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Rosamunde: Not exactly the Best of the Wurst
By Gaurav Singh
I need to preface this review with a succinct proclamation: I love hot dogs.
I always have. From Oscar Mayer Wieners and Foster Farms chicken franks to ballpark
dogs and Aidells gourmet sausages, nothing quite hits the spot like a good hot
dog. My friends at Berkeley dubbed me the Top Dog godfather, as I was the first
in our group to sample all 12 dogs on the Top Dog menu. In another life, I would
have been the incarnation of Ferris Bueller's Abe Frohman, the sausage
king of Chicago. Alas, we can only dreamÉ
With that said, nothing quite infuriates me like a mediocre hot dog, particularly
one that has been so highly praised by several acquaintances and online reviews.
Rosamunde Sausage Grill, a wienie establishment located in the lower Haight,
serves the sausages to which I refer. Now, please do not misconstrue my message.
Most store-bought franks are mediocre if not inferior hot dogs, but they make
no pretense of being spectacular, and their prices equate to their quality.
These two simple facts make them quite palatable and even satisfying, while
frankfurters at movie theaters are just plain gross. In contrast, Rosamunde
dogs do not live up to the hype they have generated in the sausage community.
At first glance, the eatery is quite impressive. Although small and lacking
in seating, Rosamunde is a clean, well lit joint that imparts the sense of an
authentic Chicago or New York establishment with a San Francisco flair. The
narrow counter tops and stools beg for quick stand-and-eat. The menu looks impressive,
with 14 gourmet sausages, ranging from standard beef, pork, and chicken dogs
to lamb with potato, duck with figs, and wild boar. A vegan "organic spicy
sausage" even graces the menu. Brands include Schwartz, Montebello, Saag's,
and Fabrique Delices. The walls are adorned with Thomas Kemper sodas
and Kettle Chips. These enticements likely lure the hip, young clientele.
My chief complaint with Rosamunde hot dogs is that they lack character and unique
personalities. Two of my dog connoisseur companions eagerly accompanied me to
the locale, only to be disappointed. At two dogs a piece, we covered a decent
variety of wieners, including wild boar, spicy lamb and beef, and Cajun smoked
spicy pork. To our dismay, the dogs were quite bland, and several were excessively
gamey. It was difficult to discern one frank from another. I refused to settle
so hastily, so I made a return visit with poultry in mind. The duck with figs
and the chicken with smoked peppers & garlic told the same story: bland
and indistinguishable. Make no mistake, I tried to become a believer —
it just was not happening.
A few other things perturbed me: lousy parking, high price to quality ratio
($3.75 or $4 per hot dog), hours of operation (closes at 10 p.m.), and the lack
of chopped onions and relish. However, there are a few agreeable elements to
Rosamunde wieners, such as the lovely sweet French rolls and your choice of
two free condiments, including sauerkraut, grilled onions, spicy and sweet peppers,
or spicy beef chilly. Customers are also allowed to bring their dogs to the
adjacent bar, Tornado, which has a fantastic selection of microbrews. Oh, and
the Andouille (Cajun smoked spicy pork) was the only good hot dog among the
ones I sampled.
While a hot dog is defined as a sum of its parts, a true connoisseur must pass
judgment on the neat specimen. Based on this, I deem Rosamunde decent but ultimately
inadequate. Perhaps I've been spoiled with such institutions as Top Dog
(2534 Durant Ave,
Berkeley) How can you beat a killer hot link or kielbasa for $2.50 at a place
that closes at 3 a.m.? For those who may not know any better, Rosamunde may
do the trick, and I might even return if I happen to be in the area and very
hungry. But I have come to expect more from an establishment whose mission is
to serve gourmet hot dogs and cater to sausage aficionados.
Rosamunde Sausage Grill
545 Haight Street
437-6851
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