French Fry Coated Hot Dogs!

October 9, 2007 2:52 PM

The French Fry Coated Hot Dog and other artisan hot dogs from Korea.
posted by empath (62 comments total)

Everyone who clicked that link just gained 5 pounds.
posted by Citizen Premier at 2:56 PM on October 9, 2007

WANT.
posted by The Straightener at 2:58 PM on October 9, 2007

Hm. They say it's a hot dog, but I'd like to see a cross-section of that thing before I bite into it.
posted by psmealey at 3:00 PM on October 9, 2007

Wrap the whole thing in bacon and you've got a deal.
posted by lekvar at 3:00 PM on October 9, 2007 [2 favorites]

There are only three words that can describe my feelings about that.

Pass. The. Ketchup.
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:02 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

They're _years_ ahead of American stick-based food.
posted by aerotive at 3:05 PM on October 9, 2007 [7 favorites]

*examines hot-dog-shaped lump on abdomen*

Well I'll be...
posted by tehloki at 3:05 PM on October 9, 2007

Oh, my. I don't know what gets me more hot and bothered: the hawt lesbian action in AskMe or this post.
posted by dios at 3:05 PM on October 9, 2007

I don't even eat meat, but I want one so badly. Like a corn dog, but with french fries. The only was this could be better would be if if were covered in tater tots instead.
posted by piratebowling at 3:07 PM on October 9, 2007 [5 favorites]

It turns out that Seoul is packed full of artisan hot dog vendors. Vendors wrap them in bacon, mashed potato, corn batter or what looked to be seaweed then invariably deep fry them.

HEY! STAVROS! I'M ON THE NEXT PLANE OUT! DIRECT ME TO THE FINE KOREAN HOT DOG V. STICK CONCOCTIONS. I WILL BUY THE BEER.
posted by eyeballkid at 3:09 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

Lekvar:
The Seoul Dog at Kozmo in Ann Arbor. Hot dog wrapped with bacon then deep fried and grilled kimchi on top of that.
posted by needled at 3:11 PM on October 9, 2007

This is why God invented the hot dog.
posted by grouse at 3:12 PM on October 9, 2007

The US may have given South Korea the hot dogs, but South Korea made them magical.

Vendors wrap them in bacon, mashed potato, corn batter or what looked to be seaweed then invariably deep fry them.

I am going to dream about this tonight.
posted by maryh at 3:15 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

This is an engineering marvel to me. Considering the dog's smooth surface and the batter not being all that thick, how do they make the fries adhere long enough to take shape?
posted by incurable at 3:25 PM on October 9, 2007

The only was this could be better would be if if were covered in tater tots instead.

You might have just saved the world.
posted by Roman Graves at 3:27 PM on October 9, 2007 [2 favorites]

It's a funny world we live in when "artisan" is used as a modifier for "hot dog". Though, to be honest, only an artist could even conceive of this, let alone make it real.
posted by tommasz at 3:31 PM on October 9, 2007

This should be accompanied by a Tornado potato.
posted by essexjan at 3:33 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

You might have just saved the world.

I was wondering which Nobel category the creator of this divinely inspired item would qualify for a prize under. Peace, or something scientific?
posted by MarvinTheCat at 3:37 PM on October 9, 2007

Peace, or something scientific?

All of them.
posted by Roman Graves at 3:39 PM on October 9, 2007

Approved.
posted by Iron Rat at 3:39 PM on October 9, 2007

I NEED THAT HOT DOG!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:40 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

I'm waiting patiently by the phone now for the Nobel committee to call.
posted by piratebowling at 3:41 PM on October 9, 2007

Could we have found something better than a cheeseburger between halves of a jelly donut?
posted by jcentor at 3:45 PM on October 9, 2007 [2 favorites]

I have no idea why it hit me like this, but I suspect those would rock with Tarter Sauce. Really.
posted by sourwookie at 3:46 PM on October 9, 2007

Plus I'm sure the TaterDog® would usurp the deep fried Snickers at every state fair in the nation.
posted by Roman Graves at 3:48 PM on October 9, 2007

At the Los Angeles County Fair this year, I discovered that some enterprising individual had decided to set up a stand selling the world's most awesome sandwich. A Crispy Creme donut, split, with a chicken patty in the middle. The entire thing was then dipped in funnel cake batter and deep fried.

Until this moment, I wondered how and why a carny's meth-addled brain would come up with such a thing. The answer, which I should have suspected from the start, was that we needed to preserve our nation's title as the Home of the World's Most Improbable Junkfood.

Nice try, Korea.

USA! USA! USA!
posted by Parasite Unseen at 3:52 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

Oh, my. I don't know what gets me more hot and bothered: the hawt lesbian action in AskMe or this post.

