Yocco's = Yucky

Once I landed here and realized the Lehigh Valley had it's own signature hot dog place, I realized this side of the world might have some potential.

See, a good hot dog place is like a staple in my life. A necessity. Not that I crave the mystery cased meat all that often, but I grew up hugged in the tasty arms of Coney Islands; one at almost every major mile road.

I might not have made my college decision based on hot dog restaurants, but I might as well have. When introduced to Yesterdog in the greater Grand Rapids area, I fell in love with the steamed dogs, weighed down with ladles of gooey chili and topped with a perfect layer of thinly shreaded cheddar cheese. An outing to Yesterdog was always something to look forward to all week.

In short, there's something about a steamed hot dog in a soft warm bun loaded with crunchy onions, chilli and melty orange cheese that reminds me of home. I was hoping Yocco's- "The hot dog king"- could transport me for a few minutes back to Michigan memories.

Well, I've been driving past this particular one everyday as I commute from the pool to my internship. I let the anticipation build up until it was just about too much to handle, then went out with my friend Ryan for the ultimate test.

I ordered a signature Yocco dog, plus cheese, no mustard. Apparently a cheese hot dog out here means slapping a sandwich square of white cheese in the bottom of the bun. I had a feeling as I watched my hot dog be so poorly created that this wasn't going to turn out well.


I tried to keep my outlook sunny, but it was short lived upon tasting this beast. The chili was thin, grainy and felt like charcoal in my mouth. The hot dog itself was mediocre at best and combined with the nasty fixings, it was more of a struggle to get down than an enjoyment.

The only some what decent part of the meal was the soft bun, which even the most beginner hot dog chefs can master. I wish the fries had saved the meal but they were short, soggy and reminded me of tasteless baby food. Ryan and I both commented that we couldn't believe we had just put our stomachs through that incredibly gross meal.

Yocco's was a huge fail. I was looking for something that could stand up to my home-state equivalent, but this didn't even come close.

The whole night made me miss home. Pennsylvania is gorgeous but nothing can top my Michigan favorites; sports (note Wings shirt in above photo), food, family and friends. I can't wait to come home for a bit next week! Until then I will be scrubbing this nasty taste out of my mouth. Anyone up for Coney upon my return?

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