This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Business & Tech

Coronado Gets a Bite of the Big Apple

A local restaurant owner brings a taste of New York to Coronado, and it's in the form of a hot dog!

Dwight D. Eisenhower may have said it best: “Some people wanted champagne and caviar when they should have had beer and hot dogs."

An iconic American food, hot dogs are everywhere—baseball games, Coney Island and beach bonfires. But perhaps the most notorious place for frankfurters are the New York City streets. Now, thanks to a local business owner, Coronadans can relish (pun intended) real city hot dogs here in town.

Doug Andersen is co-owner of Grumpy Dan’s Grill, the newly renamed and revamped at the golf course. Named after co-owner Dan Parker, whose grumpiness remains elusive, the golf eatery is bringing some New York flair to Coronado, thanks to Andersen’s curiosity.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

“I would see these hot dog stands in New York and wondered how much a dog could cost,” Andersen said. “Once I tried it, it was one of those things you’ve got to have.”

Andersen was a frequenter of the Big Apple, as his wife considers herself an honorary “New Yorker” and the two were even engaged there. After finding a distributor of the famous Sabrett Hot Dogs in L.A., he decided to try them out at a big birthday bash held for him and his sister. The weenies were an instant hit, so on the happy hour menu of Grumpy Dan’s they went.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The dogs are 100 percent Sabrett. That means everything from the all-beef dog to the condiments on top are just like they are over on the East Coast. The dogs are long and thin and loaded with sauerkraut, mustard, onions and a special red sauce.

“You get it the way you get it,” Andersen said. “These are just like the hot dog stand on Fifth [Avenue].”

The hot dogs come in a steamed bun and are affectionately called “dirty water dogs.” They’re soaked for at least an hour in water before cooked and served. Anderson said the dogs just don’t taste right unless they’re soaked.

“Ask any New Yorker what the secret to a perfect hot dog is and they’ll say, ‘Don’t change the water!’” Andersen explained.

Grumpy Dan’s Grill is cooking up the New York street food every day during their happy hour, from 3–6 p.m. Ask for a Sabrett and you’ll get one for just $3. Other happy hour specials at Grumpy Dan’s include $3 well drinks, house wine and domestic beers; $2 Bud and Coors Light pints; and plenty of $3 appetizers, such as mahi mahi tacos, although the food changes daily based on what’s available in the kitchen.

Another reason to visit Grumpy Dan’s? You get New York food without the traffic and parking nightmare! The golf course offers abundant free parking for the hot-dog hungry, with beautiful views to boot.

“We are very proud of our place,” Andersen said.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?