A Few Hungry Locals

Discover Sumo Dog at Oxbow Public Market By Linda Bausch

Sitting under the stars on a warm spring evening at a country club on the outskirts of Las Vegas, I mentioned to some new, and old, acquaintances that my next A Few Hungry Locals deadline was approaching and I hadn’t yet decided where to go. Chris, a new friend, quickly suggested Sumo Dog at the Oxbow. I admit, my first thought was – I do like hot dogs. The concept, as quoted from their website (eatsumodog.com), the Japanese inspired take on the classic American hot dog, “is the brainchild of Jeffrey Lunak, a veteran of ‘Iron Chef’ Morimoto’s Restaurant Group.” I could tell from the start that the culinary fusion was going to be a special treat. My first clue was perusing the online menu before we visited the First Street location. The homepage photos will temp any hungry hot dog lover I know. The second clue was in the written descriptions of their Signature Style Dogs.

Sumo Dog guests are greeted by a fat-bellied Buddha – with a look on his face about as serious as the hot dogs we were about to eat. The server taking orders this midweek day was very helpful. She suggested we add our side selections to the order as a combo for an additional $2.50 each. We chose Tater Tots and Sumo Style Sushi Rice Tots (priced separately at $3.50 and $4.50). That’s exactly the kind of service that stands out – helpful and kind to the pocketbook.

First, chose your protein: Natural Wood Smoked Angus Beef Frank, Pork Sausage by Olympia Provisions or Beyond Meat Vegan Dog is an option for a $1 upcharge. Then, you chose your topping. A soft, toasted potato roll is the perfect bed to nestle the flavour-filled dogs. “Happiness in a Warm Bun.”

Our favorite dog happened to be the number one seller; Miso Katsu Dog ($11). The frank was split in half, breaded and fried, topped with a miso mustard cole slaw that brightens each bite, tonkatsu sauce, mayo, scallions and furikake. (Furikake translates into English meaning “to sprinkle,” and is described as a seasoning usually made of dried fish, sesame seeds - both white and black, dried nori seaweed, salt and sugar. (Tonkatsu Sauce is generally made of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and sometimes soy sauce, mirin or oyster sauce.)

Keeping with the Japanese flare, a humble Cheese & Chili Dog is elevated in flavor with the addition of a seven-spice blend known as Togarashi which adds an earthy compliment to the smooth beef chili, minced onions and cheese sauce. The spice mix is made of red chile, sansho pepper, sesame and poppy seeds, ginger, orange peel, and nori (dried seaweed) and creates a flavor profile that pops.

We also enjoyed the Banh Mi Dog ($11) which hit an Asian note with its pickled daikon and carrot slaw, lime, jalapeno, furikake and cilantro. The Chicken Katsu Sandwich ($12) was filling with a generous portion of deep-fried Panko crusted chicken breast and the tangy miso mustard cole slaw, tonkatsu sauce, mayo, furikake and scallion.

If you prefer traditional style hot dogs, the condiment choices everyone recognizes are always available. Chicago Dog and New York Dog are on the menu along with a “no frills” option for those who like their hot dog plain.

We ordered a Lemongrass Lemonade ($3.50) and a bottle of blueberry Ramune ($3). The Ramune is a Japanese soft drink that comes in a Codd-neck bottle in which a marble activates the carbonation in the beverage when it is popped into the neck of the bottle. That was pretty interesting. We finished our meal with a couple of ice cream filled Mochi. Mochi is a traditional rice cake made from steamed and pounded glutinous rice, creating a casing of a smooth, soft and chewy texture, the fillings inside vary in flavor. We had the strawberry and mango flavors ($3).

For our next visit we have already selected a couple of items high on our list to try. The Breakfast Burrito ($12) ingredients as well as the Sumo Chopped Cheese ($12) have caught our eye, and anything that has Tempura Crunchy listed as an ingredient sounds like a good plan.

Sumo Dog is sure to be a big draw at Oxbow Public Market. They delivered in every way – quick and friendly service, flavor profiles that are off the chart, and affordable pricing that won’t break the bank.