Yonge Piggies – Canadian-style hot dogs in Sheung Wan

The pig is centre of attention in Hong Kong at the moment – first with the smash opening and enormous popularity The Salted Pig and now with Yonge Piggies. In case you hadn’t heard, Yonge (pronounced ‘young’) Piggies is a Canadian hotdog joint named after hotdog vendor-lined Yonge Street in Toronto.

With its retro neon signs, metal clad décor and open front complete with high red stools, Yonge Piggies does indeed look like it’s been transported straight from North America to the corner of Bonham Strand and Jervois Street, much like its Canadian sausages.

Said sausages, which are grilled to juicy perfection, come in three flavours: Head Prefect (honey garlic), Prom Queen (picante pepper) and Hippie (hickory smoked). All are served in a butter bun, and can be purchased on their lonesome for a steep $65, topped with chilli (‘Chubbs’) or cheese sauce (‘Dork’) for an even steeper $75, or as part of a combo set with either fries or a salad and soft drink for a slightly silly $85 or $95.

I tried a Prom Queen combo with chips and a bottle of water. I had first asked for an iced tea, but was told this would cost an additional $12 on top of the combo price, so I changed it for water, and was still charged an additional $4. Minus points were awarded immediately – I don’t drink fizzy drinks, so why should I be penalised for this?!

When I had finished grumbling about soft drinks, I walked on to the condiments counter, where toppings included grated cheddar, jalapenos, olives, onions, bacon bits, tomatoes, sweetcorn, sauerkraut, guacamole and relish. I chose guacamole, cheese, tomatoes and jalapenos.

So how did it taste, you ask? Completely lip-smackingly delicious. The buttery, soft and almost slightly sweet homemade bun was perfect, contrasting wonderfully with the crisp skin of the sausage that was bursting full of smoky, slightly spicy and ever-so-juicy meat. The condiments were obviously a bonus, particularly the jalapenos.

As for the ‘fries’ (I’ll stick with chips so I don’t betray my British roots!), they weren’t piping hot and could have been a little crispier, although that didn’t stop me from eating them! Next time, I might upgrade to the poutine or the chilli fries for an extra $6…

I’d like to put the far-from-perfect service down to the fact that when I visited, Yonge Piggies had only just opened; I believe I have already shared my views on the prices, particularly the unnecessary add-ons!

Nevertheless, regardless of the mediocre service and slightly disagreeable prices, Yonge Piggies has tapped into a hole in the market, serving scrumptious hotdogs in a very favourable location. Thinking about it, perhaps the higher prices are a blessing in disguise – as my wallet definitely won’t stretch to daily visits, thankfully there’s less danger of me turning into a piggy myself!

Yonge Piggies G/F, 1 Jervois St, Sheung Wan
2104 7218 www.yongepiggies.com/

Check out more from Ale on her fab blog, The Dim Sum Diaries!