Where in the world is Tom?…read more
Well he's somewhere in Switzerland, but he might just be at a biker event or some kid's birthday party. Tom's Original Hot Dogs is a hot dog cart outfit. They have a few different styles of cart including one mounted on a Piaggio Ape. I've been lucky to catch the cart in Zürich on a couple of occasions when it was parked for a short stay in front of Globus and later spotted in front of Jelmoli. They stay for a couple of days or weeks and then they're gone. Vanished into mid-air. I haven't seen it since, although I'm constantly on the prowl. They have a tour schedule on their website but none of their venues are public or just aren't worth the trip.
Their wieners are superb - crisp snap to the skin, beefy and well seasoned. The buns are in the American form, not the standard Swiss baguette with a hole. They're soft and sweet but, as is usually my complaint in Switzerland, still too bready. At least their not so tough that they require well-seated incisors. And the best part goes on top... the toppings. They have at least a dozen dog decorations that you can load up on until they start falling on your shoes. They amount to, but are not limited to: sauerkraut, grated cheese, relish, fried shallots, peppadews. And there are myriad sauces like curry, cocktail and of course mayo, mustard... and sri racha!
I can't wait to see that silly little red motorized cart again, so I can down a dog.