Cerebus:

Are you talking about the father-son cart? They were my first intro to the bacon dog, which has ruined all other hot dogs for me. Sometimes I'll agree to go out clubbing with friends just for the chance to eat one of their dogs. What is it about night time and drunkeness that makes some foods taste so good? I thinking specifically of Taco Bell, but I also wouldn't dare to eat a bacon dog during the day. It's like Cinderella's coach: come daylight, the spell is broken.

KitchenGirl:

> They're probably not dropping dead, but I'd be

> curious to know about the increase in kidney

> stones and other kidney ailments that an all-meat,

> all-the-time diet will cause.

Kidney stones are usually caused by dehydration, not macronutrient mix.

I didn't bring up Atkins but I'm afraid Atkins is right. As much as people will try to convince you otherwise, his diet book fits right in with the calorie theory and had nothing to do with over-consuming animal fats.

That said, there are cultural diets which are all animal fat and those humans do very well, without cancer and diabetes and other diseases we spend billions on. There are also low-fat cultural diets about which the same may be said.

If you really are interested in understanding the very real problems associated with a western diet, and not just reinforcing whatever preconceptions you might have, read Micahel Pollen's book "In Defense of Food." It is a very easy read and not a diet book.

All that said, I love K.K.'s stuff.

I haven't been back to the city in years, but still crave the falafels that could be had from a cart in midtown Manhattan.

They're made from the noble chick pea, which should please vegs and Atkins followers alike, though I'm not too sure about the fat that they're fried in.

The "saucisses grillées" (AKA "grilled hot dogs") in Paris really need to be tasted to be believed!

The Paris hot dog is not to be mocked. . . after the last metro and before the vendor heads home for the night, it is the ne plus ultra in nightcaps. And it isn't homesick Americans lining up for them, either.

Sooooooooooo good.

2nd place - the classic NY Sabrett.

Lucky Dog - 1st Place, Horror Division. (shudder.)

A double "amen" to those 2am sausages, although my fondest recollections of them were down on Friend St. back when McGann's was still a good place to go for music. I had another great one somewhere in CT about a year ago, I think it was in New London. The dogs they sell between the Common and the Public Garden in the summer are great, too.

As for getting hot dogs in Paris: Paris ain't cheap and the hot dogs are! If you're going to splash out for food, save your euro for a really nice dinner and eat from the vendors while you're wandering around the city. Street food there consists of crepes, croque monsieur, 'le hot dog' which is really *two* hot dogs in a baguette, or a sauscisson sec which is dry salami and butter on baguette. I prefer the sauscisson et beurre myself, but les hot dogs really did look tempting. And enormous.

Fried potato wedge tacos - Boise, ID (1995) 3:00 AM

Vada Pav - Goa, India (2006) 4:30 AM

Chocolate chip crepes (2007 - ok, this has eggs) - 2:30 AM Breckenridge, CO

i've eaten everything from grease swimming tortas from street carts in mexico to skewers of monkee meat cooked on the streets of the philippines, yet i've never worked up the courage to eat a Lucky Dog from one of the vendors in my hometown of New Orleans - my theory is no sober person ever has... maybe you can come down and canary test them for me

If everyone on Atkins was dropping dead because of it, we'd be tripping over bodies in the streets.

They're probably not dropping dead, but I'd be curious to know about the increase in kidney stones and other kidney ailments that an all-meat, all-the-time diet will cause.

Marinated in the tears of the unborn. Ummmmm.

Because one person somewhere had a heart attack and he was also on his version of Atkins means nothing. If everyone on Atkins was dropping dead because of it, we'd be tripping over bodies in the streets. Low-carb is simply smart eating, as any lean-bodied athlete will tell you.

Not a huge street meat fan, but I do miss my lunch cart in midtown Manhattan, at 55th $ 3rd. I can't even remember what the hell that was I was eating all those years, but I remember chicken was involved and the men serving it were just wonderful. And it was right around the corner from the Atkins Medical Center.

Anyone who knows DrEyeBall personally, let us know when he croaks from his Atkins nonsense. We had a friend who followed that diet, and is only alive today because he had previously witnessed someone else having a heart attack, and knew when to call an ambulance when he had his.

Keef, now that you've moved to LA, go to any sporting event such as a Bruins game at the Rose Bowl, or the auto races at Long Beach or Fontana, and seek out the King Taco truck. Have the pork carnitas burrito with red sauce. Get a big drink and plenty napkins. The carnitas are not greasy - they just taste like they once contained fat and it has been lovingly grilled out. King Taco also have a bunch of restaurants now, but I still prefer to eat in the open air.

Bratwurst sandwiches (or hey, pick your favorite wurst) at damned near any train station in Germany (although I think the ones in Frankfurt were particularly good).

Blintzes from the Grumpy Blintz Guy at the Santa Cruz Farmer's Market.

On Mission Street SF at 2am nothing is better than the smell of grilled onions in bacon grease. And nothing so tasty. Break down and do the dog. You will not regret it.