Colorado Rockies: Taco Dog

You know how much I love Coors Field. Great location, ambiance, fans, food, electricity...it is just a great all around ballpark. Last year it tied for second place in the overall hotdog/baseball experience. But how does it do for a specialty dog venue?

I’ll get to that, but first know that I went to extremes to get this report for you. Poor planning on my part had me at Coors Field on opening day with tickets sold out weeks in advance. I tried StubHub, but I am even more convinced they cater to those flush with cash, the day of the game a few seats dipped just below $100. Did I mention I do these trips on a budget? I was working the Craigslist angle but every time one would show up that was $50 or less it was gobbled up before I could respond, plus at mid morning I was still hurtling towards Denver in my trusty RAV4. Rule of Craig’s List is that the first person to show up with cash wins.

I had to take my chances with the scalpers at the ballpark. The first guy wanted $160. For that kind of money I figured I would get to pitch at least two innings. Then the baseball gods smiled upon me and I met a guy who had 4 tickets from friends that could not make it (it was an afternoon game) and wanted to just get face value back from his investment. Price? $35 a seat. Bingo. I was in.

Then there was the security issue. The Rockies now use metal detectors for entry. Upon arrival I asked why they had not opened the gates yet, they looked closed from the long, stagnant lines. Answer: they had been open  for about 2 hours. Ay caramba! Hopefully the Rockies learned that if you want to implement extra security make sure you have the process smoothed out before using it. The result was some pretty pissed off fans.

Now the dog. The Rockies offer up a bevy of specialty dogs. At the Extreme Dog counter you can get the:

Denver Dog-stinking green chili, shredded cheddar cheese, fresh jalapenos.

Diablo Dog-red chili, diced red onions, shredded pepper jack cheese, fresh jalapenos.

New York Dog-sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard, diced onion, sliced peppers.

Santa Fe Dog-sour cream, red chili, fresh jalapenos, shredded cheddar cheese.

Chicago Dog-relish, diced onions, sport peppers, wedge tomatoes, cucumbers, spicy mustard, celery salt.

Bacon Bleu Dog-blue cheese dressing, blue cheese crumbles, diced red onions, bacon.

But the one they are raving about this year at Coors Field is the new Taco Dog. It starts with a chorizo frank on a soft bun topped with shredded cheese, lettuce and pico de gallo. How did it do as the first dog to test the new specialty dog rating system?

Appeal-top score. Everyone loves a taco don’t they? Combining taco taste with a hot dog sounds downright delicious. 5

Ingredients-all things in this dog are taco related and compliment each other well. Everything was fresh. 5

Uniqueness-while it may sound simple, I have not come across a Taco Dog in all of my ballpark travels. I am surprised it has not graced more venues but Denver is the first to really catapult it to fame. It looses a half of a point because it really is kind of a mundane concept, nothing outrageous about it. 4.5

Monstrosity Factor-this is the Taco Dog’s lowest scoring category. While delicious, it is basically just a loaded hot dog. 2.5

Value-$6 for a loaded specialty dog is really a great bargain at an MLB stadium. Top score. 5

Overall Taste-it doesn’t have the crunchiness of a taco, but that is a good thing. Crunchy means stale in the hot dog world. The chorizo frank was fabulous and spicy and combined with the other ingredients was damn tasty. 5

APPEAL	5
INGREDIENTS	5
UNIQUENESS	4.5
MONSTROSITY FACTOR	2.5
VALUE	5
OVERALL TASTE	5
TOTAL	27

With a score of 27 out of 30 the Taco Dog at Coors Field is the new leader. Well...it’s the only leader. But the other 29 teams have some stiff competition. But don’t take my word for it. Typically rockpile tickets at Coors Field are $4 meaning for $10 you can have a Taco Dog in the bleachers. Now THAT is a deal. See you at the ballpark.