Restaurant Review: Fat Franks Dog House

FAT FRANKS DOG HOUSE 5015 101st Avenue ~ fatfranks.ca Instagram: @fatfranksedmonton ~ Twitter: @FatFranks_ Co-Diners: The E.A.T Crew

Hot dog. Tube steak. Street meat. This backyard barbecue staple has been around since 1880 and is one of the most synonymous foods with North America (especially the United States). Hot dog carts are an extremely typical thing to see on downtown streets in most major cities (hence the nickname "street meat"). In Edmonton, the top player in this game is Fat Franks. On the scene since 1995, they're the one with the carts in this city. You see them everywhere, especially in the summertime. My clearest memory of Fat Franks is the shack-like location that they used to have on Whyte Ave. No longer there, it was essentially a walk-up window that could put a dog in your hand for your stroll on the avenue. They've been named Best Hot Dog Restaurant 2021 by the Edmonton Journal and I was excited to discover what they've been up to these days. Turns out, it's a lot! Not only do they still manage tons of carts all over the city, plus you'll always find them at literally any major event, but Fat Franks has now opened their very own DOG HOUSE! It's an actual restaurant located in Ottewell in the same shopping complex area as Capilano Mall. Offering an extended menu, a liquor license, and a modern and hip “this ain’t your dad's hot dog stand” vibe... This might just be the coolest place in town to grab a hot dog. I visited on a Sunday evening and as I was pulling up to the restaurant I was met with the unmistakable Fat Franks logo and font. If you've lived in Edmonton, you've seen it. The restaurant itself isn't huge and it's got a definite "fresh take on a diner" atmosphere to it. The colours; red, white and black, have that classic diner feeling to them, while the rest of the decor elements feel updated. I especially loved the mural of hot dogs peeking out from behind white exposed brick. The menu is actually very extensive, with a lot more than just hot dogs. They also do burgers, tons of different fries and poutines, and of course you can build your own epic hot dog right to your own specifications. I was really interested in trying some of their "classics," pre-designed hot dogs, so I picked a few of those that sounded interesting. I placed my order at the counter, grabbed a seat, and after a reasonable amount of time I arrived in hot dog heaven. Fat Franks prides themselves on their hot dogs. Obviously. Their dogs are 80% beef and 20% chicken. They're all natural. There are no byproducts, no allergens, no preservatives, and they are gluten free. I mean, it's still a hot dog but at least it's one that you can feel somewhat better about. They offer several meatless options as well. My first dog of choice was the Japanese Dog ($8.99). These are a total thing. If you've ever been to Vancouver you've probably seen Japadog, an entire restaurant chain dedicated to making this style of hot dog.

Processed swiss cheese, wasabi mayo, pickled ginger, shredded seaweed, toasted sesame seeds.

First I will discuss my thoughts on the basic Fat Franks products: the dogs and the buns. I like their hot dog a lot because it's juicy and flavourful. I think that the mix of beef and chicken adds an interesting element that changes the flavour profile just enough to make them unique. However, I would like it if the dogs were snappier. These hot dogs don't really have the snap that good quality hot dogs are supposed to have and that makes me just a little bit sad. The buns are very bready. There's a lot of bread. It's a nice bun, it's served warm, and it tastes fresh (I've heard that they're made locally) but I find that the bread ratio is quite high compared to the rest of the ingredients. As for the Japanese toppings, I liked this hot dog a lot and found it quite successful. The wasabi mayo was extra delicious and I loved the zingy kick from the pickled ginger. This dog brings the umami and you won't be disappointed with the flavours. Next I tried the Hawaiian Dog ($8.99). If you put chips on anything I'll probably order it.

Pineapple relish, chipotle mayo, crushed homemade chips, processed swiss cheese.

This one was my favourite! I loved this hot dog because the mix of ingredients were totally new to me and I'd never tried anything like it before. Everything worked incredibly well together! The pineapple relish was sweet and acidic, the chipotle mayo was spicy, and I loved that the crunchy chips are house made. (In fact, they sell them in bags.) This hot dog has kick, texture, and takes your taste buds on a flavour adventure. Lastly, I tried the Reuben Dog ($9.49).

Processed swiss cheese, warm caraway sauerkraut and chopped Montreal smoked meat.

Unfortunately, this was my least favourite of the three. I should have known (as someone who spent several years living in Montreal) that this hot dog simply couldn't live up to what I know smoked meat is supposed to be. There just wasn't enough happening on this hot dog. The sauerkraut was nice but the smoked meat was much, much too sparse. The thin little flecks of meat were almost unnoticeable and I could barely taste them. You can find this hot dog in Montreal - and it will blow your mind. This one did not. Fat Franks has seven poutines on the menu and I decided that I needed to try at least one of them. It had to be the Fancy Pants Poutine ($11.49), possibly based on the name alone.

Chopped grilled junior dog, grilled crumbled chorizo sausage, cheddar cheese, scallions, fresh curds, and vegetarian gravy.

I have to admit that my expectations were quite low (RE: this still isn't Montreal) however THIS POUTINE WAS AMAZING. I was very, very pleasantly surprised. The key is that they are making the poutine correctly. It's as simple as that. The fries, skins on, were golden and crispy but also addictively salty. The cheese was actual curds, which doesn't always happen in the west. The curds were plentiful and achieved the gold standard of solid and melty at the same time. And the gravy was perfect, vegetarian-style just like in Quebec. The toppings were wonderful as well. The chorizo was especially great and the whole thing filled me with joy. You had better believe that Fat Franks also makes a Halifax donair sausage, because they know where they live. The restaurant also offers an extensive self-serve bar of additional toppings, kind of like when you're at a hot dog cart and you can top your dog with whatever you want. They've got all of the condiments and plenty of additional items to toss on top. EXCEPT THEY DON'T HAVE GREEN OLIVES. This is a major problem for me. Growing up in Toronto, I was known for making olive dogs (with like, SO MANY olives) whenever I would visit a cart. I have a vivid memory of excitedly stopping at a Fat Franks cart for the first time in Edmonton and being extremely disappointed to find that there were no green olives. The restaurant is the same. Tons of toppings but no green olives. What's the deal?! My green olive loving heart is very sad. There were items at the Dog House that I really enjoyed and others that I didn't find as successful. However, I look forward to visiting again and trying some of the other menu items that are calling to me. I'd return for the poutine alone, actually.