Opinionated: Hot Doug’s duck-fat fries  

Beloved “encased meat emporium” Hot Doug’s has more than its fair share of converted disciples in Chicago. Even before sardonic chef/TV personality Anthony Bourdain rolled into town to try it, people were willing to wait in line for hours in frigid temperatures for a chance to eat affordable, gourmet hot dogs. At Hot Doug’s, “gourmet” doesn’t mean it’s served on a doily by a butler; its rotating menu of dogs are near-works-of-art that both challenge and delight its recipients. From the Teuben (the contents of an entire reuben packed into a delightfully snappy sausage) to the foie gras and sauternes duck sausage (which comes with truffle sauce and foie gras mousse), its offerings might seem gimmicky, but are well worth the extra money at $7 or $8 a pop.

What is gimmicky about Hot Doug’s, however, are its duck-fat fries—simply French fries cooked in duck fat. While it's a specialty that's practically synonymous with the restaurant (though overshadowed by its dogs), it’s usually only relegated to the orders of first-timers, who are still wide-eyed over the concept. The fries are a novel idea, true, but one that doesn’t deliver in any capacity—duck fat is just too subtle a flavor to warrant the extra buck or two on an order.

Hot Doug’s owner and head chef Doug Sohn only offers the duck-fat fries on Fridays and Saturdays, which could suggest that he either thinks of them as an intermittent treat for his customers or as an occasional what-the-hey on the menu. But after a couple of orders over the years, The A.V. Club is convinced that its effects are only placebo-like: You can convince yourself you’re tasting the duck fat, but the truth is you probably aren’t. So save that fistful of change for what you came for: the dogs. Grade: D+