Customers often ask: why does Hotdogray's chili need a dozen-plus spices? Honestly, it didn't start out with that many. The pot has arrived at today's version through a lot of gradual tweaking, and there's a story behind it.
It Didn't Start With a Dozen-Plus Spices
In the beginning, it really wasn't a dozen-plus spices. As I studied American and Mexican cooking, I kept digging up references and gradually adjusted the flavor into something both Taiwanese and American palates could enjoy. It wasn't a one-shot thing — it came from trial after trial.
Chili Is Like an American Version of Braised Pork Rice Sauce
I first got to know chili through American friends. I later learned that in American and Mexican culture, chili is a lot like Taiwan's braised pork rice sauce — every household has its own unique recipe. There's no standard answer, only "your family's" flavor.
That American friend I knew back then had his own family chili recipe, but the flavor wasn't quite right for Taiwanese tastes — sometimes too salty, sometimes too spicy. I used his recipe as a base and kept adjusting and pairing ingredients over time, and it gradually became the version Hotdogray uses today.
Three Hours of Simmering Alone — and the Full Process Is Even Longer
Hotdogray's chili has a long production process. First, the onions and pork get sautéed — both need to be cooked just right. Then the red beans are prepared. Only after that do the dozen-plus spices go in, and once they do, it still needs three more hours of simmering for the flavors to truly come together. This isn't something you can just boil for a bit and serve.
The spice blend takes precise calculation — every spice is compensating for what the others lack. Leave one out, and the whole pot's balance falls apart. That's why neither the amounts nor the order can be changed casually.
Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, Americans Come to Me for Chili
A lot of Americans in Taiwan come straight to me when they're missing a taste of home, asking me to make them a batch of chili — especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas, when the requests really pick up.
I think part of the reason is that living in Taiwan as a foreigner isn't easy to begin with, and tracking down all these spices themselves is genuinely difficult. There's also another group: back home, it was always mom doing the cooking, so they never really learned how — but they still miss the flavor and want to taste it again.
So, Where's the Best Chili?
If you ask me where the best chili is, I'll say: right here. The best chili is at Hotdogray — no question about it, in my book. If you want to try it, come to AI DARTS in Taipei's Da'an District and order a chili dog, or add chili fries. See the full menu here.
