48 Frith Street, London W1D 4SF www.top-dog.co
Nik heads to Top Dog and finds that Soho has a ready-made hotspot should burgers be knocked from their fashionable post – and has a ready-made hotspot, should they not!
When burgers do shift aside or drop off the radar slightly, something will need to fill the void in the Buzzfeed and Time Out top ten lists. Something meaty. Something bread-y. Something offering a multitude of topping options.
If that happens, if hotdogs can take top spot, then Top Dog will have a head start. A fine looking brand, a prominent location, the folks of Soho can queue around the block for their new favourite food without hesitation.
When the food arrives, it’s good. Excellent, in fact. A hefty hotdog and chips for around the £10 mark. Add on a beer and you’re looking at £15 for a well-fed and well-watered meal. That’s for the signature hot dogs, covered in toppings, mind you. The more simple dogs drop down to nearer a fiver.
But then who in their right mind wants one of those?!
The topped dogs have loads on offer, including a kimchi option and one with baked beans – the Sloppy Dog. The chilli covered dog (Chilli n’Cheddar) won my heart – a gentle smoky heat coming through the chilli, which coated the dog and was cooled by the mild cheese and a lattice of sour cream drizzled across the top.
The shake was also the perfect digestif, settling the mountain of dogs and sides we’d eaten. Hey, these guys know how to treat a hungry reviewer!
With my knowledge of quick lunchtime options in Soho limited, I can see Top Dog becoming an excuse to keep that knowledge scant. I’ll be back, most definitely. Dragging friends to try a dog fix of every kind – although I doubt I’ll be running too far from that Chilli n’Cheddar.
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