I was recently invited to a Dodgers food blogger event. It started with a tour of the Dodger offices, the press box, luxury suites, and members-only restaurants, plus a pre-game field walk on. We got to meet self-proclaimed rightfielder foodie Andre Ethier, and there were Nancy Bea and Fernando Valenzuela sightings to boot.
The whole experience came to a crescendo with an Extreme Loaded Dog tasting. If you don’t know, these are grilled Dodger Dogs “loaded” up with an “extreme” combination of components. Case in point: the Tailgate Dog (seen above), topped with beans, barbecue sauce, potato salad and cheese. Surprisingly, this potluck-in-a-bun works quite well and is easily the best of the bunch. In truth, there’s something to be said for many of these dogs—you just have to surrender your decency and commit.
If you’re ready to do that, then let me introduce you to the The Frito Pie Dog. It’s outrageous, but hey, my inner pig couldn’t deny a chili cheese dog covered in Fritos. By comparison, it was way more plausible than its sister, the Big Kid Dog, also sprinkled with chips but unsuccessful with its base of somewhat chalky mac and cheese.
A sophisticated palate might prefer The Heater, the most bourgeois of the bunch. This one is doused with a spicy buffalo wing sauce and cool coleslaw, but blue cheese gives it a touch of class. It made a lasting impression. I found myself remembering it fondly and kind of craving the flavor combo days later as I was detoxing from the experience.
Another spicy option—if you condone nacho cheese sauce—is the Doyer Dog. It’s the “Mexican” option and includes a handful of jalapenos and pico de gallo. It’s exactly what you’d expect, and I’m not sure I’d do it again, but it admittedly appealed to the grubbiest of my instincts.
Interestingly, the Extreme Loaded Dogs were chosen by Dodger Stadium staff. There was a tasting and a vote, with these five coming up ahead. An all-beef dog would have taken all these dogs up a notch, but nuance isn’t the goal here. They’re designed to be “extreme”, and they are. You can get yours on the Loge level near third base…if you dare.
–Valentina
