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So... I need to preface this post by saying I've never been a huge fan of hot dogs. Not saying I don't eat them... but I don't crave them, if there are other options I usually choose the other, and the whole "mystery meat" thing just kinda makes me nervous. HOWEVER, once I tried Dog Haus, my life has been changed! I'm so glad I took the invite to go check them out. They're right across the street from my work too. I just never felt the need to go... Kinda slapping myself for that now. Check out my epic visit below!
Dog Haus Biergarten
744 S. Central Expressway
Richardson, TX 75080
(214) 935-9121
http://richardson.doghaus.com
Price: $-$$
First of all, this place is a cool place to chill. They've got a great, casual set up, and a pretty impressive outside/patio area. Too bad the night we went was cold and pouring rain. Definitely a great place to hang out once spring hits though.
We met the owner, Ron, who was super nice and gave us all sorts of great info on the business. For example, all the meat they use for the hot dogs and sausages are closely monitored and they use the best meats. Definitely NO mystery meats here! The meats are all hormone and antibiotic free. Cool tip: they are also King's Hawaiian's largest commercial customer. He also told us about the collaboration he's doing this year with some big name chefs to benefit No Kid Hungry. $1 per item sold from this special menu is donated.
I kind of squealed a little when I saw the flyer because I recognized most of the names on the list. HEAVY HITTERS! Several of these chefs have competed on Top Chef (one of my favorite cooking competitions/shows) and have WON their season. The chefs change every 2 months so you gotta keep going back to see what's new. I cannot wait for March.. Stephanie Izard is also one of my all time favorite Top Chef contestants. (She won her season AND was the first female chef to win Top Chef, btw, no big. haha!)
Currently on the collab list is the Salty Malty (salty caramel shake with salted caramel swirl, malt, dulce crispearls).
Created by Chef Brooke Williamson, an amazing chef... one of my favorites in her season on Top Chef. She was runner up that season. And she's currently back on Top Chef again! Y'all, this shake is amazeBALLS. You see, cuz it's got crunchy balls in there. haha. :P No, it's legit good. I especially like the crunchy dulce crispearls in there, adds a nice texture. The combo of sweet and savory is on point. AND you can get it gluten free by removing the malt and crispearls. :)
Dutch Chocolate Shake (made with Fosselman's soft serve) $4.99~ We also tried the chocolate shake. Almost reminds me of a Frosty, less thick, but just as delicious. The chocolate wasn't overwhelmingly sweet, but still decadent. Desserts before dinner, eh? On to the food!
Ron just told us he was sending out some stuff. I didn't realize we were getting half the menu! haha. There were only 3 of us. Needless to say, we all had a TON of leftovers to go.
ROUND 1:
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HausSausages - hormone and antibiotic free sausages served on King's Hawaiian rolls - $7.49~ each
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Porchetta 'Bout It (pork belly sausage with rosemary, fennel, garlic and lemon zest; topped with garlic aioli, giardiniera and chicharron; served on grilled King's Hawaiian rolls).
Created by Chef Bruce Kalman. This is also one of the collaborations for Jan-Feb. Chef Kalman is no stranger to food shows either, having been on Top Chef and Chopped. I've definitely heard of his restaurant, UNION, in LA. This sounded awesome, especially with those chicharrons on top. Just look at the griddle marks on those rolls! We all loved that they use Hawaiian rolls for everything. For one, it made for easy sharing, just cut along the lines! :P Plus that bit of sweetness with the savory hot dogs and sausages really elevated everything. The chicharrons added great texture. You got less than 2 more weeks to try this!
The Big "D" (smoked jalapeno cheddarwurst, chili pepper relish, chipotle aioli, cotija cheese). Tons of flavor. The sausage had a great snap to it. I thought it had a bit too much sauce so the flavors were a bit muddled though.
Reservoir Hog (polish kielbasa, haus chili, haus slaw, yellow mustard). Loved the slaw, not a fan of yellow mustard in general. Still good though.
The Love Boat (fries, haus chili, haus slaw) $3.99~ The fries were good. Again, I loved the slaw. It added some freshness to the fried potatoes.
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HausBurgers - hormone and antibiotic free beef, served on King's Hawaiian rolls - $7.99~ each
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Little Mule (fried egg, avocado, pickled jalapenos, chipotle aioli, cotija cheese, white american cheese).
