Tubby Dog
103 – 1022 17 Av SW, Calgary
403-244-0694
$22 for a couple small drinks, 2 dogs and some yam chips.

In Vancouver, Japadog has quickly become the chien chaud of choice among the foodies. The exhuberant staff and tangy offerings have impressed everyone from Anthony Bourdain to Ice Cube to Mark Zuckerberg and during the recent 2010 Winter Olympics, the lines for their Burrard Street stand were long (and worth it).

While a terimayo okonomi might be a little out there for the taste buds of Alberta, a suitable alternative for hot dog enthusiasts can be found in Tubby Dog. The old school diner on 17th Ave is covered in classic 50s and 60s art and cartoons and features a pinball machine and a couple of vintage video game machines.

My son loves “Tummy Dog” but not because of on the big messes of franks from the grill, it’s because of the vids. Daddy, however, loves the dogs.

A friend described the menu as: “pick a meal, and then put it on a hot dog.”

Pizza dogs, chili dogs, poutine dogs and more are just illusions of steamed wieners and buns buried in toppings. If you really want to step out, pick up the Cap’n Dog. It’s a classic dog with peanut butter, jam and Cap’n Crunch cereal. No joke.

Sure, it ain’t the haute cuisine of Japadog, but it’s a joint that’s a classic just the same.

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