In a city stocked with restaurants dedicated to burgers and pizza, Preston Hollow guy Ron Ryan says hot dogs are the way to go. He's the franchise partner for Texas' first Dog Haus Biergarten, an order-at-the-counter shop that specializes in hot dogs and sausages.
Frankly, Dallas-Fort Worth doesn't have many dedicated hot dog shops. There are plenty of restaurant that serve a hot dog or three, but most of the serious shops such as Luscher's Red Hots, Hofmann Hots and Samson's Gourmet Hot Dogs have closed. (Samson's does still have a food truck, it's worth noting.)
Dog Haus uses "high-quality, antibiotic, hormone-free beef" in each hot dog, explains Ryan, whose career has been dedicated to restaurants, including at Maggiano's Little Italy and Brinker International.
The Dog Haus in Richardson, which is Texas' first, is located near Central Expressway and Spring Valley Road in Richardson Restaurant Park, home to Halal Guys and several other restaurants.
Dog Haus' 'dogs come stuffed inside three King's Hawaiian rolls that have been toasted on the grill. These weenies are California style, Ryan explains, which means some of its menu items include ingredients like arugula and avocado. "As a native Chicagoan, most of the hot dog places that have popped up in the D-FW area are refugees from Chicago or New York," Ryan says. "We take a different spin."
He calls hot dogs like the Sooo Cali -- a 'dog with arugula, spicy basil aioli, crispy onions, avocado and tomato -- a "foodie" hot dog.
The menu contains heavier offerings, too, like Ryan's favorite, the Old Town Dog: a hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with caramelized onions, jalapenos, chipotle aioli and cotija cheese.
Dog Haus in Richardson -- the brand's 25th nationwide -- will have one unique menu item called the Big D: a jalapeno-cheddar wurst with jalapenos, Peppadew relish, chipotle aioli and caramelized onions. The sausage is 1 ounce larger than the others. Because "everything's bigger in Texas," Ryan says.
The intent is for Dog Haus to expand to multiple spots in Dallas-Fort Worth, but locations haven't been finalized yet.
Dog Haus also sells sausages, sliders and burgers, all on King's Hawaiian rolls. It has two-dozen beer taps, which come primarily from D-FW breweries such as Four Corners, Lakewood and Rahr. The restaurant also sells PBR in 16-ounce cans.
Anyone who visits the restaurant on opening day, Saturday, July 22 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., will get a free Haus Dog. Also, the first 24 people in line will get special swag and discount cards for the future.
Dog Haus is located at 744 S. Central Expressway in Richardson. Open seven days a week, starting July 22, 2017. doghaus.com.
