Food

Dirt Cheap Eats 2009: Windy City Red Hots

When Chicago native Angel Miranda moved to Virginia 12 years ago, he missed the Windy City’s many street carts. So he channeled his cravings into this white truck stationed in a nursery parking lot, where he offers sausage-stuffed pizza puffs ($3.75), shaved Italian beef ($7.75), cheese fries ($2.25), and Italian sausage with hot peppers ($3.75).

The cart’s eponymous offering, the Windy City Red Hot ($2.93), is the standout. Miranda imports all ingredients—from the Vienna Beef dog to the poppy-seed bun—from Illinois. Garnished with the requisite Chicago toppings—mustard, relish, onions, tomato, pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt—the hot dog could have come straight from the Magnificent Mile.

Open Tuesday through Saturday 11 to 5, Sunday noon to 4.

>> See all Dirt Cheap Eats Restaurants   

Ann Limpert
Executive Food Editor/Critic

Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.