As one of the biggest proponents of the traditional “minimalist” Chicago hot dog (quit calling them “depression dogs”. They don’t depress me, they make me happy), I’d like to nominate Redhot Ranch for a GNR Award. Redhot Ranch’s hot dog is a shining example of the natural cased hot dog, steamed so that it still retains some snap and minimally topped like I like ‘em. Their fries are hand cut and double fried to a golden crispy deliciousness unmatched by many of this type of vanishing breed of hot dog stand. Though the dogs are small, they proudly stand among giants such as Gene & Judes, Jimmy’s & Poochies, who have already gotten their GNR Awards.
But wait…there’s more
Redhot Ranch is deserving of a GNR Award on the strength of their hot dogs alone, but they also serve really great Chicago style deep fried shrimp in the finest tradition of the shrimp shack, itself another vanishing breed in Chicago. It’s the 1 – 2 punch of a dog and a ½ lb. of fried shrimp that makes Redhot Ranch a special destination for me. Add to that the fact that they are open late (5:00 AM on weekends) and you have a perfect recipe for a GNR.
Redhot Ranch, which was first brought to our attention by the intrepid food explorer khudo shortly after it opened back in early 2010, has been discussed in detail on LTH Forum. It’s mentioned in nearly every thread about fried shrimp and/or late night places to grab a snack. The main thread is
here. I hope you all agree that Redhot Ranch would be a good addition to the GNR pantheon.
Redhot Ranch
2072 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
773-772-6020
Steve Z.
“Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
― Ludwig van Beethoven