What's the Deal with Seattle Dogs?
To anyone not from Seattle–and likely to a good number of locals as well–the Seattle dog is an oddity. The first time I had one, I didn't get it. I ordered it from a hot dog kiosk on the waterfront by the Aquarium. An all-beef frank served in a lukewarm bun with a line of cold cream cheese shot out of a caulking gun and a pile of unseasoned, lightly caramelized onions and peppers. Doesn't sound great, does it? And it wasn't. Despite the onions and peppers, there was very little flavor going on–nothing to balance the fatty saltiness of the hot dog the way sauerkraut or mustard does–and the addition of cold cream cheese came off as clammy and dense.
It wasn't until a few months later when I grabbed one outside of Climate Pledge Arena immediately following a Bruce Springsteen show that it finally clicked. The stand was called Deez Dogs, and Betty, who runs the cart, knows what's up. Her cart has a large, visible flame that adds char and texture to the fat sausages. Her onions were grilled hard then stewed in a skillet giving them the sweetness of caramelized onions with the charred flavor of grilled onions. The buns are those supermarket-style hoagie rolls: More significant than a hot dog bun, but still soft and squishy enough that it doesn't distract from the meat and toppings. That bun was heavily toasted and charred directly over the flame which added texture and flavor to the whole meal. Most importantly, her cream cheese was held closer to the fire so that it was warm, soft, and easily spreadable (no caulking gun required) onto the bun. The hot bun further melted it. The result was cream cheese with a texture much more akin to mayonnaise.
It lubricated and enhanced the wiener, rather than distracting from it, and finally I understood how the three elements could gel into a whole that is more than the sum of its parts.
The other revelation was that Betty not only suggested, but also encouraged adding extra toppings to it–I added pickled jalapeños and mustard which added heat and acidity to balance out the richness of the cream cheese and sweetness of the onions.
I may be a New York hot dog lover through and through (Gray's Papaya or Nathan's natural casing dogs with sauerkraut and brown mustard for me), but these Seattle dogs are nipping at its heels.
Dee'z is not the only place you can find a good Seattle Dog, of course. They can be found outside most sports and music venues and all around Capitol Hill. Look for a stand that has a line and visible flames for the best chances of a good one.
If anyone has got suggestions for their favorites, let me know!
Comments (19)
I had an amazing hot dog this weekend in Rochester, MN of all places! It was titled "Seattle Style" and its melty cream cheese had bacon bits & charred jalapeno in it. It also came topped with sweet chili sauce and FRIED onions. If anyone finds themselves in the area, look up the Bleu Duck Kitchen or the Bleu Duck Truck.... Highly recommend
Sriracha, kraut, onions, mustard. The sriracha mixes with the cream cheese annd onions and forms the most amazing sauce. The kraut and mustard just add some extra oomph. Best ones were outside the Comet Tavern. 🤤
Lived in Seattle for a decade, left right after Kenji moved there. Went through the same evolution note for note as I tried the dogs. Someone here notes the Chicago dog - those and Detroit coneys are the only competition for Seattle dogs in my book
You should try an Azores street dog. Not well documented but literally every corner in downtown Ponta Delgada had a hotdog cart with the exact same toppings. Hot dog, cheap white bun, mayo mustard (ketchup optional), store bought cole slaw mix that was heavy on the shredded carrots, Chopped green olives, chopped raw red onion, and potato stix (like shoe string potato chips). Super satisfying after a night out.
Kenji, glad you addressed this topic. It is a very important discussion not addressed frequently enough in culinary discussions. I'm impressed with the variety of regional and local takes on frankfurters. I'm originally from Chicago and partial to their spin (Vienna beef dog, yellow mustard, lime green relish, sport pickles, tomato, poppy seed bun, pickle, celery salt and white onions). I'm also a fan of the New York style (brown mustard, onions, kraut, etc.) And then there's the Detroit Coney dog . So many choices. Perhaps would consider documenting a hot dog road trip?
I always get mine with sauerkraut and sriracha! No onions.
This is the way. But with onions. (They go great with the sauerkraut!)
Would have loved to see your take on this with a recipe rather than just talking about the food itself.
I appreciated getting an idea of how to judge a good Seattle dog out in the wild. For example: am now realizing that cream cheese is gonna be better with some char on the meat versus a dirty-water dog.
Hot dogs may be the most variable of American foods. The WV town where I grew up in the '50s had three stands no more than three miles apart that had different dressings and their own unique meat sauces; across the Ohio River and ten miles south was yet another variation of those condiments and sauce. 150 miles down the river, Cincinnati dogs have multiple variations, all very different. The dogs I loved in Chicago and suburbs were of their own local style, and I had three favorite stands. On my last trip there, I made a pilgrimage to Gene & Jude's, 5-6 miles S of O'Hare. I don't think I've had a hotdog since moving from Chicago to the SF Bay area 20 years ago.
Perhaps you need to try another. There's a pretty nice hot dog stand in Alameda, CA, right across the Bay.
The traits that pull a Seattle dog together for me are char on the bun and frank, and spice to balance the cream cheese. I like getting a hot link instead of the traditional beef frank for the heat, although pickled jalapeños work too. Nola dogs around Westlake is good for that char, and I like their hot links. I like what I've gotten from Hawk Dogs and Monster Dogs in Capitol Hill too.
Incredible post. As someone allergic to eggs I’m always looks to sub mayo any way I can. Cream cheese with a bit of smear-ability is such an obvious but overlooked option
I highly recommend Dog In The Park at westlake park. instead of just onions, they have a mix of cabbage, onions, and peppers that are sauteed to order. I don't like getting them with cream cheese (it makes the whole thing too heavy) but some mustard and mama lil's are aces. I used to eat there at least once a week when I worked in belltown
"It lubricated and enhanced the wiener". Tell me you didn't have a lot of fun typing that one up. :)
One of our local breweries has a Seattle dog as their May feature: Toasted top-cut brioche, split griddled pork weenie, whipped hot pepper cream cheese, caramelized Animal-Style onions, crispy banana peppers, fried onion. I'm more interested to try it now after reading this.
Which brewery?
The only hotdogs I can eat in Seattle are the ones from Costco and Nathan's. Every other one makes me burp for hours.
Prost! On Phinney has a great Seattle brat. I sub the brat for a Polish sausage and it’s delicious!