Review – Dixie’s Dog House, Treasure Island
We left mainland St. Petersburg and Central Avenue North became the Treasure Island Causeway which carried us over two islets to deliver us into the hands of the Treasure Islanders without a Ben Gunn. Before we got far we pulled into Dixie’s Dog House, because we cannot say no to hot dogs and though we hadn’t even scratched the surface of eatery options, the advertised Italian roast beef forced my hand to turn the wheel.
The Dixie’s Dog House marquee advertised Vienna Beef brand products which have never been a selling point to me. I’ve been to several Vienna Beef operations and they range from “That was great, I’ll be back” to “We should have stopped for dogs at the Circle-K.”
Also, there is nothing particularly superior in taste or otherwise about a Vienna Beef product over another premium dog. Displaying a Vienna Beef sign is to me not a plus; in fact, it is a caution. Similar to the bad feelings summoned when I see cheese company marketing posters on the walls and windows of pizzerias, I get really wary when I see a VB sign on a mom and pop shop because some tended to rest on the suspect laurels of the VB name and simply slap warm weiners in stale buns for a premium price. But, ever the optimists, we pulled in any way with high hopes.
Dixie’s Little Dog House
250 107th Avenue
Treasure Island, FL
Phone: 727-360-6661
Hours: Daily – 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
www.dixiesdoghouse.com
We were greeted by the operator who was sweeping the sidewalk with a smile and told him we’d need a moment. I was definitely set on an Italian roast beef sandwich. Seeing the Vienna Beef sign, I was concerned that the roast beef probably came pre-cooked and sliced and merely needed a reheat before being piled on a roll with some bouillion jus. I would later partially confirm my suspicions, but now I was willing to take the chance. I also ordered a Chicago Dog while Christa ordered a Cheese Dog.
Our hopes were met, somewhat.
The Italian roast beef sandwich hit the spot—you know the one, right beside the liver. It was “Vienna Beef on a Toasted Roll with Au Jus. Add Peppers, Onions, Giardiniera, Sport Peppers, etc.” I thought I ordered it with the onions and peppers and giardiniera, but I may have misspoken. Mine turned out to be with just giardiniera. I didn’t feel like going back in, so I ate it as is.
It turned out to be a tasty sandwich, if not particularly memorable. I tried to imagine it with onions and peppers but at least without them, I was able to focus on the beef. The beef was medium, tender and moderately flavorful. The roll was adequate and soft, though I’d have appreciated a little more crisp to the crust. The giardiniera was a good jarred variety and the jus was salty and bouillon-y. It served its purpose and in regards to other roast beef I’ve had in Tampa, it was a step above Beanie’s but a step or two below Portillo’s. This will not be making my list of spots for an Italian roast beef sandwich.
The hot dogs were in soft poppyseed frank rolls wrapped in foil that squished the bun up tight to the dog. This is a tradition the world ‘round for how to package a dog to go, but I wished it would die. The process smooshes much of the bun thin against the dog and you know white bread doesn’t spring back once squished flat. Maybe this flies on the streets of the Big Apple or the Windy City, but let’s leave it there.
A Chicago style hot dog is composed of a frank on a poppyseed bun topped with enough veggies to qualify it as a full-fledged sandwich, including sliced tomatoes, a pickle spear, emerald green relish, onions, yellow mustard and little chilies they call sport peppers. With a dash of celery salt, the everything on it build is called “dragged through the garden,” though I’m calling it a wiener through the weeds.
The Chicago dog was well worth it, though and the price was competitive at $4.25. Don’t ask me how a Chicago dog “dragged through the garden” is ten cents cheaper than a hot dog with a tablespoon of cheddar melted over it, but it was definitely the bargain of the menu. It was as authentic as I’ve had in Chicago and hit the spot. I wolfed it down before I thought to take a picture of it.
Christa’s was a frank topped with melted cheddar cheese in a poppyseed bun. It tasted fine and could be a great buy from the gas station or hot dog cart for fifty cents or a dollar each, but this one was $4.35. I guess she thought, “Gee, a $4 hot dog must taste four times as good as a $1 hot dog. I’m game to try it.” It didn’t.
It’s a hot dog with cheese. I can do that for a dollar at Circle K and it tastes just as good for a buck. If you want to pay $3 for poppy seeds, that’s your scratch. I’d pay that $4.25 for a loaded Chicago Dog, but then I’m paying for a more filling sandwich, a meal compared to a snack, and at Dixie’s Dog House, I’d be paying ten cents less.
Hot dogs are cheap and people buy them as much for their low price as for their deliciousness. If selling cheap hot dogs is no longer a viable business concept, then maybe it’s time to stop selling hot dogs. For the life of me, I can’t see there being a large enough market for $4 basic hot dogs, with or without a smidgen of cheese.
Although maybe that’s it—maybe these places want to sell only Chicago style dogs “dragged through the garden,” but some customers don’t want that. Some just want a dog on a bun, so instead of selling 200 $4.00 Chicago Dogs in a day, he winds up selling only 20, but he also sells 180 plain dogs on buns for $1.00 each.
That’s not going to pay any bills. So, to drive the sales of $4 dogs he lists all dogs, regardless of toppings at $4. If you want to pay $4 for a Weiner in a bun, that’s fine, but either way, he’s going to get $4 per dog sold. From this perspective I get it; it makes sense.
If you want your money’s worth, get the Chicago; if money is no object, get whatever you want. When I’m in Treasure Island and want a Chicago Dog, I will return to Dixie’s; we’ll just have to also stop at a gas station for Christa’s $1 cheese dog on a bun.
Irrespective of whether you charge $0.99 or $4.35 for a hot dog on a bun with a tablespoon of melted cheddar, PLEASE stop wrapping it squished tight in foil. What’d that soft bun ever do to you?
Vienna Beef and similar companies exist to help entrepreneurs streamline the menu planning, costing, and procurement process, and they exist for pizzerias, corner shops, delis, etc. The problem is, some operators are more enterprising than others and can turn the basics into something really enjoyable, others can rest on the basics and you get mediocre results.
Is the Vienna Beef hot dog so good that it’s worth the $4? You gotta taste it to know, but I think it’s just a marketing gimmick. You need to taste that Coney sauce and their chili to be sure it’s better than the chili from the gas station. Two dollars better. They have brats and Italian sausage for almost the same price. Is that a better deal? I don’t know without comparing the size or flavor. So, as with everything in a world of scarcity, you’ve got to pay some dough once to learn if it’s worth it.
Besides, how well are you going to be able to discern the flavor of one brand of wiener from another when it’s piled high with a salad or chili and cheese.
So, what do I recommend? I think it’s a fine joint for a Chicago Dog. Pound for pound you will not get a better deal at Dixie’s Little Dog House. Yes, they have them at Sonic, but there’s no Sonic on Treasure Island. There’s a nice selection of options on the menu, however, and it’s your palate and stomach—see what looks good and take a stab.
Dixie’s Little Dog House claims to be the oldest Chicago dog house in Florida, having opened in 1970. Being the original doesn’t make you the best, though it may count for something, so I give an extra nod for that. Whether or not they were truly the first, surviving nearly fifty years is a testament to their business sense and ability to meet customer demand and expectations. So, I’ll not question their wisdom, but I mustn’t ignore my own.
Thanks for reading!