Warm Nights, Hot Sandwiches

Greetings, Readers!

With the high temps in Los Angeles lately, it's pretty obvious that summer is here in full force. And as we all know, with summer comes one of the most American things of all time: Baseball.

Well, that and Apple Pie, but this isn't a pie blog. Sadly.

For those that have been reading this blog for quite some time, you may remember my review of the Dodger Dog which originally was a big undertaking, but still mildly enjoyable. Having the Dodger Dog again last year, it seems that ballpark management had decided to make the dog even more gargantuan with a bigger dose of toppings and doing away with the all-beef frank for a pork by-product.

It had become a complete mess, and was definitely less than appetizing.

Heading to the ballpark this past weekend to see Cliff Lee pitch against the Dodgers, I was looking for ballpark food to enjoy on a warm summer evening. Avoiding the Dodger Dog like the plague, I had noticed that the ballpark had a new option: The Big Blue Burger.

Of course with most food from a baseball stadium, you have to be wary about what could happen to your stomach. This burger was topped with chipotle aioli, a huge slice of pasilla chili pepper, tomatoes, caramelized onions and blue cheese.

The first bite had caught me by surprise even though the burger piqued my interest while in line because I hadn't expected much. They didn't skimp on any of the ingredients, but neither were they overpowering or too much. The blue cheese flavor shone through, but didn't overpower the smoky beef, or the slightly roasted flavor of the pasilla pepper.

The tomato wasn't bad either. Not a mealy slice, this bit of tomato was juicy and definitely had some noticeable flavor to back it up.

The bun though seemed to be in that limbo space between toasted too little and just right so it came off as a little stale (which it very well could have been). Again though, with not expecting much to begin with, this was a small problem with the burger and seemed as if it could be easily remedied with a few extra seconds in the toaster.

All in all, this was a pretty decent example of a burger, and is definitely a top choice to eat if you're ever at Dodger Stadium.

Unless of course you are able to get to the South Street Steaks stand inside the park. Then of course, you can't miss out on their sandwiches.

Until next week, Readers.


Big Blue Burger
*** Stars
Dodger Stadium
Los Angeles, CA

A Night At The Ballpark

You know, Readers, you may be noticing a trend on the blog here.

I've been reviewing a lot of hot dogs/sausages recently, but I swear there is a good reason.

It's summertime.

And for me, summertime means two things: baseball and hot dogs.

Not surprisingly, this entry combines both of them, as I spent my Monday evening watching the Phillies beat the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

A cool summer evening, Roy "Doc" Halladay on the mound, a good rivaly, and lots of excitement. In this atmosphere at Chavez Ravine, the only thing missing is a legendary Dodger Dog, but for this blog, I don't do the mundane or even the "slightly-not-so-good-for-you" sandwiches, as you know.

For you, I optioned for the "Doyer Dog."

This footlong all-beef hot dog is grilled, and covered with chili, nacho cheese, jalapenos, tomatoes, and onions.

Wow.

This hot dog was the brainchild of someone who obviously loves ballpark food. This is the epitome of stomach destroying food that makes ballparks so special. Where else could you eat something like this and be able to write it off?

Eating this hot dog is an absolute mess. I had to avoid spilling one of its many condiments on my Chase Utley jersey throughout the challenge of eating it. I mean, first of all, how do you even start? It's not the easiest sandwich to handle.

That being said, this monstrosity of a sandwich is one that should be enjoyed not only by those visiting Dodger Stadium, but also anyone hosting a barbecue for the summer. So the next time you're at the supermarket, make sure you stock up on these extra ingredients, and enjoy your very own Doyer Dog in the comforts of your own home as the baseball season starts to heat up

Until next week, Readers...

Update: I also attended Tuesday night's game and again danced with the Doyer Dog. My stomach may not appreciate it, so I hope that you all understand that I put myself at great risk to bring you the best in sandwich reviews.

Also, shout out to Robert Grossman for hooking us up with tickets on Monday night. Thanks!

Doyer Dog

*** 1/2 Stars

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles, CA