19 June 20th-June 26th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | and say, ‘I’m so glad you don’t put ketchup in your Chicago Dog.’ They’re very nice, and they almost dared us to come up with a better dog; no one ever said we have a better one than they can get in Chicago. But one person said, ‘It’s the best Chicago Dog west of Mississippi.’ That’s the closest we are going to get.” The two laughed. The fiancees’ camara- derie is contagious and reciprocal. “We are all supportive of each other,” Ades says as he serves hotdogs. And besides the veggie toppings, the main ingredients are locally sourced. “Our Picnic Dog best represents this,” he says. “It is served on a locally made onion bun with a base of cole slaw and a long pickle slice, then topped with a smoked all-beef New York dog from Schreiner’s Sausages here in Phoenix. Next, we add yellow mustard and hot baked beans and top it off with crumbled Lays barbecue chips.” The hot dog spot also turns up the heat with their version of the Sonoran Dog. It comes in a plain bun with a Cajun Andouille pork sausage, pinto beans, smashed avocado with a smidgen of lemon and salt, a tomato slice, diced onions, jala- peños, bacon pieces and Sriracha mayo. “The only thing we changed with our Sonoran Dog is that we don’t wrap the dog in bacon, and we put the Cajun andouille pork sausage because it has a little kick,” Campbell says. “Sonoran almost says it has to be a little spicy.” With all of the dogs, patrons have the option to swap out the pork sausage for a beef dog or a vegan Lightlife Smart Dog. The RoRo Vegan Dog is a treat that comes with an onion bun, a plant-based Lightlife Smart Dog, hummus, lettuce, avocado, tomato, a pickle spear and smoked paprika. The artistry surpasses the $12 signature dogs which also include the Flamer, BLT, Chili Cheese and American dogs. The 300-square-foot restaurant is an art gallery in its own right. Visitors are welcomed with a hand- painted Jesse Perry mural along the elon- gated counter. “The mural represents the neighbor- hood,” Ades says. “It’s a snapshot. So if you are standing across the street and that’s our shop right there, it’s got a mural of the mural, and everybody depicted are hot dogs.” To the left, there’s a lowrider with a “BIG DOG” license plate with a hot dog character driving. “And right there is Chris and me walking our dog,” Ades says. “The dog is represented in a Keith Haring style.” While the place is compact, the glossy white subway tile surrounding the back- drop, the high ceiling with exposed AC ducts and water sprinklers, and the ketchup-red and mustard-yellow walls make the place feel larger. Campbell added a montage of hot dog signs and art, plus Top Dogs from p 17 merch on the walls. RoRo Dogs also serves $10 RoRo Chip bags. The chip bags are a familiar dish with many names, such as walking tacos or Tostilocos. At RoRo’s, they cut open a bag of Fritos, regular Cheetos or Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, and pile the toppings and chopped hot dogs on top of the chips. As the aroma of sizzling hot dogs fills the air and laughter spills from the store onto Roosevelt Row, RoRo Dogs has quickly become a beloved spot for the neighborhood and during First Friday. The place’s been growing in popularity organi- cally despite the two not advertising. “One night, Chris and I were discussing what to do with this fantastic office space on Roosevelt,” Ades concludes. “And I quickly suggested a hot dog shop. Then Chris said, ‘Let me think about this.’ Ninety seconds later, we decided a hot dog shop is just what the row needs.” RoRo Dogs 610 E. Roosevelt St., Unit #140 Roosevelt Row’s new hot dog shop serves specialty flavors, including Chicago and Sonoran dogs.(Photo by Jennifer Goldberg)
