The hot dog, a simple yet classic American dish, lacked creativity and overall flavor until a Korean take appeared in Overland Park. K-Street Hotdog intertwines ingredients like mozzarella, potato, crab and seaweed to enrich savory elements into an unforgettable experience. 

Located on 10308 Metcalf Ave., K-Street Hotdog opened in 2021 after the pandemic, offering a glimpse into the taste of Korean street food. The restaurant established a sense of perseverance within the Kansas City Asian community as well as a safe space. The diversity of the customers highlighted the fruition of the rediscovered unity and celebration of Asian business. 

Korean media and music performances played in the background, complimenting the relaxed ambiance and simplistic design. The only method of ordering was through tablets alongside the left side of the restaurant. Little contact was made with the workers as the kitchen was closed off from sight, but kindness seeped from the smiles of each of them as I was handed my order, which consisted of the potato mozzarella stick hot dog and tornado fries (potato chips twisted around a stick). 

The gooeyness of mozzarella cheese enhanced the contrast of the crunchy breading, putting a delightful twist on a once-plain American street food. The structure resembles a corn dog but offers so much more as instead of cornmeal, K-Street Hot Dog  utilizes a mixture of rice, wheat flour and even probiotics. 

Prices range from $3.99 to $8.49 for different dogs as well as sides like waffle fries, tornado fries, Korean sweet pancakes, fried dumplings, crab rangoon, spring rolls, tempura shrimp and sesame balls. For the small cost, the amount of food shocked me. The quality and quantity of my meal made it clear to me that it wouldn’t be my last visit. 

The similarities to the American-style are evident, and yet Korean hotdogs have completely transformed my opinion. K-Street Hotdog took the dish to the next level with stringy mozzarella, deep-fried in sweet dough and lined with stripes of ketchup, mayonnaise or chili sauce.

The key message to take away from this review to grab a quick-bite at K-Street Hotdog is try a different variation of a loved traditional American food or like me, give it another chance.