Not satisfied with the sub-par Chicago dog offerings in the Puget Sound, Debby Graham decided that with her close proximity to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, she most likely wasn't alone in her frustration.  And rather than settle for less, she did something about it.  She started her own business - Hometown Dogs, specializing in hot dog favorites from Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta to name a few.

Though generally anchored at the Centerforce campus in Lakewood, where she is an executive director for job training, as a food truck, Hometown Dogs can often be found at local events or farmers markets.  Debby stands behind her belief in the Centerforce mission by hiring trained employees directly from the Lakewood campus.

Since the original mission was to bring an authentic Chicago dog to the masses of the South Sound, I obviously had to go with the Chicago dog.  Hometown Dog's Chicago begins with a Vienna all beef hot dog on a poppy seed bun, and then it is all topped with mustard, fresh tomatoes, fresh onions, neon green relish, sport peppers, and just a dash of celery salt.  From the first bite you can taste the quality of the hotdog, and the freshness of the tomatoes and onions, as well as the sweet and spicy combo of the relish and peppers.  Hometown Dogs hits the Chicago on the head with an absolutely perfect balance of flavors and textures.

In addition to the Chicago, Hometown Dogs offers a simple hotdog menu with a local Seattle dog of cream cheese and jalapenos, the Detroit dog with chili, cheese and onions, the New York dog with hot sauerkraut, and the Atlanta dog that stars a topping of fresh, crisp cole slaw.  The beverage menu is just as basic with soda, water, coffee or hot chocolate.  If a tasty dog isn't enough to satisfy your appetite, then grab one of the affordable companions such as baked beans or potato salad.

Whatever your home town, you are sure to find a hot dog representative of your region, and I'm certain you won't be disappointed with its authenticity as Hometown Dogs puts as much care into every dog as it does with the original plan of a good Chicago dog.  Plus, the best part of Hometown Dogs is that as a mobile restaurant, it might just be where you are this weekend.  However, if you must find them, go to hometowndogs.com for their schedule.

Hometown Dogs, 5204 Solberg Drive SW, Lakewood, 253.584.1001