Dog Haus with Dani Fernandez

"Dog Haus with Dani Fernandez" is Episode 257 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Dog Haus with Dani Fernandez" was released on June 25, 2020.

## Synopsis

Writer and actor Dani Fernandez (*Girls on the Bus*, *Nerdificent*) guests to review Pasadena founded and rapidly expandly gourmet hot dog and sausage chain Dog Haus. Plus, another edition of pastry guessing game Pie In This Guy.

## Nick's intro

Few single events have altered the course of American history like the October 4, 1957 launch of Sputnik 1. Earth's first artificial satellite was a triumph of Soviet engineering and Stateside, it incited a characteristically American combination of xenophobic paranoia and dick-measuring competitiveness that led to the decade-plus long Space Race. Among the reactions to Sputnik and the looming threat of Soviet space dominance was giving NASA control of a cutting-edge rocketry research facility in Pasadena, California: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL.

During the '50s and '60s, JPL, with the aid of German rocket scientists imported under the morally tenuous Operation Paperclip, developed the crucial Jupiter rockets and matched the Soviet Sputnik achievement with the launch of the American Explorer 1 satellite in 1958. As the Space Race heated up like the thermal re-entry panels on a Shuttle, JPL also led the unmanned Ranger and Surveyor missions to Earth's moon, a critical proof-of-concept which led to the legendary manned Apollo missions.

JPL continues to operate to this day in partnership with neighboring Cal Tech University and has created numerous other advancements in space flight and exploration; most notably the Mars Rover missions.

And JPL is one of the key reasons Pasadena is on the map, along with the city's Rose Bowl and Rose Parade, and the Jan and Dean song, often misattributed to the Beach Boys, about the town a little old lady is from. And the sunny SoCal town's latest claim to fame is a gourmet hot-dog and sausage chain co-founded by a trio of restaurant-industry veterans in 2010.

Slinging sausage in a biergarten concept borrowed from the Germans in a metaphorical Operation Paperclip, the chain became a beloved local haunt and in 2016, the budding business set its sights on national expansion by joining the swelling ranks of eateries in the stable of American Franchise Partners, which has grown restaurants like Popeyes, Tim Horton's, and Wingstop.

Today with over 130 franchises open, or planned to open - some with full biergarten concepts, others with more modest dining rooms - and plans with as many as 500 locations nationwide, this high- end wiener purveyor is propelling itself into the stratosphere... much like a Jupiter rocket designed by its Pasadena neighbors at JPL.

This week on *Doughboys*, Dog Haus.

## Fork rating

* Chili the Kid Haus Dog
* Reservoir Hog Haus Sausage
* Thai Fighter Haus Sausage
* Bacon-Wrapped Corn Dog
* Impossible Slider
* Chili Cheese Tots
* Vanilla Shake
 Mike Mitchell
* Scott Baioli Haus Dog
* Reservoir Hog Haus Sausage
* The Mensch Haus Burger
* Corn Dog Slider
* Fries
 Dani Fernandez
* Turkey Haus Dog
	+ Sauerkraut
	+ Caramelized Onions

With these scores, Dog Haus joins the Golden Plate Club!

## Pie In This Guy 🥧

In this segment, Nick presents a mystery pie and a series of clues, and Mitch and the guest try to guess the flavor. To aid their guess, they have two lifelines: Ask Emma and an Eye Test.

For this episode, the mystery pie was a Blueberry Pie.

Mitch got this after on the first clue, upsetting Dani, who claimed this episode was rigged.

## Mitch's Pie In This Guy 🥧

This segment is when Nick presents a mystery pie and a series of clues, and Nick and the guest try to guess the flavor. To aid their guess, they have two lifelines: Ask Emma and an Eye Test.

## Dani's Pie In This Guy 🥧

This segment is when Dani presents a mystery pie and a series of clues, and Nick and Mitch try to guess the flavor. To aid their guess, they have two lifelines: Ask Emma and an Eye Test.

## Quotes

**Dani**: It depends what you put in it though...
**Mitch**: Pancakes?

## The Feedbag

Naturally, I thought this was an abomination and had never tried it, but instead, I told him with enthusiasm that I loved Pizzazz Pizza.
Turns out, it's pretty damned good and I quickly fessed up that it was my first time trying and enjoying it.
Have you ever lied about liking or having tried a food to impress a romantic interest?

## Related Episodes

* 257. Dog Haus
* DD. Pie Noon: Easy Bake Region

## Photos

Dog HausThai Fighter and Reservoir HogBYO Beef Chorizo on French Roll and Chili the KidChili Cheese Tots and Downtown DogImpossible Slider and Bacon Wrapped Corn DogChili Cheese TotsDowntown DogChili the KidThai Fighter