The Taste Buds Review: Hot Doug's (a.k.a. 826CHI Youth Invasion!)

Compiled by Scarlett Stoppa, June 8, 2010 

If you’ve never heard of 826CHI, you might want to check if you still have ears. This non-profit writing and tutoring center is a local branch of Dave Egger’s dream project 826 Valencia, and with the help of legions of dedicated and imaginative volunteers, 826CHI is shaping the future generation of original writers and thinkers. In fact, it was a group of these Young Creatives of America who came up with the name Taste Buds for the Chicago 6 Corner’s food/restaurant review feature. To thank the clever kids for their tasty inspiration, we invited a group of 826CHI students to Be a Bud and review one of the best hot dog stands Chicago has to offer: HOT DOUG’S!

Their task: Order. Eat a hot dog. Write about it.

Sounds simple enough. But add in a rainstorm, crowds of hot-dog-hungry masses (resulting in a line that “was moving like a snail that broke its leg” ~ Jerod), and only-available-on-Friday/Saturday-duck-fat fries, and the Taste Buds had to think outside the bun.
 
Most of our Buds included a Bio to assure you fine readers of their hot-dog-reviewer qualifications. They also personalized their categories and rating system, and some even created a Reviewer Persona. We hope you enjoy their sweet and salty opinions, and are persuaded to embark upon your own Hot Doug adventure (See Hot Doug's for hours & menu). Don’t forget your umbrella (or sunscreen)!

Subin, 5th Grade

Bio: I love food and opinionating. There are many good reasons to trust my review, including: my mom makes good hot dogs (I don’t like yucky ones), my parents take me to all different ethnic restaurants, every day I use my verbal opinion, I’m smart, and it’s good to listen to other people.


Review: After years of watching people waiting on Saturday morning, I have finally tasted Hot Doug's.



Taste & Texture – I had the Marty Allen. It was very flavorful and had great texture. I would not recommend the mini bagel dogs. I would recommend the cheese and duck fries, but the duck fries are only served on Fridays and Saturdays. The Pete Shelly was okay and had great texture. The corn dog was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.



Decor – There are lots of pictures of hot dogs. It is very happy and colorful. I love the history of encased meats.



Service & Wait – The service is good. It is fast and very friendly, but the wait is about 20-30 minutes.



Price – The price is cheap. If you only brought $5 you could have at least two things. Most hot dogs are $2-3.