Who knew a place that specializes in hot dogs would be amazing at burgers. But OMG. I think this is one of my top 5 burgers now. I freaking loved this!! It was most definitely my favorite of the night. Using Hawaiian rolls as the buns just made it even better. Super fluffy and slightly sweet. The meat patty was juicy but not greasy and I loved every single element in this burger. I've been thinking about this ever since that night. I need to go back soon!
For ROUND 2, we got The Mensch (pastrami, 1000 Island, haus slaw, white american cheese, pickles). Also great, but I liked the Little Mule better. The pastrami was a tad salty for me when paired with the patty. Also at this point we were getting full so our opinions may have been a bit skewed.
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HausDogs - hormone and antibiotic free, all beef dogs, served on King's Hawaiian rolls - $6.49~ each
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Sooo Cali (wild arugula, crispy onions, spicy basil aioli, avocado, tomato). We were getting ready to tap out, but then I found my favorite hot dog. If I had more room, I would've killed this. I discovered that I like their HausDogs better than the HausSausages. I just liked the flavor better for whatever reason. And the pairings with the toppings on this one was unique and delicious. Loved the texture from the crispy onions. Who would've thought to put arugula in a hot dog?! Loved it! I liked that it incorporated some veggies. I took most of this to go and had it the next night. Toasted it in the oven, and it was just as good!
Scott Baioli (top) (smoked bacon wrapped dog, caramelized onions, garlic aioli, cheddar cheese sauce). Thought this one was also a little too saucy. The flavors all melded together so I couldn't really get the distinction of the bacon around the dog. Again, I'm not a standard hot dog lover so my opinions will be quite different. I liked the arugula in the hot dog, haha. So the ones that are more standard weren't my favorites.
Cowboy (middle) (smoked bacon wrapped dog, bbq sauce, cheddar cheese sauce, crispy onions). Same on this one. Crispy onions were a nice touch though!
ROUND 2.5:
As if we hadn't had enough food... here are all the extras!
Cheeseburger Sliders (angus beef, mayo, white american cheese; served on King's Hawaiian rolls) $1.99~ Cute little sliders to snack on and share. The beef patty is just as good as the ones in the regular sized burgers.
Corn Dog Sliders (all beef mini dog dipped in haus made root beer batter) $4.49~ I only took one bite. Couldn't eat anymore. haha. But the batter was slightly sweet... from the root beer. I liked that.
Onion Rings $3.49~ Massive! And fried well. Great to share with your friends!
Chili Cheese Tots $4.99~ I personally like super crispy tots, so I would not order them loaded with any sort of sauce or topping. I ate the edges. haha. Definitely nice and crispy. I think I liked their fries just a little more though.
I never thought in my life that I would crave a hot dog. But it's happened. haha. I pretty much think about the Sooo Cali hot dog and the Little Mule burger at least once a day. Good thing those are on the regular menu so I can go back whenever. Hopefully soon! But I cannot wait to see what Chef Stephanie Izard has in store for us in March. In the mean time, y'all gotta get in there for that Salty Malty!!!!!!
Thank you so much, Dog Haus, for having us (and changing my thoughts on hotdogs, hehe). The quality of ingredients show through, and I love the originality of the menu items as well as their names. :P
*The meal was comped but all opinions are my own.*
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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
Ahhhhh... I can't believe I haven't really blogged about Hopdoddy yet. I've done their fries and shakes but not their awesome burgers!
We were running around looking at venues this past Saturday and realized it was time for lunch! I suggested Hopdoddy and my fiance immediately said yes, let's go. We decided to go check out the new one in Addison since it's close to the next venue visit.
Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Village on the Parkway
5100 Belt Line Road #502
Dallas, TX 75254
(972) 387-2337
http://www.hopdoddy.com/
Price: $$
It's in the same shopping center as the new Whole Foods on Beltline and Montfort but those familiar with that area, also knows that's a pretty freaking huge shopping center. I hadn't been since all the new shops went in so I didn't exactly know where it was. It was a beautiful day so we just parked and started walking around. We walked all the way to Whole Foods and realized it wasn't there so I called the place. She told me they were on the complete opposite end of Whole Foods, by the AMC theater. I had no idea where the theater is either haha. But we just started walking to the other side.
Finally we found it! And there was a line... not really a surprise. But it was almost 2pm by then. The line wasn't too far out the door so we decided to wait. I wasn't hungry when we arrived but was close to starving when we got to the register. haha. It gave me plenty of time to decide what I wanted though. I couldn't decide between 3 options.
You order at the counter, but while in line, someone comes and assigns you a table number. We chose to sit outside cuz it was so nice! The Luther Lane location doesn't have any outdoor seating but the Addison one has lots! :) And then they bring your food to your table. And everyone's so friendly there! From the guy that's directing the line, to the girl at the register, and the guys that bring your food out to you.
