REVIEW: Chacho's Hot Dogs!!!

At the risk of sounding biased, I have meant to stop at Chacho's Hot Dogs for a long time now. Was it worth all the build up and anticipation?

I have lived in Sahuarita for 2 1/2 years, and drove by it hundreds of times, but was always somewhat put off by the fact that Chacho's is in somebody's front yard. Literally, in the front yard, but closed off with a chain-link fence. See for yourself:

Chacho’s certainly is not much to look at. It is basically the front yard of a house, fenced off with chain-link with a gate. If the gate is open, then Chaco's is open. If the gate is closed -- no hots dogs for you.

Inside the gate is a hot dog cart underneath a tent-like tarp. There are surprisingly enough tables to seat a good amount of customers in the Tecate labeled chairs.

Take a seat, place your order, and wait impatiently for the food to arrive. Chacho’s is a different kind of Sonoran-style hot dog. There differences are minor variations in ingredients, but the payoff is that they completely change the taste of the hot dog. The usual pinto beans, tomatoes, mustard and mayonnaise are there, but Chacho’s uses guacamole instead of jalapeno sauce, and there is a strip of nacho cheese running parallel with the bun on top. Hot sauce is in the slightly grilled bollilo somewhere, too. Instead of the usual steamed bun, Chacho’s Sonoran Dog comes packed into a grilled. slightly sweet bollilo, which is a small change but greatly improves the already delicious flavor of the bun. In addition, the actual hot dog, usually the most neglected part, is the best tasting hot dog you will find in any Sonoran Dog in Tucson. So yes, there are slight changes to the formula, but they work. It might not be the most traditional ingredient list, but it certainly works and tastes amazing. It might be one of the best Sonoran hot dogs in Tucson. Chacho’s also graciously includes a humungous grilled pepper, included in the $2.50 price per dog.

The one downside about Chacho’s is the location and appearance from the street. The restaurant is sandwiched between a Raspido cart and an old man selling boots and other random junk on the side of the road. In addition, Chacho’s looks dirty. It is literally in a front yard, which I assume is Chacho’s yard. Some people may hesitate to stop, venture through the chain link fence, and order food. Inside the tent, there is an ancient television and air conditioner, and everything has been beaten down from the desert dust. Everything looks straight out of an old movie, and eating there is like eating in a time long gone.

However, after a tip off from a very kind regular customer about Chacho's excellent health inspection record, I dug around on the internet and found that it was true; Chacho’s has an extremely clean record with the Pima County Health Department. In fact, as recently as March 2011, Chacho’s Hot Dogs received an Excellent rating during a no-notice inspection. The food is as safe to eat as anything else in Tucson.

Final Post

Unfortunately work has taken me from Tucson, so my Sonoran Hot Dog experience is at an end. I will leave the blog in existence for those random people still interested in the finest hot dogs. Especially that ONE person in Latvia, of all places. Thanks, single Latvian, for checking out my shrine to bacon-wrapped hot dogs.

My goal was to try all of the Sonoran hot dogs in Tucson, and then declare a winner. I never tried all of them, but I am still going to declare a winner, even if it is not exactly fair.

My personal favorite Sonoran hot dog came from Chacho's Hot Dogs. They are seriously Heaven in a bollilo.

The runner up was Delicioso Paradise (Ice Paradise Cafe). Also extremely good with fantastic ownership. I am sure they will do great in the future!

That is all from me. I miss you Tucson!

RIP Macho Man

In memory of Macho Man Randy Savage, I present some of the greatest acting to ever appear on television:

His insanity will be missed....

REVIEW: Delicioso! Paradise Mexican Food

Delicioso! Paradise Review -- Have you heard of it before? Neither had I, before I stopped in for lunch on Mother's Day. How was it?

Next to Harkins Theatre

Where: Located next to Harkins Theatre in the Tucson Spectrum Mall. 5475 S. Calle Santa Cruz (Irvington Road exit from I-19)

What Was Ordered: Two Sonoran Dogs and a Bottle of Coke

What it Cost: A total of $7.91, with each Sonoran Dog at $2.75, and the Coke at $1.75

Not a white van in sight

Delicioso! Paradise has been around for a little while, previously under the name Ice Paradise Cafe. It is a Mexican restaurant, family owned and operated, with an odd location at the end of the Tucson Spectrum Mall, as far from the entrance to the mall as it could get. It is directly next door to the massive Harkins Theatre, which is either good for business or not, I can't quite decide. It might be good to get customers on their way in to see a movie, but it takes a long time to drive through that mall parking lot, with the million cars going 2 MPH over the dozens of speed bumps. 

I have noticed the restaurant a few times in the past, and I was in the area today, so I decided it would be a perfect time to swing by and try out their Sonoran Hot Dogs, which they proudly proclaim is on their menu via large white lettering on the front windows. 

