Although a mere coffeeshop and therefore not as awesome as a hotdog stand, Texespresso does however have a number of hotdog and sausage related products, in the food case on the opposite side of the Tiramisu slices. Located near the Alamo Drafthouse Village, this is the coffeeshop that most slackers forget about. It is largely empty and quiet with a neighborhood feel which is completed by the signed photos of Playboy playmates.
The "pig in a blanket" variation on a hotdog has always been the meek little brother of a connoisseur’s dog experience, and the Texespresso pig in a blanket is no exception. After microwave warming the fluffy roll "blanket" takes on a cheery and comforting fluff. It’s like laying your head on a pillow with a dryer-fresh case.
But once through the bun, the sausage inside is a cruel disappointment. Hard and small, this tube of meat seems like a joke. Is this supposed to be a pig? More like a hamster.
Texespresso Pig in a Blanket: Grade C
Fiesta Snack Stand
The last thing you see when you leave the Fiesta supermarket on 38.5st is the snack stand. Most likely you are already loaded down with bags of Salvadoran snack chips and Japanese canned drinks. A boring old snack stand offering icecream cones, velveeta nachos, and hotdogs is probably the last thing on your mind.
On first taste the hotdog overwhelms with a surprising freshness. There is little flashy about the ingredients or the condiments, but everything seems like it has been cared for. The bun is warm and soft without a trace of stale. The jalepeno slices are crisp and wet. And the pork dog is perfectly heated, having reached the optimum balance between being cured on the heating carousel and being over-done. Biting into the plump pink firmness, there’s an almost virile mouth-feel. As an after shopping snack, you could do little better.
Fiesta Snack Stand Dog: Grade B