Best of Arlington 2018
B Side
Best Hot Dog: Half-smoke
B Side’s half-smoke. Photo by Rose Collins
A half-smoke is a hot dog on zesty steroids, and B Side in the Mosaic District makes the best one around. Chef Nate Anda’s version is seasoned with garlic, cayenne pepper, yellow mustard seeds and white cardamom, plus a secret ingredient—beer—which adds sweetness and tang. But Anda doesn’t stop there; he then gilds the lily with his own version of Cheez Whiz (a bechamel sauce made with Vermont cheddar powder and Calabrian chili oil), followed by a slathering of beef chili emboldened with ancho chilies, cayenne, cumin, coriander and coffee grounds. It’s the messiest of the messy messes, which is why we love it so much.
–David Hagedorn