I ended up with the Goodnight/Good Cause (Angus Beef, Tillamook Cheddar, Hickory BBQ Sauce, Caramelized Onions, Sliced Jalapenos & Sassy Sauce) $8.25~
And it was for a good cause (hence the name!). $1 from each sale is donated to Heroes for Children to help families affected by childhood cancer. Sassy sauce is their house blend of horseradish, mayo, and honey mustard. I really liked it! I asked for the BBQ sauce on the side which was a good move because it didn't really need it. I'm not a huge fan of bbq sauce so I thought I'd be cautious. Their burgers are LEGIT!! So freaking good. The meat was cooked perfectly. I love the slices of jalapenos, although I could've used more. I dipped my burger in sriracha for some added heat. hehe. I love the buns...buttery, soft, with a slight crispy edge. It held up the the meat and sauce inside very well! And their burgers are always so delicious yet not too greasy. I finished the whole thing and didn't feel heavy or stuffed. I wanted MORE!! :P
My fiance already knew what he was going to get. It's his absolute favorite! Ahi Tuna Burger (Sushi-Grade Tuna, Sprouts, Teriyaki, Honey Wasabi, Nori Chips, Pickled Ginger, Mayo) $12.25~
I have to say, this is one of the best burgers ever. And it doesn't even have beef!! And everyone I know that's tried it says it's their favorite. Isn't it beautiful? Other than the perfectly seared ahi tuna, my favorite is the nori chips, basically fried seaweed. There's so much flavor and texture in this burger. The ahi tuna is super fresh. He got the mayo on the side, which it doesn't even need mayo... the wasabi was plenty good. Totally worth the wait.
They gave out samples of the Chocolate Stout milkshake to the people in line so we decided to get shakes as well.
He got the Chocolate Stout Shake $5.50~ (left) He's the target market when people give out samples cuz he will buy what he just tried. haha. And this is yummy.
Nutella & Chocolate Pretzel Shake $5.50~ (right) Me, on the other hand, I try a sample of something and then I wanna get something else, so I can try another flavor. hehe. This is my favorite shake here. You got the salty sweet between the pretzel and chocolate. And NUTELLA!! Who doesn't like nutella? There's sooo much crushed pretzels in there, so much crunch. I love it. Use a spoon!! You get more stuff that way. And check out that glop of nutella on the side of my cup there... You know I scooped that up for my first bite! :P
One of my absolute favorite burger places in Dallas. I'm happy they have multiple locations now! Bring one to Rockwall please!! There's always a line, but it moves fairly fast and trust me, it's worth the wait.
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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
School is finally done! Where did I go the last day of class to celebrate? LA Burger! :) I always leave happy and full there.
I love this place. It is my favorite burger spot in Dallas. All my friends love it too so I chose it to have my celebratory dinner. hehe.
LA Burger - Carrollton
1017 E Trinity Mills Rd. Ste 104
Carrollton, TX 75007
http://www.la-burger.com/
Price: $
I usually always get the LA Burger with the K-Fries. But I had hit up a happy hour earlier and wasn't too hungry. Booze first, then eat, right? :P So my fiance and I shared some stuff.
K-Fries (loaded with sauteed kimchi, onions, bulgogi, cheese and cilantro) $5.99~ Last time I was there, I asked for sweet potato fries instead, and they were even better. This time I went a step above and asked for a fried egg on top. What what?! :) Not sure if they charged extra for it but it was so worth it. Pure awesomeness. I suggest you do the same. The yolk was still runny and burst when I cut into it. And it was fantastical... as always.
My fiance got the Bulgogi Hogi, his favorite. $5.99~ Always good, but I still like the LA burger best. :)
A friend of mine got the Seoul Dog (all-beef hot dog topped with bulgogi and sauteed kimchi) $4.99~ It looks amazing. I've never had it before and I got to try it. It's absolutely loaded. I dunno if I can finish one on my own! MMmmmmmm.
I'm usually super stuffed after my food so I've never tried their shakes. One of my friends got one. Chocolate Oreo Shake. It was delicious!! Very rich and sinful.
