With an eye-catching mural on the side of its restaurant, it’s hard to miss Fancy Franks Gourmet Hot Dogs (@FancyFranks) on College street, just west of Spadina.
The restaurant occupies a small store-front with a long communal table down the middle of the restaurant with stool seating.
As you’d guess, Fancy Franks has a wide selection of gourmet hot dogs with creative names like “Frankie goes to Buffalo” (a panko fried weiner with chicken bacon, carrots, celery, blue cheese dressing & buffalo wing sauce), “The Frankaphone” (with smoked gruyere, horseradish cheddar, squeaky curds & honey dijon mayo) and “Franks Got Seoul” (with Korean beef ribs, kimchi, sesame seeds & scallions).
Their hot dogs are all 100% beef and use a natural lamb casing which gives them a nice snap when you bite into them. Veggie dogs are also available for non-meat eaters and you have the option of substituting any hot dog with a mild or spicy sausage for an extra $1.
There are a number of free toppings you can add to any hot dog including a variety of ketchup, mustard, mayo and the usual basic toppings you’d find at a hot dog stand. Extra toppings such as kimchi, gravy, squeaky curds, fried eggs, pulled pork and prosciutto can be added for $1 to $3.
To supplement your hot dog, there is also a menu of sides including several types of poutine, milkshakes, ice cream and mini donuts by the dozen or ½ dozen.
Fancy Franks is open 7 days a week from 11am till 11pm from Sundays to Wednesdays and till 1am Thursdays to Saturdays which makes it a great spot to grab a late night post-drink snack.
Last week, I was invited to their one-year anniversary celebration and had the opportunity to try some of their new offerings. Here’s a look at what I tried…
“Seattle” Frank – cream cheese, grilled onions, jalapenos, fries and mustard
The Fancy Britt – mashed potatoes, smashed peas, cheddar cheese and gravy
FFGHD TX – cajun spiced grilled onions, BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese and chipotle mayo
Eggs ‘n Bacon Poutine – fried egg, bacon, squeaky curds & gravy
Nutella & Crushed Biscotti Mini Donuts
I don’t know about you, but there’s something about hot dogs that’s incredibly comforting. While they bring me back to my childhood, these Fancy Franks hot dogs aren’t anything like my elementary school cafeteria hot dogs. With toppings like prosciutto and smoked gruyere, Fancy Franks is the place to go if you’re looking for a hot dog with an elevated twist!
*This was a complimentary meal. The opinions in the post are my own.*
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