First, I want to mention that Casper's is celebrating its 75th birthday by selling their basic Casper Dog for 75 cents all day on Tuesday, July 28th, at all eight of their locations.
Now, down to business. After getting the okay from my crack medical team, I decided to eat at all eight locations in a single day. But alas, I'm not 20 any more and I don't have the metabolism of a hummingbird. This is going to take much, much longer than I had originally anticipated. Below are my thoughts on four of the restaurants. I rank them at the end. Come back later when I review the other four and rank them all.
Walnut Creek Caspers Hot Dogs, 1280 Newell Hill Place
The Walnut Creek Caspers is situated in a strip mall kitty corner from Whole Foods. Though the building is newish, the management tried (forced) to make the dining area look old school, with mixed results. There's a retired couple eating and an old man enters just before me. They must be Rossmoor residents. I wonder if they are just hankerin' for a hot dog or if they are here because of the lousy economy.
Only one employee worked there. She was the cook and the cashier. She wasn't friendly and she wasn't surly. Let's say she was apathetic. I got the chili dog ($3.49). I eat it with a spork and knife. The chili was wet and bland. I always fancied myself a fan of chili dogs, but I don't think I've ever had a good one. The highlight was the steamed bun-- it was sweet, spongy, but firm.
Pleasant Hill Caspers Hot Dogs, 6 Vivian Drive
Ah, much better. As I pull up, I see that this location is much older and more traditional than the Walnut Creek one. This is the home of Dolores Larkin, the Hot Dog Lady, who has been serving dogs since 1955.Inside, it is much more crowded and the staff is friendlier. I got a regular Casper Dog with ketchup ($2.69). I let the cook put on the ketchup and she put too much on. I spend much of my mealtime wiping excess ketchup off of my dog.
As I walk back to my car, I feel gross. And I've only had two hot dogs. How do Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi do it?
Richmond Caspers Hot Dogs, 2530 MacDonald Avenue
I've lived in some sketchy neighborhoods, so I can say with authority that the Richmond Caspers is in a so-so neighborhood. The clientele is definitely Hillary-Clinton-hard-working-blue-collar.
I'm growing tired of hot dogs so I order a chicken dog ($2.89). It's supposedly 80% chicken and 20% turkey. What can I say, I'm a health freak. I don't know what toppings to choose so I ask the cook to put on what she likes on hers-- mustard tomato, and onion.
I take a bite. The chicken dog definitely does not taste like a regular hot dog. It's a good combination with the toppings. But then, the aftertaste of the chicken dog hits me. It's gamey, almost funky. Oh dear.
Albany Caspers Hot Dogs, 545 San Pablo Avenue
Architecturally speaking, this is the most interesting so far. It reminds me of 1970s apartment buildings, and for some reason, Sea Ranch along the Sonoma-Mendocino coast. The place was packed with customers.As I wait in line, I realize that this place has virtually zero overhead. There is no kitchen. It's just a steamer for the buns and dogs (a steel contraption divided into three compartments suspended over a three-burner gas stove), a crock pot for the chili, and a large fridge. The lack of frying means there's no greasy feel or smell when you walk in.
I order a hot link ($3.09). Is it better than Top Dog's? No. The dog itself is spicy hot and tasty, but the fundamental problem is that it's steamed and not grilled. Same goes for the steamed buns. It's just not quite right, although the Casper's hot link may be my favorite Casper's dog.
I think when it comes down to food preferences-- steamed versus grilled dogs, thin verus thick pizza crust-- it's all about what you grew up eating.
Oakland Caspers Hot Dogs, 5440 Telegraph Avenue
This is the most familiar Caspers location for me. It always bums me out when I go inside. It might be because there is no counter right next to the serving/prep area. It might be the echo-y, cavernous interior. It might be the poor lighting.
I order a beef tamale ($3.19). It is steamed in a plastic casing and looks like the Fat Man bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki. I ask for cheese and tamale sauce on top. It is not authentic. There is no corn husk. The masa tastes overprocessed. I think I even chewed on a piece of tendon in the beef filling. But you know what? It's delicious. I think this is my favorite item at the hot dog joint.
Dublin Caspers Hot Dogs, 6998 Village Parkway
The service here is extremely friendly and the employees seem really happy. I order a Polish dog ($3.19) without any drinks and the lady there insists that I have a cup of water with my meal. It is much better than the bland, regular Casper dog and not as spicy as the almost too overpowering hot link. This is the best dog at Caspers.
Hayward Caspers Hot Dogs, 951 C Street
Architecturally, this is the most interesting. This is the local hangout and everyone knows each other here. It is also the only place where you can ignore the signs on the counter that say "NO COUNTER SERVICE". I get the chili cheese dog ($4.19). As I eat it with a spork and knife, I feel like I'm performing surgery. I am getting full.Hayward Caspers Hot Dogs, 21670 Foothill Blvd.
Ah, my last Caspers. I thought I'd go out with a bang with a double dog ($4.19), which is just that-- two dogs in one bun. But I feel so bloated that I go the other extreme and just get a Caspers Jr. dog ($1.99). It might be an optical illusion, but it looks like a regular Casper dog, but with a smaller bun.
Caspers Hot Dogs Rankings
1. Dublin
2. Hayward (C Street)
3. Albany
4. Richmond
5. Pleasant Hill
6. Hayward (Foothill Blvd.)
7. Oakland
8. Walnut Creek
Miscellaneous factoid: All of the employees you see are union members. They get medical, pension, the works. I think that's awesome. I don't think I know of any other fast food place like it.
You left out San Pablo Caspers
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