I challenge you to name a food that speaks of summer more than a hot dog. Go ahead, think about it. See? They are seriously the kings of summer. My quest this week was to find an extremely delicious dog right here in the heart of Downtown. Fortunately for all of us, Short Leash Hot Dogs wheels its delectable menu into our neighborhood on a regular basis.
This Igby goes down tasty!
I heard through the grapevine that Phoenix Public Market throws some very tasty evening shindigs on Wednesdays, so I hopped on my bike and headed over. Usually these soirees are notably attended by the likes of Short Leash, Truckin’ Good Food, Torched Goodness and Chef Wade, who slings some righteous burgers. With that kind of credibility, you would think the sidewalks would be a sea of foodies.
The call of the dog was strong this week, and I found an instant classic. The innocent-looking, drawn doggie on the menu looked unassuming enough. At Short Leash, the signature items are named after their dogs and their neighbor’s dogs. Names like Aiko, Moki and Igby definitely catch your eye.
A longer glance at the makings of these hot dogs kind of made me scratch my head. With toppings like mango chutney, salsa and blue cheese, these dogs are certainly unique. Also, for those who like other choices, they give you the choice of a bratwurst, an all-beef dog, a veggie dog or a regular dog. I pushed aside any doubts and ordered up an Igby — loaded with sweet barbecue sauce, cole slaw and blue cheese. The southerner in me could not pass up anything with cole slaw. I’m kind of addicted to the stuff.
Served up with a smile, my Igby came rolling through the window. I was definitely ready for this new treat. Another unique feature of these hot dogs is that they are served on a warm flatbread instead of a traditional hot dog bun. Incidentally, the flatbread sets these dogs off. The barbecue sauce worked brilliantly with the blue cheese to give this dog some bite. The cole slaw was a perfect topping as always. This dog was seriously delicious. Every bite was succulent and smoked to perfection. I believe that Short Leash’s hot dogs may be kings of the Phoenix hot dog realm.
Regardless of what plans you have on Wednesdays or Saturdays, you should make it priority numero uno to vanquish your hunger at Short Leash at Phoenix Public Market. I will be doing just that.
The Short Leash Hot Dogs truck pulls up to the Phoenix Public Market at 721 N. Central Ave. (light rail at Roosevelt Station) on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings.
