Doggy-Style Hotdogs In Alameda: Eating Your Dogs In Style!
Matt Maxion, Special for Y! Local
If you haven't had seaweed on a hotdog yet, you need to try out Doggy-Style Hotdogs in Alameda. This newly opened hotdog shop is nestled inside Alameda's historic Park Street.
Milton Pang and Mike Pang, an uncle-nephew duo, are the ones who own and run the shop. They take the simple concept of a hotdog and subvert our expectation by adding distinct Asian flavors to some of their original hotdogs like their Dogzilla, which is a bratwurst with teriyaki sauce, Japanese mayo and dried seaweed.
"It's kinda like a sushi on a bun," Mike said. "It's got all the fillings of the sushi, but it's got the twist of the dog."
Both owners have been in the restaurant business for many years. According to Milton, their family's background focused on Chinese cuisine. But when they decided to open up a hotdog shop in Alameda, they wanted to incorporate Asian fusion into the dogs without being passé.
"We try to get away from that sweet and sour stuff like Panda Express," Milton said. "We spent countless hours in here trying to perfect something."
Doggy-Style Hotdogs takes utmost pride in using high quality ingredients from their all-beef, kosher hotdogs all the way down to the bread it comes in. Mike insists that the quality of a hotdog largely depends on how it is prepared.
"When I eat a hotdog, I want it grilled. I want the bun grilled," Mike said. "A lot of people like that. When you get a steamed bun, it's all mush."
Though many of the styles are Asian fusion, their menu also offers more traditional hotdogs, such as the the Chicago dog and the chili dog, which they name the Dirty South.
During my visit, I got to try three of their original hot dogs: the Dogzilla, the Umai, and the Bahn-Mi. The Dogzilla and Umai offered a Japanese twist to the conventional hotdog, but the definite standout was the Bahn-Mi. This hot dog is an unexpected, but delightful fusion of the traditional Vietnamese Bahn-Mi sandwich with the American hotdog. The pickled carrots, daikon and cilantro add a pleasant cooling effect that offsets the heat from the hotdog. I honestly haven't come across anything like it, which shows off their testament for providing innovative hotdogs to Alameda.
"The thing about Alameda, it's very conservative the way I see it. I just want to change it up a little," Mike said. "I want to bring something to Alameda to change it up, so I thought this would be the best way to do it."
Whenever you're in Alameda, check this place out. It's worthwhile just to stop by and experience an interesting and unique take on the hotdog.
"When you want a hot dog, come over," Milton said. "It's doggy-style!"
Doggy-Style Hotdogs
1234 Park Street
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 521-5555
Hours: Monday — Saturday: 11:30 a.m. — 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 11:30 a.m. — 6 p.m.
Cuisine: Asian fusion
Price: $ (6 dollars per original hotdog)
Photo caption: The Dogzilla (Matt Maxion/Eats Bay)
