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Step right up, Clowndog Hot Dog Parlor offers unique toppings galore
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Clowndog Hot Dog Parlor is a small restaurant situated in Nob Hill that offers a wide and weird range of toppings for hot dogs paired with eclectic clown decor.
The themed restaurant boasts over 50 hot dog toppings, including standards like sauerkraut or chile, and more unique fare like macaroni and cheese, cereal and even chocolate sauce. There is no shortage of combinations to try.
As a fan of Clowndog since my freshman year of college, I have always wanted to try the more outlandish toppings, but was worried for my stomach. However, four years, two dates, multiple lunch outings and a graduation later, it was time to try some tamer, but still weird combos.
My friend, Ashley, and I ordered two hot dogs each and split an order of fries.
Turkey dog with Fritos and SpaghettiOs : The hot dog was a mix of a lot of different textures, which was not particularly enjoyable. The turkey dog has a nice snap when bitten into that was well paired with the crunchiness of the Fritos. However, the slimy and soft chew of the SpaghettiOs threw the whole thing off.
One would think the tomato and pasta flavor from the SpaghettiOs would not match well with the hot dog, but it was surprisingly good. It tasted like ketchup with a side of pasta, a weird, but not horrible combination. It was just the texture that was off-putting. The Fritos were a top-tier addition, adding a salty burst, that paired delightfully with the turkey dog. I would do the Fritos again, but not the SpaghettiOs.
Turkey dog with macaroni and cheese and extra cheddar: Another one with an odd texture combination. The flavor profile is there, but the pasta and hot dog mix was not my favorite. The macaroni and cheese had a slight kick to it, the menu describes it as “slightly spicy mac n cheese.” As someone who is not a fan of spicy food, I could taste it right away, but my friend could not. I’d forgo this on my hot dog in the future, but any macaroni and cheese fans would love this topping.
Beef dog with peanut butter and jelly: I weirdly loved this hot dog and hate that I did. It sounds like a horrible combination, but it was surprisingly delicious. It was a good mix of savory and sweet that made me understand why people have weird cravings. The peanut butter added a nice salty taste with very little peanut flavor, and the jelly offered a burst of sweet that paired well with the hot dog. I would order this again.
Beef dog with chocolate sauce: While the peanut butter and jelly was a surprising favorite, this hot dog was the opposite. It was genuinely horrid and tasted like burnt chocolate. It was the only hot dog that Ashley and I could not bring ourselves to finish. The hot dog itself was amazing as always, but paired with chocolate sauce, I understood why the waiter commented that, usually, children order it. It was a disappointment because I had been wondering what it would taste like and was hoping to be pleasantly surprised. This is not a topping I’d order again and I needed to chug a glass of water afterward. I would like to see Joey Chestnut try to down even one of these in a minute.
Fries: In the past, the fries have always been my go-to side dish with my normal Clowndog order of a hot dog with ketchup and mustard. The fries have a firm outside that gives way to soft potato. They vaguely remind me of Five Guys fries, but not nearly as greasy. The fries pair well with any hot dog and, surprisingly, are not offered as a topping.
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Overall IMPRESSION: Anyone looking for a traditional dog or one more out there should stop by Clowndog. It is a fun outing with a chance to discover some new flavor combinations.
