Bites Nearby: Dave's 21 Dogs

I can only pass a food trailer so many times before I have to stop and discover what it offers. I had passed this stand on several occasions and my curiosity finally won and I found myself pulling into the gravel driveway of Dave’s 21 Dogs off of state Route 410 in Buckley.

I have to say that hot dogs are not on the normal menu for a meal and I often have flashbacks of the tiny boiled hot dog on a seemingly tasteless bun with a splash of mustard that I often had as a child. Flash-forward to my 40s and boy, have things changed in the dog world; at Dave’s there were actually 21 flavors to choose from and, in that moment, I became a wide-eyed child in a hot-dog rainbow-colored world.

Condiments such as cream cheese, tomatoes, bacon, smoked cheddar, sauerkraut and cranberry mustard, just to name a few, were almost too much for my mind to wrap around. I stood for at least five minutes trying to figure out exactly what hot dog I wanted. Thank goodness there was an awning to stand under to protect me from the Northwest elements. 

I was torn between the Kansas City Dog (sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese) and the Chicago Dog (onions, sweet relish, sport peppers, tomato wedges, dill pickle, celery salt on a poppy seed bun); the latter won the lunch round.  The Chicago did not disappoint: it was full of flavor, spicy from the peppers and sweet from the relish and just the right amount of zing with the dill pickle. I am not a fan of sweet relish but there was something about this relish that had a distinct and authentic homemade appeal.

Hands down, this was the best $4.50 spent all day … yes, that’s right — four dollars and fifty cents! My mind raced at the thought that for just under $100 I could try ALL 21 dogs. Of course I can’t do this all by myself so I am calling a big shout-out to all you foodies to help with my cause. 

Dave’s 21 Dogs is located on SR 410 just outside of Bonney Lake and entering Buckley. Information about Dave’s can be found on www.facebook.com. It is sure to please and I can’t wait for my next visit when I have the Popper Dog or the Southwest Dog or maybe the Coney or Toronto Dog or maybe … OK, just maybe I will try the chili-cheese fries and top it off with the Hickory Dickory Dog with an add-on of grilled onions and peppers … and on and on.