Blog Dog Championship Semifinal:

Sam’s Club vs. White Oak Station

The votes are in as to whether or not I should continue my hot dog tournament.  You have spoken, and I am your humble servant.  I wish I knew who the lone dissenter was who voted for me to stop doing this so I could thank them for trying.  The rest of you don’t know what you are putting me through. 

Sam’s Club- 2^nd Dog

I don’t know why I keep forgetting to take a picture of the outside of Sam’s.  I assume you all know what one looks like?  Sam’s Club put on a scintillating performance in round one, and may have won the overall competition had I not been urged to hold a second round.  I was actually looking forward to my second dog at Sam’s as I handed over my $1.50 +tax and took my huge fountain drink and Nathan’s dog to my seat.  Here was the offering for round two:

Uh….  I guess that’s why we needed to play this out.  This was ok, but not nearly as good as the round 1 dog.  The bread was kind of stale, and the relish had a strange taste to it.  If this had been the round one dog, it would not have beat out the $12 Kobe beef dog at Tusk and Trotter.   Stale buns seem to be the downfall for many of these entrants.   The favorite going into the semifinals is now in big, big trouble.  White Oak Station is going to have to really mess up to lose this one.

White Oak Station- 2^nd Dog

I had to improvise slightly for this contestant, although it was not my fault.  I went in for lunch to White Oak Station, ready to get my dog and wrap up this first semifinal.  However, there were no hot dog holders left, and only two pitiful franks in the warming bin.    I really didn’t want to mess around asking for a container, so I decided to try the smaller White Oak Station nearer my office.  I would have gone to that location for round one as well, but it is smaller and not as nice as the one you saw in round one.  Only the best will do for my hot dog tournament.  I suppose I could have waited another day and tried again at the first White Oak station, but I am travelling again this week, and I need to put this series out your misery.

Here was what I got at the supplemental White Oak Station:

It was pretty good.  Not great, but good enough to beat the substandard offering Sam’s Club gave me this round.    The bun was soft, the meat was just fine, (a bit salty) and the size was about as big as Sam’s Club. 

I sort of expected Sam’s to win this thing in a breeze after their the excellent first round dog, but that’s why you play the games.

White Oak Station goes into the championship against the winner of Five Guys/Chicago Dog.