The Mesa Solar Sox play in the newest ballpark in the Phoenix area: Sloan Park. Having been there in March I was looking forward to returning as it is a truly spectacular venue. I was also sure they would have a Chicago Dog. It is, after all, the spring training home of the those lovable losers the Chicago Cubs. I was wrong.
The Solar Sox do offer a regular hot dog, a Polish dog and a brat so they have a better than average selection. I opted for the brat since the Chicago area is known for them and it was the biggest dog available.
At least Mesa had the foresight to stock up on some sauerkraut for the brat. There were also onions and jalapenos available. While this sounds sparse, it is actually one of the better condiments selection in the Arizona Fall League. What was not enviable at Sloan Park was the service. To date it had the biggest crowd, but it wasn’t huge. It took me TWO INNINGS of standing in line to get a brat. No kidding. TWO INNINGS. I have no idea what the holdup was. Once I was at the counter it took me about two minutes to complete the entire transaction. Unacceptable for any sports venue.
Appeal-a brat seemed nice after a slew of average hot dogs. 3.5
Ingredients-skimpy on the sauerkraut
Value-at $6 it was not a bad deal 3.5
Monstrosity Factor-SLIGHTLY bigger than the average dog. 2.5
Uniqueness-for the AFL it is unique. 3
Overall Taste-not too bad, but I wasn’t running back for another. 3.5
| APPEAL | 3.5 |
| INGREDIENTS | 3 |
| UNIQUENESS | 3 |
| MONSTROSITY FACTOR | 2.5 |
| VALUE | 3.5 |
| OVERALL TASTE | 3.5 |
| TOTAL | 19 |
While no dog has broken the 20 barrier yet, a score of 19 puts the Solar Sox on top. What they really need is a real specialty dog. A Chicago dog would be ideal for this ballpark but I concocted the following for the team:
Sun Burst Dog
- soft bun brushed with cornmeal
- Hebrew National frank
- man n cheese topping
- crushed red pepper
Because the sun is mainly yellow, and hot. Get it?
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