All hail the world’s best hot dog: the Chicago dog.

Chi-Town has always had and always will have their dogs on lock, because Chicago dogs are everything a hot dog should be: A melody of fresh and vinegary toppings on top of a greasy tube of meat.

Now, if you don’t like pickles or mustard for whatever reason, then you probably disagree with me, and you probably won’t enjoy this story very much.

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I accept that many people have strongly held and differing opinions on hot dogs (not to mention the debate over whether it’s a sandwich or not — a different story entirely). I’m a bit of an ardent purist about this topic (keep your ketchup away), so I apologize in advance for any hurt feelings in the hot dog debate, and I recognize that everyone’s hot dog journey is their own.

Disclaimer aside, Chicago dogs are notoriously difficult to find done really right outside of the Windy City, and they usually come with some modifications or unauthorized liberties taken to bastardize the hot dog in some fashion (again, ketchup).

In short, a good Chicago-style hot dog should have: An all-beef frankfurter (traditionally boiled, though I love them grilled, too); yellow mustard (preferably French’s); chopped, white onions; sweet pickle relish; a dill pickle spear; half-moon slices of tomatoes; pickled sport peppers and celery salt, all wrapped up (with love) on a poppy seed bun.

While it’s not perfect, Slider Inn serves up a very solid iteration of the beloved Chicago dog.

I kind of always chuckle when I scan over the menu at Slider Inn. Some of the categories get me: Sissy Bar & Soup’d Up, Daily Grinders, Tailpipe Pleasers and Custom Choppers. There are three hot dog options to choose from at Slider Inn: A plain hot dog for $9, an “Exhaust Pipe Chili” cheese dog (dare we ask?) for $10 and the Chicago Dog for $11.

Let me get my nitpicking out of the way: 

First, Slider Inn’s Chicago Dog doesn’t come on a poppy seed bun. Its starchy vehicle is more like a thick slab of Texas toast, which is tasty but a bit big for its britches and pushes out the mountain of ingredients on each bite. Second, the mustard is squirted on top of everything instead of directly on the frankfurter, which makes it extra-sloppy.

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But these are minor dings — we’re not in Chicago after all. Besides, otherwise, everything is in its rightful place. The melody of sweet, savory, spicy and vinegary flavors coalesce between the soft, chewy bread to compliment the beef. When the ingredients fall out, a fat basket of shoestring fries sits adjacent on the tray, which can be used to sop up stray mustard and sweet relish. 

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I salute Slider Inn in its efforts to bring a decent Chicago dog down South. Even without the poppy seed bun, it’ll do the trick for even the most vehement nitrate-filled elitist.

Slider Inn has two locations, one in Midtown at 2117 Peabody Ave. and one Downtown at 363 Mulberry St. The Midtown location is open Sundays through Thursdays, 11 a.m.-1 a.m., and Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-3 a.m. The Downtown location is open Sundays through Thursdays, 11 a.m.- 10:30 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-1 a.m.