fries and the cheese was on the side. It wasn't a Velveeta-type cheese, it seemed to be cheddarish and quite a generous quantity. My friend had onion rings.

I certainly have not been to 'U Dawg U,' though my sampling of 'Dear Franks' would suggest you could have a good hot dog experience. Of course, we do have to invite George R to divine his opinion on these hot dogs as well as Italian Beef I saw at another table.

They had a back storage room open which showed a large pizza oven. I'll ask about it next time. I don't want my face on an 'Industrial Spy! Refuse Service' alert anytime soon!

Dear Franks
843 Waukegan Road
Deerfield, IL 60015
847-945-6666

Dear Franks (formerly U DAWG U of Glenview)
2841 Pfingsten Road
Glenview, IL 60026
847-498-1717

Dear Franks (formerly U DAWG U of Niles)
5699 West Touhy Avenue
Niles, IL 60714
847-647-9599

I saw this and don't know if it retains the same name or hot dog culture:

U Dawg U
2510 Pearl St
Belvidere, IL 61008
815-547-0773

Hi,

I was in Dear Frank's this morning for a grilled Polish sandwich. I arrived 10 minutes before opening time and saw they were slicing their beef roasts for their Italian Beef. I asked Frank if they are really doing the beef in-house or is this a roast from Scalas? He took me to the rear where the pizza ovens reside, I'd seen these on an earlier visit, opening them to show several large beef roasts cooking.

Unlike most beef stands in the Chicago area, including the vaunted Johnnies, Dear Frank's absolutely makes their own Italian Beef from scratch. Sometime ago I sent a note to George R commenting on the great tasting, if not somewhat spicy, Italian beef. However, I do not have the passion for Italian beef as demonstrated by the beefathons here. I hope sometime George will weigh in on his impressions since I doubt any beefathon will ever come this far.

Regards,

Cathy,

I have a U-Dawg-U/Dear Frank's near me as well. I had never considered getting a beef there, but I will next time I go there. I'll report back.

Hi,

From talking to Frank this morning, I had the impression he is making the beef for the other locations as well.

Regards,

Cathy, Dear Franks sounds great! Just stay away from Jimmy's in Arl Hts(corner of Euclid + NW Hwy)! I had a beef sandwich last Sat that was horrible. Scala's probably, or Sysco. This was after having a rifle pointed at me from a SWAT team member during that absurd anti Illegal Immigrant rally. And i was riding my bicycle, and never said a word.

Cathy2 wrote:Unlike most beef stands in the Chicago area, including the vaunted Johnnies, Dear Frank's absolutely makes their own Italian Beef from scratch.

Where did you hear that Johnnie's doesn't make its own?

Hi,

Last year Mr. Scala lectured at Culinary Historians. He confirmed they supply beef to Johnnies, though Johnnies makes its' own gravy.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Last year Mr. Scala lectured at Culinary Historians. He confirmed they supply beef to Johnnies, though Johnnies makes its' own gravy.

Cathy,

Mr. Scala confirmed he supplies raw, uncooked beef to Johnnies. The juice/gravy is a byproduct of the cooking process.
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=7900#7900


Enjoy,
Gary

"Scala's probably, or Sysco."

Come on now. That's like saying "Gonella probably, or Wonder Bread." Maybe the former is not the ne plus ultra, but the comparison is unfair.

Johnnie's beef is very deservedly vaunted. The starting product must come from somewhere. Don't forget about the stellar pastrami and corned beef vendors who start with meat from Vienna, Ginsburg and other suppliers who are rather analogous to the examples above and have a wide range of products from custom and excellent to generic and very ordinary.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

From talking to Frank this morning, I had the impression he is making the beef for the other locations as well.

Regards,

I tried Dear Franks beef.

Cathy2 wrote:

I hope sometime George will weigh in on his impressions since I doubt any beefathon will ever come this far.

"Your assignment should you choose to accept it..."

The fact that Dear Frank's cooks its own beef for IB sandwiches is a sign that they are trying to put out a quality product. However, intentions are no guarantee of results -- several places which cook their own have gotten mediocre scores on previous beefathons.

Nevertheless, it certainly should be followed up and I will do so.

I'll try to get to the Deerfield Dear Frank's in the near future.

Apropos of nothing, and totally irrelevant to this thread, I just wanted to give a shout-out to George R for a great article in the 10/19 Evanston Roundtable. Now please resume the previous discussion.

i need to look at my Roundtable

The other evening my son and I went to the Deerfield Dear Frank's. Our experience was somewhat different from SteveZ's at the Niles Dear Frank's, but our conclusion was similar.
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=49241#49241