Crumbs in my 'Stache: Big weenies, hot buns

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

By Ben Cannon

Have you ever been to Grumpy’s Goat Shack in Victor, Idaho?

Essentially, it’s a hot dog stand in a 1930s garage. They serve other items, like burgers, gyros and a handful of hot sandwiches and appetizers. The place - a thoroughly down-home affair - also boasts a respectable selection of domestic and imported beers.
Grumpy was the nickname for the father of owner Mike Sheridan, who is sometimes mistakenly called the term. Though he peppers his language with a fair amount of profanity, Sheridan is, actually, not unpleasant to be around.

He runs the restaurant with his wife, Liz, and when the place opens for the warmer months, the pair man the small, simple kitchen area and proceed to produce some of the best traditional frank concoctions one could find anywhere outside the Upper Midwest.

“A lot of people don’t know enough or care enough about the quality of the hotdog,” said Sheridan, who sat outside at a picnic table and put down a cool Stella Artois in the waning light Saturday evening. He sells only brats and dogs made by Chicago’s Old Vienna, claiming he pays as much per pound for them as he does for top sirloin beef.
And he’s right: his dogs are tasty, and the casing has a nice amount of snap, just the way I think a dog should be. And knowing they’re made of natural ingredients, there’s not as much fear of what might actually be in the hotdog.

It helps lighten the trepidation one might experience but wills to ignore should one find oneself downing a dog from, say, the Loaf ’n Jug convenience store. Sheridan feels strongly about his dogs and is a real foodie when it comes to thumbing his nose at some of the big purveyors, like New York’s Nathan’s hot dogs.

At $4, the Chicago Dog comes on a great poppy seed bun loaded with relish, pickles, onion, tomato, mustard, sport peppers and sprinkled with celery salt. It is as good as it is iconic Americana.

The Wisconsin Bratwurst, which goes for $5, is a dark sausage rich with caramelized onions and melted Swiss cheese, topped with sauerkraut and brown mustard.
Sheridan also brags about his hearty burgers, particularly the Big Mike, his McDonald’s rip-off with special sauce but with 80/20 ground chuck.

And then there’s the Soul Train. If it’s Saturday night or if you catch Sheridan in a good mood, request him to play circa early ’80s-era Soul Train. The line dancing segments, featuring professional New York City dancers working it the decadent and funky styles of that era, are priceless.

Behind Grumpy’s is a fenced in yard with a clutch of goats. Sheridan milks one of them to make goat cheese, though he’s not yet permitted to sell the stuff, which is of a rather mild variety.

I asked Sheridan if he would ever cook one of the animals, which all have been given names.
“That white one over there,” he replied. “I named him Taco.”

Photo by BEN CANNON
How could you be grumpy at Grumpy’s?

PERMALINK:
Crumbs in my 'Stache: Big weenies, hot buns | Planet JH News Article: Restaurants And Dining

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