A Chili Cheese Dog on James Street

After a Gargoyles’ game, the boyz usually end up at Whisper’s, in Westboro.

However, it being Westfest, the team’s social convener decided that it was a no-go tonight and suggested we head towards James Street to hang out on the James Street Pub patio, the biggest on Bank Street.

So we did.

And instead of munching on our regular team wings and team nachos, it was each their own.

I simply couldn’t bring myself to order chicken wings – at $13, it seemed expensive, and considering the small baskets that came for some of my more foolish teammates, it was the right decision.

But what to do instead?

I pondered that as the team was quenching it’s thirst with a variety of beverages, notably the $20 Buckets of Labatt 50, Budweiser or Bud light on special on Sundays at JSP.

Despite being part of the Heart and Crown family since 2007, the James Street Pub is not at all Irish. In fact, it’s a bit all over the world map, as JSP offers Quesadillas, Poutine (Traditional or Pulled Pork), Seafood Chowder, Baked Penne, Chicken Curry, Cheesesteak, Shepherd’s Pie, Canadian Bison Burger, Buffalo Chicken Wrap, and so on.

But I spotted something a little more unusual, and you know me, I like unusual things.

So I ordered the Chili Cheese Dog.

 

Even though I could have gone very unusual by adding a side of Rice Pilaf, Mashed Potatoes, Garden Salad or Soup – I decided I should stick with the actual item that made sense: french fries.

The fries were quite decent. They seemed to be fresh-cut, were crispy on the outside and fluffy inside.

The prize, though, was the Chili Cheese Dog. I’ve got to admit this was a good effort.

Chili Cheese DogFirst, the bun was toasted, which I appreciated – you need to build a bit of a wall if you are to avoid getting a mushy bun. Second, the frank was all Beef, had a good snap, good spices and a very good chew.

On top, the Beef and Bean Chili was not bad, though I like it more spicy. The Beans to Beef ratio was adequate. A Tex-Mex shredded cheese blend was added on top, and the Dog went under the broiler before being garnished with a squirt of Sour Cream and some green onions.

The biggest problem was that the bun basically split at the bottom after the second bite – perhaps a sign that the bun wasn’t handled gently and that it had been stuffed a little too hard. That said, rarely do these style of hot dogs sustain the volume of toppings added to it.

For $11, it was one of the cheapest items on the menu and it is something I could see myself ordering again.

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