Best Hot Dog: Yo Dawg! Gourmet Hot Dogs’ Swamp Dawg
At first blush, the Swamp Dawg might seem like too much. One of the specialty selections from Yo Dawg! Gourmet Hot Dogs, it’s truly a sight to behold. The Black-owned, family-owned food truck has variations that boast the flavors of Houston’s diverse palate – pico de gallo and cilantro and lime crema on “The Essay,” for instance, or “The SLAB,” with chopped Texas brisket piled over an all-beef dog. But, the Swamp Dawg is our choice for the truck’s and the city’s best hot dog, a revelation which could have come only from innovative chowhounds with Gulf Coast roots.
Served on an artisan bun with garlic butter grilled into its supple fibers, the Swamp Dawg’s DNA strands Houston and Louisiana together, thanks to a bed of flavorful, homemade boudin. It’s the taste bud pleasing foundation of the entrée and is generously heaped into the warm bun. That’s topped with tasty grilled shrimp (we always save one to snarf once we’ve devoured the Swamp Dawg, like a sweet, salty after dinner mint) and a better-than-it-has-to-be Cajun aioli, with chives sprinkled over everything. It’s a lunch or dinner worth the trek. We’ve followed Yo Dawg!’s mobile meals to breweries, bars and assorted fais do dos just to quell our envie.
At first blush, for some, the Swamp Dawg might also seem like too little. If you’re the sort who needs to see a wiener to be happy, look elsewhere. But, if you’re not a hot dog purist and can celebrate the tastes and heritages of the absurdly abundant food riches of the region, then maybe wade on in for a Swamp Dawg sometime soon. The water’s nice.
Multiple locations
713-822-1418
yodawghouston.com
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2021.
