Chicago: Hot Doug's Review

Chicago is a hot dog town. But I'd been resisting a friend's recommendation of Hot Doug's because I don't like hot dogs. In fact, not only do I not like them, they nauseate me. But on a whim, I decided to just take a look at the menu. I discovered it was much more than a hot dog place; it had a long list of sausages, which I DO like - pork, chicken, even veggie - and tons of special sausages made from interesting ingredients. So it was, with extra time before my flight home, I decided to make the trek to Hot Doug's.

The little shop with its brightly colored interior and kitschy decor sits on a random street corner. Even so, it was bustling and had a quick-moving short line. Hot Doug's is out of the way, requiring an L ride and a transfer to the bus. Despite that, this was a visit well worth the effort and time!

I debated between the cherry-apple pork sausage special and the Game of the Week sausage - Rattlesnake sausage with forest berry sweet mustard and ricotta salata. I asked the guy at the counter for a recommendation and ended up with the rattlesnake. No regrets. It was tender and herby. The mustard was tangy with actual dried berries in it. The smooth ricotta on top was a perfect contrast to the mustard. I only wished I'd been able to go with others to try more sausages!