Mo' Cheese Dogs

Mo' Cheese Dogs is a hot dog cart located in Salem, Oregon. They may either be in downtown Salem, at the corner of High St. NE and Chemeketa St. NE, or on State St. (east side, past Lancaster Drive). German, Elyse, and Priscila Narcio share their take on a Sonoran hot dog. What does that mean? Bacon-wrapped hot dogs!

I had seen the cart a couple times before in downtown Salem. Each time, the words "bacon-wrapped hot dogs" tried to reel me in. I played a stubborn fish, ignoring the bait for the time being. But one sunny Wednesday, I basically said "to hell with this...bacon!"

The sweeter bacon-wrapped hot dog,
using "maple bacon wrapped goodness"

The "original," still with a bacon-wrapped dog (no maple)

There are two types of hot dogs here, both very similar. The first ($4) is really a regular bacon-wrapped hot dog, with ham, melted cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms, guacamole, tomato, etc. The other selection ($4.50) is a maple bacon-wrapped hot dog, paired with black forest ham (other toppings basically remain the same). Didn't take long for me to get the sweeter maple version.

Maple bacon-wrapped hot dog w/jalapenos
(Mo' Cheese Dogs)

I really liked this hot dog. It has such a colorful appearance, with multiple layers and textures going on with each bite. For people with more "normal" appetites, one should go a long way towards filling them up. For me, I'd probably need at least three to even think about calling it a day (assuming I'm not eating anywhere else).

With the abundance of ingredients, I am concerned that certain components may ultimately get lost in the mix, especially the bacon and the dog itself. The avocado and fresh tomatoes played their supporting roles well. The onions were nicely caramelized, the mushrooms wonderfully sauteed.

I also mentioned to them that I had difficulty picking the entire product up. The rather-small bun was the right size for the bacon-wrapped wiener, yet collapsed under the weight of all the other ingredients. The panda needed a fork in public, although in his natural habitat, hands are still perfectly OK.

A larger, heartier bun would be awesome, and perhaps a larger hot dog to ensure it doesn't look too awkward. Granted, the price would likely have to go up to offset any higher food costs, but it should be worth it. How about double-wrapping or triple-wrapping that dog in bacon? I have no problems with that. Greasy? Sure, but bacon grease is cool.

Priscila and Elyse wore real cool T-shirts. Yes, bacon makes anything better!

German, Elyse, and Priscila plan to be open every day for the usual lunch hours (roughly 10-2 or 10-3), and may also do dinner hours near the 4100 block of State Street. They have a Facebook and Twitter, so check them out there as well! 7/10