Grab the Pepto and come along for the ride as one man describes his journey across America to enjoy large and small, specialty dogs at ballparks.
At a Los Angeles Dodgers game, Tom Lohr tried the “xtreme bacon-wrapped dog.” This dog is wrapped in bacon, smothered with grilled peppers and onions, then topped with mustard and mayo. Hot Dog Explorer score: 20.
(Courtesy Tom Lohr)
Courtesy Tom Lohr
In Kansas City, the royal bacon blue dog comes with pungent, powerful blue cheese crumbles, blue cheese dressing, chopped bacon and red onion. Hot Dog Explorer ranking: 25.5.
(Courtesy Tom Lohr)
Courtesy Tom Lohr
Fans of the Minnesota Twins enjoy the “turducken” of dogs: The brat dog. Yes, it’s a hot dog, “stuffed inside a bratwurst, wrapped in bacon,” Lohr writes in his ballpark blog. What else could it be? This dog comes in a pretzel bun with grilled onions and peppers. Hot Dog Explorer ranking: 29.
(Courtesy Tom Lohr)
Courtesy Tom Lohr
Of course Milwaukee’s dog is really a brat. Called the Downtown Wisconsin Avenue Brat, a euphemism for home plate, this animal features an 18-inch-long spicy brat. The brat is topped with beef gravy, shoe string fries, “frizzled” sauerkraut, cheese curds, cheese sauce, sour cream …wait there’s more, yes more, fried jalapenos and fresh chives. Mix all that together for a perfect 30 on the Hot Dog Explorer scale.
(Courtesy Tom Lohr)
Courtesy Tom Lohr
After all those savory dogs, time for a sweet break. The Arizona Diamondbacks offer the churro dog. The “bun” is really a chocolate-drizzled “long-john” doughnut. It holds a cinnamon churro topped with yogurt and whipped cream then more drizzled chocolate plus caramel sauce. Hot Dog Explorer ranking: 29.
(Courtesy Tom Lohr)
Courtesy Tom Lohr
In Cleveland a hot dog must come with pierogis. And the Indians’ Thomenator dog doesn’t disappoint. Named for Jim Thome, this dog also comes with sauerkraut and grilled onions on a 10-inch Sugardale frank. Some Bertman Ballpark Mustard is a must, says Tom Lohr. On the Hot Dog Explorer scale, the Thomenator ranked 29 out of 30.
(Courtesy Tom Lohr)
Courtesy Tom Lohr
In Columbus, Ohio, Tom Lohr enjoyed the Sloppy Dog – which is really two hot dogs topped with french fries, sloppy-joe-style chili and nacho cheese. This could feed two people, Lohr says. He ranked it 28 on the Hot Dog Explorer scale.
(Courtesy Tom Lohr)
Courtesy Tom Lohr
Tom Lohr, left, and his dad enjoy a Cuban at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The all-beef frank comes with a German pretzel bun and is topped with diced ham, house-smoked pork, mustard and pickles. Lohr ranks the Cuban a 26 for a great specialty dog at a good price.
(Courtesy Tom Lohr)
Courtesy Tom Lohr
Lohr stands in line to order at Nationals Park.
(Photo: WTOP/Andrew Mollenbeck)
Photo: WTOP/Andrew Mollenbeck
Lohr usually consults guest services or people at the concession stand for the biggest monstrosity that they have.
(Photo: WTOP/Andrew Mollenbeck)
Photo: WTOP/Andrew Mollenbeck
Tom Lohr takes a bite of the DMV Dog at Nationals Park.
(Photo: WTOP/ Andrew Mollenbeck)
One man eats his way through hot dogs at every ball park (WTOP's Andrew Mollenbeck)
WASHINGTON — They say a hot dog at the ballpark is better than a steak at the Ritz.
Tom Lohr would be the first to agree. For the second year in a row, he’s dropping by every Major League Ball Park (and Minor League ones, too) and ordering a dog.
Last year, he chowed on the ordinary, garden-variety offerings. He drove 19,000 miles to pull it off. This season, he’s ordering the specialty hot dogs, and he thinks the odometer might turn even more.
Lohr, who lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma made it to Nationals Park Thursday, marking the 17th big league stadium of the season. He promptly ordered the DMV, which is made up of a half-smoke, Maryland crab dip and Virginia ham.
“I always ask the guest services and the people that run the concessions what’s the biggest monstrosity they have to eat, and that’s the one I get,” he says.
He rates the hot dogs based on taste, ingredients, value and monstrosity factor. When finished, he’ll compile all the goodness in his second book about ballpark hot dogs.
The Marine veteran manages to keep down his weight, despite a steady diet of dogs smothered in cheese, fried favorites and sauces. Last season he gained just six pounds, he says.
So far, the best offering has been in Milwaukee: the Downtown Wisconsin Avenue Brat.
Lohr is still compiling the rating for his DMV Dog from Nats Park.
You can follow his hot dog journey all season long at Blog about a Dog.
