Sorry about the delay

For lunch yesterday, I went to Herm's Hot Dog and Deli, 409 W. Washington St., Chicago.

These are the best hot dogs I have had in quite a while. Five bucks will get you two dogs with everything. This is a little steep for dogs but this is still downtown Chicago.

Dogs are old-fashioned Vienna Beef hot dogs still in the casing. Most places serve dogs without casings these days. Anyway, they're served in a poppy seed roll covered with just the right amount of mustard, bright green relish, onion bits and tomato bits. Oh, and hot peppers and pickle spears too. This is pretty typical for a Chicago dog but these are somehow better.

I have to take points away for the lack of celery salt -- a must for true Chicago dogs. However, Herm's manages to serve dogs on fresh but not soggy buns. This is difficult for all but the best.

The place is a dump but I don't care about decor unless it's decorated to look old or worn in when the place really isn't like some chain-based dog joints. That's just not cool. Like that one popular place for hot dogs, do you really expect me to believe you're store was built in an old factory? Puh-lease!

We're talking four out of five stars for Herm's Hot Dog and Deli.