Do I have to be the guy that asks what you're referring to?
posted by empath at 3:59 PM on October 9, 2007

Needled, thank you for saving me the trouble of figuring out what I want for lunch tomorrow.
posted by Schismatic at 4:06 PM on October 9, 2007

For a less fattening variation on the theme, check out Sen. Craig's Super Tuber.
posted by uosuaq at 4:07 PM on October 9, 2007

empath, is there ever not hawt lesbian action in AskMe?

Oh, wait, I'm thinking of fleshbot, aren't I?

*thinks of fleshbot*
posted by lekvar at 4:07 PM on October 9, 2007

It's..... beautiful.


*snif*
posted by chimaera at 4:12 PM on October 9, 2007

I was already in awe from this fine offering but this was amazing. Thanks for...giving me teh craves.
posted by ninazer0 at 4:30 PM on October 9, 2007

I present to you... Cheeseburger Fries.
posted by porpoise at 4:34 PM on October 9, 2007

This was on Kottke about 2 years ago.
posted by rxrfrx at 4:40 PM on October 9, 2007

I propose to add brown gravy, to create a quasi-poutine...
posted by Tube at 4:56 PM on October 9, 2007

Tube, are you suggesting... vertical poutine?

*mind boggles*
posted by lekvar at 4:58 PM on October 9, 2007

Had one a coupla weeks ago. Not bad, but the hot dog was of the lowest quality.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 5:09 PM on October 9, 2007

HEY! STAVROS! I'M ON THE NEXT PLANE OUT! DIRECT ME TO THE FINE KOREAN HOT DOG V. STICK CONCOCTIONS. I WILL BUY THE BEER.

It was weird clicking through to that site -- those things are everywhere, and totally unexceptional. Typical at highway rest stops, street food vendors, whatever. And they are disgusting -- even for me, who loves heartstopping fast food (though I very rarely actually eat it anymore) with a passion. They usually taste nowhere near as good as they look, sadly.

I've never had a good hot dog in 11 years here. There might be such in Seoul these days, I don't know, but nowhere else.

The other downside being that the actual frankfurter-analogs themselves here are pretty loathsome. If you think the cheapest noname bog-standard hotdogs in North America are icky, you'll barf the first time you bite into one of the Korean franks.

Sorry to be a spoilsport. Maybe if we drink enough beer, we won't notice the taste... (that of course, along with the taste-bud scorching that results from a lifetime of kimchi and soju, being the secret to much of the success of this bargain-basement kind of fast food here).
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:16 PM on October 9, 2007

(What I wouldn't give for a 72 hour, jonmc-guided tour of New York booze and fast food... oh man.)
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:18 PM on October 9, 2007

Damit! Korea has all the cool shit.
posted by nola at 5:38 PM on October 9, 2007

There are only three words that can describe my feelings about that.

Pass. The. Ketchup.

Ketchup? Communist. Mustard is what that cries out for.
posted by jonmc at 5:47 PM on October 9, 2007

(What I wouldn't give for a 72 hour, jonmc-guided tour of New York booze and fast food... oh man.)

you ever make it to the Apple and it's on, bro. Bring maalox.
posted by jonmc at 5:48 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

The rumors about me and that hot dog are greatly exaggerated.
posted by French Fry at 5:53 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

uosuaq, a link to Larry Craig's Super Tuber is NOTHING without photos! Try this. Please shield the eyes of small children before clicking.

Via.

The French Fry Coated Hot Dog appears to be infinitely superior to the Super Tuber because of the all-important fact that it's on a stick. I may have to withhold judgment until I see Super Tuber on a Stick, however.
posted by IcyJuly at 6:19 PM on October 9, 2007

Oh snap, the Minnesota State Fair just got PWN3D.
posted by louche mustachio at 7:05 PM on October 9, 2007

For a less fattening variation on the theme, check out Sen. Craig's Super Tuber.

You know, sometimes the material just writes itself.


Also, that hot-dog-french-fry-piece-of-perfection?

GIVE IT TO ME NOW YOU KOREAN BASTARDS
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:12 PM on October 9, 2007

It looks beautiful, and makes me want one. I will heed stavros' advice, however, and wait until the greaseballs on Lansdowne Street figure out how to coat a Fenway Frank in french fries.
posted by yhbc at 7:40 PM on October 9, 2007

We have a guy here in New York who sells Kimchi hot dogs from a pushcart. I haven't tried it but people tell me its delicious.
posted by cazoo at 7:53 PM on October 9, 2007

It's a funny world we live in when "artisan" is used as a modifier for "hot dog".

tommasz, I won't be satisfied until we have "heirloom artisan hot dogs".

essexjan, now that potato looks yummy - looks like it would be great paired up with a few of these and then top everything off with one of these beauties for dessert.
posted by madamjujujive at 8:08 PM on October 9, 2007

The big deal at the Texas State Fair this year is something called a deep fried latte, which is really just a fancy ice cream dish made with fried dough.

