Article: Sonora Hot Dog
Location: Rose Quarter, north of the Moda Center
Time: 10pm Saturday, August 17
Price: $10
Background: Over the past year, tiny hot dog grill carts have been popping up outside major events like the LGBTQ+ Pride Festival and large stadium concerts. This reporter thought the carts must be another sleek version of the classic New York City hot dog cart, designed to prepare and serve squeaky hot dogs at the speed that ugly Americans like me expect.
Multnomah County sees things differently. The health department issued a bulletin on August 15, urging Portland residents to refrain from unlicensed street sausages. Internal correspondence first obtained by WW The reason given was: “The dealers are unlicensed, sell food and alcohol, and appear to have ties to human trafficking and gangs,” Stacy Borke, deputy chief of staff to Multnomah County Executive Jessica Vega Pederson, wrote to Stephanie Howard, Portland City Public Safety Director, on August 12.
So, a crackdown. The joint operation on Friday, August 16, involving members of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, Portland Bureau of Transportation, Portland Fire Marshal and Multnomah County Health Department appears to have successfully prevented the pink meat tubes from touching Dave Grohl’s lips in Providence Park, and thunder and lightning likely served authorities well on Saturday.
But I didn’t let that deter me. Call me Jennifer Coolidge, as if I really wanted a hot dog.
The goods: I followed my gut and headed to the Moda Center around 10 p.m. on Sunday, August 19, when headliner Peso Pluma was scheduled to take the stage. Sure enough, there were three carts lined up on the north walkway of the complex, prepared for the post-show exodus, and not a police officer or health inspector in sight.
I went to the booth closest to me, run by a Latino man. English wasn’t his first language, nor was the woman who ran the booth next to him, but he asked if I wanted a hot dog “with everything.” You can ask for discounts, but the full deal is a sausage wrapped in bacon with grilled onions and pepper slices and a thick dollop of sauce: ketchup, a weak mustard, and something that tasted more like a cream I’d normally get served with tacos. A little orange chile was on top, either as a garnish or as a heat source. The transaction took less than 30 seconds, and although I had no idea what would happen when I paid down my Jackson, I got two Lincolns back, sans napkins. Tip inflation was not an issue here.
The hot dog was covered in sauces, none of which were particularly tasty. The vegetables were still slightly crisp, and although I prefer my bacon crispy, the strip I wrapped around my hot dog was cooked through and not slimy. It’s a thicker bratwurst, a meal on its own without chips. If I needed a nightcap at a nightclub, this would have been just the thing. I’ve found two hairs on three of my last visits, but none here. Still, at $10 a piece and the speed at which these grillers hurl them, it’s possible someone could make a tidy profit on a busy weekend. I can’t say if there are any sinister currents lurking beneath the surface, but the frankfurters? They’re satisfying.
