I was attracted to the Dog Joint by both the name and signage, inside “Top Gun” was on the television, some classic scenes played out as I waited for my hot dog first;

Maverick: She’s lost that loving feeling.

Goose: She’s lost? No, she hasn’t.

Maverick: Yes, she has.

Goose: She has not lost that lo…

Maverick: Goose, she’s lost it.

Sometimes half way through a blog trip I feel that I too have lost that loving feeling, but not today on this occasion at least I was feeling the love from my dog.

This was your basic Char Dog with Chicago style toppings, but not only did it look good, it also tasted quite good. The cucumber and tomato salad items were fresh and crunchy, there was nice sweet relish on it and also a small crunch from the chopped raw onion.

I removed (as always) the sad pickle and added a layer of yellow mustard just to add a small amount of tartness. The bun managed to stay together as I ate it, which is a good sign of fresh bread.

The only critiscm is that the dog itself was a rather thin affair, it was nicely charred and had a firm bite, but due to it’s size it gets a bit lost in the bun, even with the minimal toppings.

As you vacate the Dog Joint and walk away towards the lake, if you turn back and view the side wall, you get to see this great painted edifice advertising the Dog Joint’s wares.

I like the wall more that I like the dog, but the name itself was enough to have attracted me in the first place. “You had me at dog.”

The Do Joint is located at 350 W Armitage Ave, it is quite a walk from the Armitage El Stop, about 15-20 minutes, but you can get the bus along Armitage if you so wish