Never disappoints. We had an amazing meal. Until next time! Tell them CHOMP! sent ya. :)
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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
Last (half) day in Vegas. Long enough to get in some lunch before heading to the airport. I HAD to go to Holsteins, my absolute favorite place to eat in Vegas. And I wanted to take my friends too because none of them have been!! Gasp! :P
Holsteins Shakes and Buns
(in The Cosmopolitan)
3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 698-7940
http://www.holsteinslv.com/
Price: $$$
I come here every time in Vegas.. The food is slightly pricey but it's Vegas... when is the food not expensive? haha. And it's soooo good. I've never had anything I didn't like.
We started with some Bam-Boozled Shakes. Alcoholic shakes where you can't taste the alcohol. And the combinations are unique and over the top.
One friend and I shared the Banana Cream Pie (bananas, vanilla custard, nilla wafers, caramel, creme de banane, licor 43, white chocolate covered nutty banana) $13~
They gave us the excess milkshake in the metal cup too which was pretty much a whole 'nother glass! This was the first time I tried this flavor and it was amazing! You get chunks of banana and nilla wafers in every sip. I love the added texture and it was soooo banana-y! I think one of my new favorites here. Although after a while it got a little too sweet, I think next time I'd get it without the caramel sauce.
One friend got the Red Velvet Cake Shake (zing red velvet vodka, red velvet cake, cream cheese mousse, mini whoopie pie) $13~
This was also really good. Never tried this one either. I liked the crumbled cake bits throughout the shake. This also came with the excess, and another friend got it mixed up with her strawberry shake and downed the whole thing before we all realized she drank the red velvet one. She doesn't drink alcohol at all, so that's really proof you can't taste it! haha. :P
Strawberry Shake $9~ Non-alcoholic. I think they use fresh strawberries because it tasted that way. Legit.
We all ordered burgers (Big Buns):
The Classic (lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, ketchup, pickles) $15~ All the burgers come with regular fries unless you want to pay extra to sub.
"Meat Ball" Burger (beef, pork, veal, pecorino, provolone cheese, basil walnut pesto, arugula, herb foccacia roll) $15~ Sub Onion Rings +$2~
I wanted to try something new. And it was a great choice. Very impressive looking with the biggest meatball ever! I loved the different layers of colors between the meatball, cheese and pesto. Quite Italian! hehe. The meatball was tender and juicy and full of flavor. The pesto was great too. I love basil. And the slight bitterness from the arugula complimented everything well. I also liked the baked cheese on the bun. Now to the onion rings. One of the best onion rings ever. I usually pay the extra to get it. So crispy on the outside... just awesome.
Gold Standard (dry aged beef sirloin burger with smoked bacon, aged goat cheddar cheese, tomato confit, baby arugula, garlic-chive aioli) $18.50~ Sub Sweet Potato Fries +$2~
I've had this before, aside from the goat cheddar, it's really really good. I just don't like goat cheese. My friend really liked it. The sweet potato fries were good too.
Nom Nom Burger (kobe beef, cheddar cheese, potato chips, 1000 Island dressing) $17.50~ Two friends shared this. I tried a bite but wasn't memorable. One friend said it was a little bland... she would've liked more sauce.
I saw a picture of this displayed on our table. At first I showed it to my friend and said "hey, here's your Gold Standard burger", but then we both thought the picture looked kind of odd. After a double take, we realized it was "cold" standard and it was a dessert!! We had to get it. Cold Standard (vanilla ice cream patty with a chocolate wafer glaze, cronut bun, lemon shortbread fries, berry ketchup) $15~
Not only does it look like burger and fries but it comes on a cronut bun? Cronut?! I HAD to get it now! haha. I have to say it looked pretty dang realistic. From the presentation (like the checkered paper wrapping) to the "cheese" and green "lettuce". So cool. I was taking a bunch of pictures when my friend decided to try a bit of the cheese. Then she said it tasted like a mango gelatin or something. Mango? That wasn't listed on the description.. and I'm allergic. :( So I had to send it back. They gave us a new one without the cheese. I felt bad because my other friends never got to try it with the mango.. It was still good though. I really liked the ice cream patty with chocolate glaze. The "lettuce" tasted like green tea white chocolate shavings. However, the bun was totally NOT a cronut. More like a sweet biscuit/roll. It still paired with the patty well but they really shouldn't call it a cronut. And no one really liked the shortbread fries. The flavor and texture was a bit off. But it really did look like fries. The ketchup was strawberry sauce which went really well with the "burger".
It was an expensive lunch. But hey, it's our last day, and we're at my favorite restaurant so I'm going all out! Again, it did not disappoint. The service was a little slow at the end, but they did replace our dessert with no complaint. I very much appreciate that. They should list the mango on the description though... Anywhoo, a success as always. Until next time!!
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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
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