Hot dogs?

Tucson isn't a city like New York or Philadelphia, where they have restaurants featured on Food Network everyday.  Tucson has just recently started getting some TV fame for its food, so naturally, Heather and I are pretty excited when we can go try something that's been featured on a show.  The Travel Channel's 'Food Wars' recently aired an episode featuring Tucson's sonoran hot dogs, so we watched it.  The funny thing?  Neither of us had ever eaten a sonoran dog.  So, we ventured out with the family to give these strange hot dogs a try this past weekend.

The 'war' was between El Guero Canelo and BK.  They are both set up on 6th street in South Tucson and they are within eyesight of each other...  The winner on the show was BK.  However, when we decided to venture out and try this Mexican-American fast food 'staple,' we weren't the only ones choosing where to go, so our group of foodies ended up at El Guero Canelos (yes, the loser), in another part of town.  I can't say it affected our tastebuds much though  :)

We all ordered sonoran dogs, loaded down with all the fixins'.  I'm not even sure I know everything that was on it, but I do know one thing:  it was like no hot dog experience I've ever had!  I love chili, mustard, ketchup, coleslaw and relish on my dogs, but this had none of that!  It was loaded with onions, salsa, bacon (yummm), mayo, mustard, jalapeño sauce, and other things that you would never guess were prominent Mexican ingredients.

The best part for me?  The 'bun' or bread that held everything together.  It's a sweet bread specially made for the purpose of El Guero Canelo's Sonoran style dogs, and it is just delectable.  The owner of El Guero Canelos buys this special bread directly from Mexico (talk about authenticity) and I am not sure you could find a better bread for this purpose. 

Not only is the bread special, but he also only sells soda in glass bottles, once again directly from Mexico.  Yep, these bottles have the 'Hecho en Mexico' stamp right on them.  I don't think you can get this close to Mexico without actually crossing the border.

Anyway, to really get the feel of our experience, you just have to see the pictures... or try it yourself.  I promise you, even if you aren't taken by the taste, you will be by the experience.  It's the whole enchilada!

       

*Matt opted to get a burrito instead. He ordered a 'medium'.  I wonder what a large looks like...