Hot Diggity Dog and Pizza

Since we moved to Chicago fifteen months ago, Daniel and I have made it a goal of ours to try as many Chicago restaurants as possible.  We've tried all different types of cuisine including Colombian, Jamaican, Korean, El Salvadorian, Peruvian, Mexican, and many more.  Daniel actually created a Google map to plot restaurants in our neighborhood as well as others around the city that we want to try.  This is serious business and I am proud to say that we are making pretty good progress.  

Two of the restaurants that we like to take visitors to are Hot Doug's and Pequod's.  Hot Doug's, The Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium, has an awesome selection of specialty sausages as well as the regulars including Chicago Dog's, Bratwurst, and Polish Sausages.  We waited for about 45 minutes, luckily it wasn't cold outside.  The first time we went to Hot Doug's we waited for about an hour in 20 degree weather.  Even then it was worth the wait!

Pequod's is our favorite pizza place in the city.  Hot Doug's and Pequod's were a must on our list of places to take Ashley and Roy.  We managed to hit both in the same day.  Hard work but worth the effort!

Ashley and Melissa patiently waiting in line.

 Finally at the entrance to Hot Doug's!

Counter case where orders are placed.

We ordered The Atomic Bomb: Damn Spicy Pepper-Jack Cheese-Stuffed Pork Sausage with Passion Fruit Dijonnaise and Smoked Gouda Cheese, Hot Doug's BLT: Bacon Sausage with Avocado Mayonnaise, Iceberg Lettuce and Cherry Tomatoes, a Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pork Sausage with Roasted Tomato Dijonnaise and Trugole Cheese, 2 Merguez Lamb Sausages with Spicy Harissa and Feta Cheese, a Chicago Dog, Bratwurst with sauerkraut, and 2 orders of duck fat fries.

Ashley approves of the spread.

At Pequod's we chose a sausage (a must in my opinion on any Chicago deep dish) mushroom, and bell pepper deep dish pizza.  The cornmeal crust is unreal and the cheese that caramelizes at the edge of the crust where it hits the pan is out of this world.  Pizza is my favorite food and of all the pizza I've ever eaten, this is by far the best.  I like to sit and dream about it every once in awhile.  Ash, Roy, and Melissa were not disappointed.  Melissa even ranked it as her favorite pizza in the city.  Thank you Pequod's for the wonderful foodie memories.  Your pizza is da bomb!

Ashley in pizza heaven!