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Despite its ridiculous name, I really wanted to like Hoppin’ Hots. The appearance of the Sonoran dog in this part of the world had shown that there’s a whole slew of things that might taste good on a hot dog, like bacon or beans or even fried eggs. After all, we dress up burgers. Why not hot dogs? Why not with gourmet ingredients? And the people behind the counter were so cheerful and friendly and enthusiastic about their hot dogs.
And, I admit, I’ve long been a bit fascinated by cassoulet, although I never considered it a possible inspiration for a hot dog. That is why I don’t have my own gourmet hot dog joint. But if you consider that cassoulet does traditionally include sausage, the Cassoulet Hot isn’t an entirely far-fetched idea. (Mark Bittman has called cassoulet “a glorified version of franks ‘n’ beans,” though I’m sure actual French people would sneer at that description.)
Overall, the Cassoulet Hot was not a very satisfying experience. Even worse, though, was the feeling I had after I stood up. Suddenly the Cassoulet Hot weighed about 15 pounds, and it settled right in the bottom of my stomach. The woman behind the counter asked how I’d enjoyed my meal. “It was great!” I lied.
