Critic's note: This occasional entry is about stuff that I eat or drink that you should eat or drink, too. It may be about items that are locally made, or they may not be, but you'll be able to find them in town. And you should.


IN THE HANDS of Portland chefs Peter Cho and Johnny Leach, a hot dog is *so much more* than low-grade lips and assholes. It's almost like the scene in The Matrix where that weird bald kid bends a spoon with his mind, telling Neo, "There is no spoon." At the new pop-up Stray Dogs PDX, there's a bun and meat in a tube shape, but that's about where the similarity to a hot dog ends.

Case in point: In December, I saw a frumpy lady who just couldn't grok that her chili con corn dog had no dog, just delicious chili encased in deep-fried sweet cornbread. She asked "for like, a normal dog."

This is not that place. Inspiration and menu items frequently change. On a trip in December, the chefs served up an epic shrimp dog with tartar sauce, shoestring potatoes, and a pop of Old Bay spice, and a chicken parm dog was Italian innovation dripping with marinara.

Leach and Cho are back at it this month, Mondays through Wednesdays at Big Trouble in Old Town. This time they'll feature a new guest chef each week, including Le Pigeon chef Gabriel Rucker with a garlic sausage dog wrapped in Emmentaler cheese and ham, steamed in a baguette and topped with an endive and black truffle slaw. Yeah. That's happening. Each dog ($5-7) is about a third the size of a gigantor hot dog, so ordering at least two is the way to go. Whiskey, tall boys, and Stray Dog's super salty fun-yums, a heaping portion of Doritos Cool Ranch-flavored fried onions ($4), round out the experience.

Don't forget the ice cream, served up by Little Bird pastry chef Helen Jo, whose $3 scoops have included pomegranate lemonade and a salty pretzel concoction that float in the most custardy, thick ice cream I've had the pleasure of clogging my arteries with in a long time.


Stray Dogs PDX at Big Trouble, 329 NW Couch, Mon-Wed 6 pm-midnight, through February. Full bar, which is good; you'll want it.