The All American Hot Dog Co. is located at 5558 Madison Avenue. I give the exact address because you might miss this little place if you don't know exactly where it is, in an ancient little string of shops (too old to be called a strip mall, even) next to the Big Lots store. There is a kind of sandwich-board guy who stands out front trying to get your attention during the day, but he simultaneously waves signs for three different shops on the same stick, so as you drive by you might see only the sign for Chad's Barber Shop or Cash for Gold and completely miss the one for AAHDCo. It doesn't have the big-city ambiance of King David Dogs downtown, but it has the same high-quality of meats and variety of topping combinations that KD does, and at a lower price. There's no dining room, but there are two umbrella tables out front where you can sit when the weather's not too bad. The Cajun Sausage dog was new to me; it had a nice (not hot)spiciness, that the proprietor said was close to a Cincinnati metwurst, but the metwursts I've had were never this good. My wife had the Chicago dog, which was as good as any we've had in the Windy City, and finally, the proprietor (I think he said his name is Dave) is as nice a business owner as you'll ever meet. I came in right at opening time t'other day, and he'd been late getting in, so he was still cookin' up his first batch of dogs for the day. He apologized for the wait and gave me a card for a free meal! Oh, and don't get me started on the TATER TOTS! I dunno how he fixes 'em but I've never had restaurant tater tots (or any other tots) that were so danged gooooooood, just like everything else I've had there. I know hot dogs ain't exactly health food, but maybe that's why I like 'em so much-- guilty pleasures are the best ones!
UPDATE 12/18/2011: THIS PLACE HAS CLOSED, DANGIT! MAYBE HE'LL OPEN UP SOMEWHERE ELSE-- WHERE ELSE CAN I GET MY BOUDIN DOG???
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