I parked a mile away (apparently movies are popular on Mother's Day) and hiked to the restaurant. Upon entering, I was immediately given the impression that this place used to be an ice cream shop. My guess, and it might be horribly wrong, was that the previous Ice Paradise Cafe was an ice cream shop but was converted to a Mexican restaurant recently, and needed a name change to Delicioso! Paradise. A transparent glass counter holding ice cream is directly below the "Order Here" sign, with the menu behind it. Interestingly, as soon as I entered a robotic voice announced, "front door opened." The alarm system in the shop proclaimed this for every customer that entered, and reinforced the family owned vibe of the restaurant. 

Mexican food or ice cream?

I quickly browsed the menu on the wall and noticed how affordable everything was. Not a single item was priced over $7.00. The burro (burrito) was one of the most expensive items, at $6.25. I assume it is immense. There is ice cream, milkshakes, a variety of Mexican food, and Menudo on Saturdays and Sundays only. I ordered two Sonoran Dogs and an imported Coca-Cola. The cashier seemed shocked. I was curious.

I was given my Coke and I sat down, and took in the rest of the restaurant.

The set up is awesome

The style is very diner-esque. Along the right side of the dining area is a row of tables and a big screen television (tuned to the Disney channel for my visit). Overall, it was very clean, very inviting, and all around awesome in my eyes. 

While sitting at my table, enjoying my Coke made with real sugar, I noticed that only women were working in Delicioso! Paradise. It was curious to see only women working -- the cashier, the cook -- everyone on the staff was a woman. It doesn't really mean anything, but this is the first place where my Sonoran Dogs were made by a woman. Maybe that is a key -- but more on that soon.

My order came and it looked absolutely fantastic. I couldn't wait to dig in.

They look amazing in pairs

The Sonoran Dogs were works of art. They were definitely visually appealing. They had a bacon-wrapped hot dog, topped with pinto beans, slightly grilled onions, tomatoes, mayonnaise, mustard, and jalapeno sauce. 

As for taste . . . Oh my God, these were amazing Sonoran Dogs. From the very first bite I was in love. The bun was warm and soft, and would have been plenty big enough to hold all the toppings, if Delicioso! Paradise didn't so generously overwhelm them. The bacon was not burnt, but wasn't undercooked. The tomatoes were as fresh as they could possibly be, tasting like they were just plucked from the vine, chopped up, and served to me. The jalapeno sauce was tangy like relish, but tasted like fresh jalapeños and had a little bit of kick to it. There was more mustard on one of these hot dogs than on any other Sonoran Dog I have had, and more mayonnaise too. I am not a huge bean fan, but even the pinto beans were phenomenal. I am not sure how, really, but the beans were the best beans I have ever eaten. I went through SEVEN napkins while I was eating these, they were that messy, and in a good way.

And they look amazing close up

By far, and I don't say this lightly or easily, these were the best Sonoran Dogs I have ever eaten. All the ingredients were so perfectly combined that they all played a part and contributed to the overall amazing flavor. Nothing was so strong that it overpowered everything else. With each bite, I could taste every individual ingredient, but each bite was also a mouthful of Sonoran Dog at its finest. 

Delicioso! Paradise is the opposite of El Guero Canelo, in a way. There is no promotion that I have seen, no commercials or website or anything, just a Facebook page. The food was crafted with obvious care and pride and I could definitely taste it. If El Guero Canelo was a hot dog mill, producing as fast as possible to fill as many orders in as short of time as they could, DeliciosoParadiso was like having a private chef, meticulously making sure what you were eating was as perfect as it could possibly be. The employees were all extremely nice and friendly and helpful. They said hello and goodbye. It's a little gesture, but it goes a long way in making a good impression.

Delicioso! Paradise has made a fan out of me. I will definitely be there again. No amount of speed bumps could keep me from stopping by.

SCORES: (Rated from 1-5, with more obviously being better)

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My first ever 5 thumbs review... Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments below or via email!

Unofficial Mini Review: Tijuana Flats Burrito Co., Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Yes, there is shade in Florida

Where: Eglin Boulevard, Ft. Walton Beach, FL

What Was Ordered:  The "Banging Chicken Tostadas" (I am not making that up) and a Coke.

What is Cost:  With the lunch special and a drink, about $10 (lost the receipt)

While marooned here near Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, and desperately missing Tucson, I decided to try the Northwestern Florida version of Mexican food. I was feeling a little homesick, so why not try something Tucson is known for?

I just picked some random restaurant. I drove down the street until I saw a Mexican place, and went there. It could have been any restaurant, but Tijuana Flats Burrito Co. looked clean and inviting. When you enter, you can grab a menu at the door before going to the counter to order. I looked over the menu quickly, but didn't see any Sonoran Dogs. It was a sad moment and a little piece of my soul blackened and turned to ash. At that moment, I thanked the Gods of Residences for blessing me with a home in Tucson. Disgusted, I returned the menu to its little cube-shaped holder and decided to go with the special written on the dry-erase board:  Banging Chicken Tostadas. Seriously, that is what is what was named. I didn't add the "banging" in there to be funny.

