Have you noticed that 17-foot trailer parked downtown at the corner of Tenth and Walnut Streets in front of the Thomas Eagleton Building? It’s Papa Tom’s Gateway Dog House, now in it’s fifth week serving up fast, yet fresh, breakfast and lunch fare to hungry folks – especially those with a hankering for a hot dog.
Gateway Dog House specializes in hot dogs, but they aren’t just any old dogs, explained owner Thomas Broadwell. “We do a gourmet hot dog. We don’t want to be like every other hot dog place in town. We set ourselves apart by doing very fresh [food] and new ideas.” As examples among the 10 specialty dogs, Broadwell cited The Cuban, made with a Bavarian-style frank from local meat and sausage company G&W that’s topped with black beans, chopped onions and tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream; as well as The Fiesta Dog, another of G&W’s dogs, topped with crispy bacon, house-made pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream and diced jalapeños.
Side dishes show some creativity as well. In lieu of French fries, customers will find California fries seasoned with butter-sautéed garlic, parsley and sea salt. Broadwell, originally from North Carolina, gives a nod to his native state via a creamy Carolina-style coleslaw and a beanless chili. “North Carolina chili doesn’t go for heat for the sake of heat, or very meaty with heavy beef chunks,” explained Broadwell. “It’s a very smooth chili – more of a sauce than a chunky style.”
Gateway Dog House also serves breakfast. The most popular item with the morning crowd has been The Early Bird Dog, a dog topped with scrambled eggs, American cheese and bacon. But for those who want something sweeter in the a.m., we suggest The (hot dog-less) Hound Dog: peanut butter, banana and honey spread on cranberry raisin bread and grilled to golden goodness.
Supporting local vendors is a key element to the Papa Tom’s Gateway Dog House operation. In addition to purchasing hot dogs, brats, chorizo and Cajun sausages from G&W, the company buys Hautly cheese and bread by Fazio’s Bakery and sells Billy Goat chips. “We are a St. Louis company. Everything we do is local,” summed Broadwell.
You can grab breakfast and lunch from the Papa Tom’s Gateway Dog House food trailer Monday through Friday, and on Saturdays when the Cards have a day game at home. The best way to track the down where you can find a dog? Follow Gateway Dog House on Twitter and Facebook.
This article appears in April 2011.