Last year it was the fried Coke, which was probably just a fancy ice cream dish made with fried dough.

I fucking hate Texas.
posted by Item at 8:25 PM on October 9, 2007

yup, that french fried decorated hot dog looks deeelish.

cazoo, Thanks for the great link to the kimchi hot dog vendor. Have to look him up. He's on the corner of Stanton and Ludlow in east Soho. Map. He has a fun blog too. Here's a page about Chinese street food. His pushcart site. He links to another wonderful site called Breakfast in China, with great pics of street food, vendors and people enjoying street food.

In case anyone wants to eat Korean food in NYC, 32nd Street between Fifth Avenue and Broadway is called Korea Way. Many Korean restaurants of all kinds. Haven't seen any artisan hot dogs there though. It has a Korean supermarket (with great gyoza and cantaloupe popsicles, mmmm).
posted by nickyskye at 11:24 PM on October 9, 2007

If you think that looks good, you should check out pitchfork fondue. It's one of the few things that makes me proud to be from Idaho.
posted by smartyboots at 12:05 AM on October 10, 2007 [1 favorite]

I'm with Starvos on this. They might look good in the picture, but the taste buds will tell you differently. I had a friend who loved the french fry hot dog and thought I would too. After I tasted one, I seriously question her recommendations for any food.
posted by vagabond at 2:20 AM on October 10, 2007

smartyboots: "If you think that looks good, you should check out pitchfork fondue. It's one of the few things that makes me proud to be from Idaho."
From the blog:

"And even though some people at the party initially thought we were crazy to cook bacon in a vat of boiling lard[...]"

Oh, seriously? Gee, I wonder how they could ever get that idea...

And every time I read stuff like deep-frying bacon or wrapping hot dogs in French fries (which go perfectly with ketchup and mayonnaise btw) I am reminded of that line from a Garfield comic, in which he defined a "calorie" as "a unit of measuring how good food tastes". I like healthy food as much as the next guy (that is, not a whole lot), but when I see something like this my first two reactions are "No, that's horribly terribly unhealthy" and "That must taste like a deep-fried pice of heaven" (not necessarily in that order).
posted by PontifexPrimus at 2:45 AM on October 10, 2007

Screw the hotdog, I want one of those iceblocks frozen from liquid before my very eyes using dry ice.
posted by Jilder at 3:17 AM on October 10, 2007

This needs mayo or HP sauce. That is all.
posted by zemblamatic at 3:31 AM on October 10, 2007

Ketchup? Communist. Mustard is what that cries out for.

Actually, I'm wondering now if there's any way to incorporate sauerkraut into the process.
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:57 AM on October 10, 2007

Wait! I've got it! Tater tots, bacon and CHEESE!
posted by louche mustachio at 4:26 AM on October 10, 2007

I'd give that a go.

Still, these Korean types have some way to go when it comes to deep frying when compared to the Scottish. I give you - Deep Fried Mars Bar.

Kinda like a Snickers bar, without the peanuts, ish.
posted by triv at 6:21 AM on October 10, 2007

I fucking hate Texas.

Then the Texas State Fair sounds like one of the most bizarre choices you could make on how to spend a day.
posted by grouse at 6:42 AM on October 10, 2007 [1 favorite]

I am going to the state fair directly after work today. All this hotdoggery and food-porn-posting is just foreplay to me...

Dessert of choice? Tums. I like my antacids best when they spell SMUT backwards.

I will pass on the fried latte and instead sub out a nice armadillo egg.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 1:39 PM on October 10, 2007

Then the Texas State Fair sounds like one of the most bizarre choices you could make on how to spend a day.

I've only been to the fair twice: once on Fair Day when I was in the 4th grade, circa 1986.

The second trip was in 1995 to see the Beach Boys. My friend and I thought, 'gee, the Beach Boys are led by Mike Love at this point ant it'll be a suck to end all sucks, but it's $8 to get in and we just pinched a shitload of weed from a deal we made with the Black Crowes roadies (true!). Let's do it for the hell of it." Little did we know that they'd wheel out Brian Motherfucking Wilson to 'play' keyboards on a half dozen songs and to do lead vocals on 'In My Room'. I came in my pants, I did. Didn't matter that he forgot 70% of the lyrics, it was a good 5 years before his comeback tour and I was a big ball of excited.

I have never tasted fried food from the fair. My ladyfriend's there as I type this, though, and'll certainly give me a full report.
posted by Item at 6:35 PM on October 10, 2007