Everyone is fairly familiar with hot dogs.

You have the dog, the bun, nothing too complex, right? Well that’s what I innocently thought too before I visited Dogmahal Doghaus on North Washington Street last Monday.

Based on my experience, I can vouch that the greatness is in the name. This place can truly be deemed the Taj Mahal of hot dog establishments.

From the second I opened the door, I could tell this restaurant was bursting with a unique personality. There is a vast variety of music posters, movie memorabilia, vinyl records, comic books and pop culture art flooding the walls. I didn’t take a second glance before I could already tell this was my kind of place.

I was instantly greeted by the friendly and welcoming owners of the store, Jeremy Swisher and Annie Bruduig. When I told them my mission, they pointed me in the direction of the menu. Looking at the dog descriptions, I couldn’t believe what I was reading.

These are not your average hot dogs, I thought. Siracha, tater stick and kraut dogs, hot dogs with marinara and mozzarella, hot dogs with mac ‘n’ cheese and baked beans? This place doesn’t mess around.

When it came down to selecting a hot dog from the menu, I quickly found myself getting transfixed by the number of options. There were so many enticing and unique selections of hot dogs, I had to ask the owner for a recommendation so I could make up my mind.

He suggested the Chester Fester dog, which is a hot dog layered with gooey mac ‘n’ cheese, chili and a heap of crunchy Cheetos. I had never tasted such a complex flavor mixture on a hot dog.

I sat down in a booth to indulge in my monstrous dog. However, I quickly realized I would not be able to pick this hot dog up with my hands, so I grabbed a knife and fork and began to eat.

This was the first time I had ever needed utensils to eat a hot dog, but that was alright with me.

Upon the first bite, I was delighted by the flavors. This hot dog tasted like a beautiful creation of junk food geniusness. The gooey mac ‘n’ cheese was warm and delicious and the chili added a whole extra element of meaty flavor.

However, I think it was the crushed Cheetos that were added on top of the dog that made the meal. The overall blend of hot dog, gooey cheese and crunchy Cheetos was perfect for my hungry taste buds.

The only bad part about my meal was when I finished my dog because I was left craving for another.

Along with the delicious dogs, what I think really makes this place great is the fact that it is connected to a record store called Ojata Records.

The music and comic themed environment makes Dogmahal a great place to sit down, relax and enjoy a hot dog you probably won’t find anywhere else. This is a place you’ll want to stay for awhile, especially when the owner invites you to put on a vinyl record of your choice.

Students should definitely give the Dogmahal Doghaus a try, especially since they offer student a 15 percent discount when you show your student ID.

Students can find more information about Dogmahal and Ojata Records on their Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/OjataRecords

Amanda Hefner is a features writer for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected]