All Hot Dogs are Not Created Equal

Well yesterday I found myself free of obligations, so I decided to spend the day doing what I like to do best...explore the water front and search out new places to eat.  I was wandering around the Fells Point neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland and came upon Stuggy's Hot Dogs.  Stuggy's has been here about 2 years now and even with the recommendation of a colleague of mine, I somehow still hadn't made my way down here just yet...my mistake.

Now in all honesty, as a rule I am hesitant to spend more than a couple of dollars on a hot dog, let alone $6.99.  So I stood back and read over the menu as well as the poster explaining how the founders purposely created their supply chain from local farms and essentially created their own hot dogs to meet their standards.  "Hmmm?", I said.  "Locally owned and supplied?  This is a philosophy I can support".  Well, that along with realizing that I wasn't going to be able to make a call on this place without giving them an honest try.  So I decided to try the Mac Crab Dog, but alas, they were out of crab meat.  So we went to plan "B" and ordered the "Wild Thing"; bison sausage cured with maple syrup, blue cheese and diced raw onions.  This was surprisingly good!  Generally when we think of hot dogs it is a mentality of , 'a hot dog, is a hot dog, is a hot dog'.  Throw that thinking out the window when you enter Stuggy's.  The food is fresh, tasty and filling.  A word of caution here...with the exception of just a plain hot dog, if it isn't on the list of ingredients, don't add or subtract anything!  Yeah, you may like mustard on your dogs, but trust me, there is a reason deli mustard isn't on the Cuban Dog just like relish isn't on the Late Night.  It doesn't work!  There has been enough trial and error to find the right balance of flavors on these specialty dogs so enjoy them as they are intended. 

Probably by no surprise, the vast majority of their business is carry out but they do have a small counter by the window that will fit 3 or 4 people if you want to hang out and dine.  Just be prepared to "get to know your neighbor".  The entire interior of Stuggy's is maybe 5'x10' and they stay open late Thursday-Saturday until 3a, most assuredly to capitalize on the crowds as they leave one of the many local bars.

The manager, Ashley is fun to chat with while she catches her breath between answering the phone, ringing up an order and working the grill and she does it all with a smile and a laugh.   If your in the area or wandering around Fells Point for one of the many festivals during the summertime.  Do yourself a favor and stop in and try one of the many specialty dogs on Stuggy's menu.   Trust me, you'll like the food here.   As a matter of fact, I liked it so much I went back today and ordered the Crab Mac.