The Original Hot Dog Stand
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Hot Dogging It Intro >
"So, what is so original about the Original?"
Essie's Original Hot Dog Stand
opened down the street from Forbes Field just before the 1960 World Series that
Bill Mazerowski won with that famous home run. You know the place is successful
when bus drivers announce the stop at the corner of Forbes Avenue and Bouquet
Street as "The Dirty O," a moniker used by both students and cops. Mostly,
though, it is just called "The O." It's the type of place that has the
distinction of needing what it calls a 10 percent "security surcharge" on all
its products after midnight Sundays through Thursdays and after 10 on Friday and
Saturday nights. Many a police call has originated from The O and the four
corners of the intersection at which it sits. When of the University of
Pittsburgh or Carnegie Mellon graduates who have long since moved away find out
that Munch is a resident of Pittsburgh, they ask, "Is the O still there?" It's
as if they can't imagine a place such as the Original Hot Dog Shop could survive
their graduation. There are reasons for that.
The O is truly an original.
The House that Essie Built !
2007 Stealing the
Steel City: Two original's in the Original !!
Two Superdogs (Kosher hot dog,
American cheese, and Bacon)
with a copious amount of Fries
With two superdogs, a "small" fry, and two Bass
Ales, the boys dug into the dogs and fries. The dogs were actually pretty good,
but the combo of american cheese and bacon was a bit much. The fries however
were awesome !!! Final analysis, if they were in the area, they would stop in
again.