Portuguese Hot Dogs Are An Absolute Game Changer

I was today years old when I discovered what a Portuguese hot dog is.

We broadcast live last week from Fall River’s Day of Portugal. Upon arriving at the Gates of the City, the enticing scents of Portuguese food filled the air.

There was cacoila and bifanas, steak sandwiches and chicken Mozambique, but what stood out the most for me was the Portuguese hot dog from Bem Bom Portuguese/American Culinary Fusion food truck.

"Bem Bom" means "very good" and that name is apt.

The hot dogs are usually paired with a tomato-based sauce, then topped with a variety of options such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, shoestring potato sticks and cheese. This one, however, was a jumbo hot dog (and I mean thick) served on a Portuguese-style bread roll (almost like a hoagie) with chourico, mayo, mustard, coleslaw, corn, melted cheese and, most importantly, the shoestring potato sticks.

The flavor was an instant 10/10. There was an American/Portuguese fusion in my mouth like I’ve never experienced before.

The size of this monstrous hot dog puts the Fenway Frank to shame.

Although fries are a great pairing with the cachorro quente (you guessed it, that's Portuguese for hot dog), you might have difficulty finishing both. The hot dog is that big.

Enjoy.

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Gallery Credit: Kasey Dudek

The Best of South Shore Bar Pizza

There's pizza, and then there's South Shore Bar Pizza. Birthed in Brockton (and to this writer, perfected in Randolph – Lynwood Café is the true G.O.A.T.), it must meet certain qualifications to be considered "SSBP," which include: it's a 10-inch pie; it has a thin, cracker-like crust with minimal "flop;" the cheese is a blend that features more cheddar than mozzarella; and bonus points if you take it home between two carboard-type plates wrapped in flat brown paper bag. They also usually come with "laced" or "burnt" edges (terminology depends on where you are ordering), which is when the sauce and cheese are extended all the way to the edge of the pan, creating a crispy, flavorful coating to the crust. We reached out to the hugely popular South Shore Bar Pizza Social Club Facebook group to ask the experts to share the best of the best (in no particular order).

Gallery Credit: Tim Weisberg