Anyway, after laughing inside when the waitress couldn't say "tostadas" anywhere near correctly -- TOAST-adas, I sat down and waited for the food. It came very quickly, and I was all ready to dig in, when I noticed something amazing about this place -- it has a salsa bar! There was a long counter set up with dozens of salsas, which I assumed were local brands, not just what the restaurant used in their food. I got some random samples and sat down to eat this:

Is this considered Flo-Mex? Also, 

¿Dónde está la tostada

As you can see, by tostada they meant tortilla chip. I am no expert, but I am pretty sure tostadas are usually bigger and rounder. This lunch was more like an order of nachos. 

The tostada or tortilla chip was topped with refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and chives. And there was a generous amount of chicken on there. The salsa provided was very good, but the salsa verde I got from the salsa bar was even better. The chunks of chicken were awesome. 

Overall, it was a cheap lunch, the employees were friendly, it had a salsa bar, and had unlimited drink refills. I am disappointed that the tostadas were just tortilla chips, but it is Florida, so I will cut them a break. If you ever find yourself in Ft. Walton Beach, and want to grab a quick, cheap lunch, you could do a lot worse than Tijuana Flats Burrito Co. It was decent Florida Mexican food, not as good as more authentic Tucson Mexican, but it won't give you the stomach problems like Taco Bell. 

Plus, there are a bunch of sweet airplanes on display down the road (but no Sonoran Dogs):

I think Wolverine is in here

The New York Times Loves Sonoran Dogs

To Those That Care,

Apparently there was an article, published, weirdly, on August 25th, 2009, in the New York Times about "Mexican Hot Dogs," meaning Sonoran Dogs, of course.

I have proof! Here is the link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/dining/26unit.html?_r=1

I am just sharing for those that are interested in what a major food writer thinks about the Sonoran Dog, its competition with the American-style hot dog, and the importance of the Sonoran Dog in Southern Arizona culture. 

Its always interesting to hear what fellow gringos think about the food, especially from a New York gringo's point of view.

Enjoy!

-Lou

REVIEW: Hot Dogs Obregon

Thanks google maps!

Where:  Food City parking lot, at the corner of E. 22nd Street and N. Country Club Road.

What Was Ordered:  Sonoran Dogs (3), Mexican Coke (bottle), and a regular old can of Diet Coke.

What it Cost:  Totaled $10.25 - $2.50 per SD, $2 for bottle of Coke, $.075 for Diet Coke.

The setup is classic and elegant. Just a white van and a hot dog cart, with a canopy stretched between them. There is limited seating underneath the overhang, which is basically a couple of cheap folding chair and tables. It is a hot dog stand, so really, is there a reason to expect anything more?

Don't be afraid of the white van

 I pulled into the Food City parking lot and approached the stand, completely clueless to the proper procedures for ordering food at Hot Dogs Obregon. 

There were only two other customers, on this Thursday afternoon. Apparently, what you do is sit down and tell the cook/chef what you want when he asks. There is no standing in line at the counter here. So after a little confusion, we ordered two Sonoran Dogs.

The stand sits close to 22nd Street, so you get a lot of noise and weird smells from the traffic. Somehow, this makes it better. It adds something real and special to the ambiance. You are in Tucson, in town, in the heat and the Sun, not couped up in an air-conditioned hideaway. Its Arizona, we sweat! Hot Dogs Obregon is very Tucson. I really enjoyed sitting outside, about to eat something that was also very Tucson. 

For those that have never had the Mexican version of Coca-Cola, I believe it is far superior to the version you buy at the local grocery store. It is made with REAL sugar, and this makes a huge difference. It even comes in an old-timey glass bottle. The annoying thing is the lack of twist off cap.

So after only a few short minutes we get our Sonoran Dogs. This is what they looked like:

Simply brilliant

They looked awesome. The Sonoran Dog came with the standard grilled hot dog wrapped in bacon, and Obregon topped theirs with grilled onion, mayonnaise, tomatoes, pinto beans, and a green jalapeno sauce. It even came with a free grilled pepper. 

They were extremely delicious! The only major issue I saw was the bun wasn't really equipped to withstand the mass of the hot dog and all the toppings, so a lot of it fell to the container (or table) below. Not a big deal, but you never want to waste any toppings. 

When I was about two-thirds of the way done, I was asked if I wanted another, and of course I said yes. So the second Sonoran Dog came, and disappeared quickly soon after. 

The peppers were very good as well.

In all, I was very pleased with Hot Dogs Obregon. Like the set up of the shop and the location in Tucson, it was no frills, simple fare. They were simple, yet delicious Sonoran Dogs, and fit extremely well with what the business was clearly trying to do:  Provide cheap, simple, but delicious food to its customers, without trying to be more than it was. 

SCORES: (Rated from 1-5, with more obviously being better)

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