Warning: I blew $45 on a fancy 'gourmet' hot dog with fig jam and goat cheese

I saw this place in Portland last month that was all over social media for their wild hot dog combos. I got the one with fig jam, goat cheese, and arugula on a brioche bun. It sounded interesting, but it was a total mess. The sweet jam just fought with the tangy cheese, and the whole thing fell apart in my hands after two bites. The hot dog itself got totally lost. I stood there on the street, sticky and disappointed, $45 lighter for two of them for me and my partner. It felt like they were trying so hard to be different they forgot what makes a hot dog good. Has anyone else tried one of those over-the-top fancy hot dogs and actually liked it?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_lucas2mo ago

I used to think those fancy dogs were a fun treat until I had a similar one in Austin. Simon_sanchez58 is right, the price is nuts for something that falls apart. Now I just want a simple dog that tastes good and stays in the bun.

simon_sanchez582mo ago

That price is the real shocker. In my experience, those fancy spots in Portland usually top out around $18, even for the crazy ones. Paying over twenty per dog feels like a major outlier. Maybe it was a special event or a tourist trap place? The flavor combo you described sounds like it could work in theory, but for that much money, it should be a perfect, non-messy experience. Sounds like the execution was the real letdown.

the_alice9d ago

Did you try asking for a replacement or a partial refund? I've had a couple hot dogs fall apart like that and the places were decent about it when I pointed it out politely. For 20 bucks they should have at least offered to remake it or knock some off the bill. The messy ones always seem to be the expensive ones too.