My First Entry…8 Months Later.

Now and then, procrastination has its benefits. Like now, for example. Had I actually uploaded pictures and entries in the 8 months since I registered for this blog (who does that?), my first post wouldn’t have been about I Dream of Weenie. And if you love hot dogs–especially if you love eating hot dogs cooked on a charcoal grill in a converted VW van–you’ll soon see why this is the perfect first entry. So let’s get to it…

Mother Nature’s still smacking us with a bit of frost overnight, but one East Nashville business has started the Give-Us-Spring-or-Else wrestling match with her. The staff at I Dream of Weenie has fired up the grills and dusted off the picnic blankets to lure us out of hibernation. It’s working. Hot Pants took me on a lunch date there yesterday. Actually, we decided to get crazy–we took our weenies to the park and watched strangers feed ducks while we ate. Sexuh.

Don Juan's Magical Lunch Tour

Editor’s note: HotPants just told me to make sure I mention that we went to the park for lunch. He said “I want everyone to know what a Don Giovanni I am…” (wait for it, waiiiit for itttt) “…oh, wait. Don Juan! Not Giovanni. Don Giovanni’s romantical, but Don Juan’s romantic. Put that in there.”

We first visited I Dream of Weenie in July 2009, a few weeks after we moved to Nashville from Cincinnati. At first, I was so stoked about the converted VW van that I didn’t even consider the magic brewing inside it. Imagination fail. Our first pick: the Dill Weenie. We visited several times after that, and were giddy each time. Then Mother Nature got sassy, and I Dream of Weenie had to close for the season.

The Dill Weenie, Modeled by HotPants

Enter, First Weenie Lunch Date of 2010. She’s a beauty, that first one of the season. We decided to get three dogs so we could trip the taste fantastic. I’m not even ashamed about typing that sentence.

I’ve read many reviews of I Dream of Weenie, along with reviews of other hot dog joints in town. We’ve been to a couple others, and I’ll post more reviews to include them. The more I read about h’dogs (funny, since I thought they were gross for the 10 years I decided to go vegetarian), the more one thing is cemented in my noggin–hot dogs are personal, and they are serious business for some folks. Pay little attention to the somewhat blurry pictures. Let’s talk dogs…

They Don't Know We're Fixin' to Shove Them in Our Faceholes.

The Rebel Yelp: with Tennessee chow chow (a southern sweet & spicy relish) and jalapeno

The Greek: with olive & artichoke salad and feta cheese

The Kraut: with sauerkraut

Ranking: (1) The Rebel Yelp, (2) The Greek, and (3) The Kraut

I’m a wuss. I can’t handle really spicy foods. My lips tingle, and my throat gets sad. That said, the Rebel Yelp was our favorite dog yesterday. Maybe it’s the chow chow. Beef hot dog + chow chow + jalapeno = tasty town.

Olive & Artichoke Salad? Yes Please.

The Greek was good also. I have an issue with feta. I like it in moderation; I think it adds a great flavor to many dishes. I just don’t love a big ‘ol pile of feta on my food. The olive salad on The Greek was flavorful; it was full of spices and sun-dried tomatoes. Yum!

Sauerkraut + H'Dog = Uh Huh

The Kraut was our least favorite, but only because the sauerkraut seemed bland. We’re fans of sauerkraut that makes your face pucker so much your cheeks get tangled in your teeth. Keep that visual in your mind for later. The combination of a hot dog and sauerkraut is fantastic. We’ve decided to make our own sauerkraut and make our DIY version of this one.

Clearly, we’re no h’dog connoisseurs. We just like food (duh), and we like to visit places that make the tasty happen. So while I can’t say whether theirs will be the best h’dogs you’ll ever eat, I hope you’ll visit I Dream of Weenie this spring and summer. The vibe is great, the h’dogs are tasty,  and you’ll be able to say you’ve eaten at a full-service weenery. ‘Nuff said.