“Al’s Hot Dogs”

*****  I know we all have our favorite “hot dog place”, but perhaps there is a “new joint” in town, and the town is Long Grove. Tonight, Frank, Cary, Jane and I went to Al’s Hot Dogs, on Route 22 ( also known as Half Day Road) in Long Grove to visit Al’s Hot Dogs. This is like taking a trip back in time. As a kid, I worked in a place that was very 1950’s (well, it was 11952) called Dan-Dee Red Hots, on Devon Avenue in Rogers Park ( some called it Westridge). A tile floor, with a small counter, and although we had other dishes, hot dogs were the main attraction. We also had great fries. Our chairs were vinyl-covered, and of course, we had a juke box.

Tonight, stepping into Al’s I had that feeling. I was back in time, and our hostess Emmy and our chef Aaron made sure that we were able to sample their menu ( well, at least most of it, as we are all watching our weight). We began with milkshakes and malteds. I haven’t had one in years, or perhaps eons, and I was in heaven with the chocolate ( Frank and Cary had Strawberry). Rich, creamy, and very smooth!

We then shared a few classic Chicago Dogs: mustard, relish, onion, pickle, tomato, celery salt ( on the side sport peppers- that will clear your sinuses), and of course the rule is NO KETCHUP! One can tell it is Vienna and steamed to perfection. Want it charred? No problem! The fries were nice and crisp and if you want ( and we did) cheese for dipping!

Every hot dog place has burgers and Al’s has three! We had two of them, the All-American Cheeseburger: American cheese, ketchup, mayo, pickles,lettuce, tomato and onion. and Al’s Signature Cheeseburger: a house cheese sauce replaces the American cheese, and carmelized onions, garlic aiolo, and pickles finish the job. By the way, all of the buns are bakery fresh and delicious. They have a 3rd on- the Serrano Spicy that adds serrano peppers and mustard, and I would guess it opens your eyes wide ( VERY WIDE, based on Frank’s experience with the hot dog).

Then came two Chicago favorite sandwiches:

The Italian Beef with sweet or hot peppers and a sauce that will make you forget all the others you have tried. YUM YUM and Al;s Philly Cheesesteak: ribeye steak, caramelized onions, house cheese sauce ( again with sweet and hot peppers)- probably the best cheesesteak outside of Philidelphia. FYI

Everything is made fresh daily and all bakery goods come from a local bakery daily. We skipped the Polish and the Italian Sausage for next visit, but did try the pizza. Thin pizza with a nice crust. This is what is known as “Tavern Style” and can be cut by slice or in squares. We did ours in 4 sections, so we could truly experiment. Black olives/sausage/ pepperoni and veggies. Very tasty and we loved the crust.

They also have several Subs and two pasta dishes ( Mac N’ Cheese and Penne Alfredo)  and some salads, but we knew we were going to do desserts, so we passed on anything else. We loved the rice pudding and the butterscotch pudding and truly enjoyed their chocolate cake ( moist and tasty)/ FYI- they have a soda fountain offering a banana split and a Kitchen Sink as well as a root beer float, frozen custard, and, of course, Italian Ice (house-made daily),

Your trip to the 50s will be a great experience for your kids and bring back lots of memories from your youth. While the prices are not 1950s, I will tell you that they are far lower than one might think, considering the world of today and that everything is homemade and fresh daily, but this is what Al’s offers. They also have soft drinks, beer, and wine, and are looking to add even more in the very near future. On those truly nice days, they have marvelous patio seating, and on Wednesday night, many cool automobiles will grace their parking lot, so plan ahead and check the weather.

Al’s is cool- you walk in and place your order, pay, take your number, and find your table. The staff will deliver your great food to your table and clean up after. They are located at 3970 Illinois Route 22 in Long Grove. (This is Half Day Road, two stoplights west of Route 83)

They are open every day except Monday and Tuesday

11:00 a.m. until 9 p.m.

You can order online for delivery or pickup as well by going to www.alshotdog.com

The phone number is 224-662-4140