Xoco grill - closed for good - Memsaab now open...

[KidKruger]

I think 'pretentious' is an over-used term, oft used to describe things people are frightened to try, scared of accepting into their world, or afraid their dated status quo vision of 'how things should be' will be compromised.

As opposed to the dictionary meaning of the word (which, surely, we should all try to adhere to - at least remotely, or where will we be then ?).

Same as the way some people describe art or poetry as 'pretentious', they don't get it / it's not for them - so it's easier to call it 'that' name because that neatly puts all those people who DO like it into the 'wrong' category.

I think that pretty much sums it up. Pat on the back for me there, I think.

[Seabag]

The use of 'pretentious' on here so overused that its power has faded.

Now it means 'I'm just being stupid because it suits me to be'

I think the use on here has been spiked at people 'liking stuff' because it looks good, or makes them feel superior to those who don't like it, or know much about it.

It's previously been used to define a certain middle class affectation of sophistication, just to impress those who may already be equally as impressed with themselves.

[DulwichFox]

There is nothing sophisticated about 'Hot Dogs' Any suggestion that there is, is Pretentious.

Charging ?7.50 does not alter that.

DulwichFox

[Jah Lush]

No one has suggested they are and you're the one who said the food stalls on the market were pretentious. You just make it up as you go along. Anyway...

?7.50 for a fecking hot dog. That's not sophisticated or pretentious, just expensive.

This thread is supposed to be about Xoco, right? Any updates on that or is this conversation headed for the lounge?

[Jeremy]

Didn't the Dogfather place stop trading a few years ago? Were the hot dogs really ?7.50? Where's your source, Fox?

According to here : http://www.helengraves.co.uk/2011/03/27/the-dogfather-east-dulwich they were around the ?4 mark.

[Louisa]

Hotdogs are processed meat that's been cured and boiled. End of discussion. You can use the freshest, tastiest most organic meat in the world served on gold plated sourdough subs, but guess what? It's still just a hotdog. ?7.50 for standing on the roadside eating a hotdog.

Louisa.

[Jeremy]

Is there actually a place on North X Rd selling hot dogs for ?7.50?

[Jah Lush]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> Is there actually a place on North X Rd selling

> hot dogs for ?7.50?

I doubt it, Jeremy. DF has obviously plucked this price out of the air. BTW The Dogfather (Coops) sold his franchise a few years ago before moving back to Australia. It still trades on the NCR.

[Jeremy]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> BTW The Dogfather (Coops)

> sold his franchise a few years ago before moving

> back to Australia. It still trades on the NCR.

Oh right, I knew he'd gone, but didn't realise it was still trading under new owners. Didn't notice it there on the weekend but maybe I missed it.

I remember the hot dogs used to be pretty decent... tasty, filling, and inexpensive. What can you buy for ?4 in Louisa's beloved Pret-a-Manger? Not very bloody much!

If someone's now charging ?7.50 then I agree it's too much, but if F&L are getting all outraged over a made-up price, then well...

[ed_pete]

Come on Louisa - everyone should be able to spoil themselves once in a while and if they feel like spending ?7.50 of their hard earned cash on a hotdog then they should be able to do so. I mean everyone should be able to spend on premium products once in a while, you know like popping into Space NK....

[KidKruger]

I think ?7.50 is the absolute top end - if there even is anything being sold at the hotdog stand for that price.

If you haven't eaten there you're not qualified to say 'just' what the hotdogs 'only' are.

I understand the dogs are beef and come from NY, the fillings etc are more than your watered-down ketchup and they are indeed very tasty.

If your only experience of hotdogs is a pissed-up experience in the car park of a cheap nightclub, or a burger van at a boot sale, then I can empathise with your tainted and misguided impression of what's being sold in NC Rd.

We go there as a treat every few weeks and it's consistently good.

Anyway let's do the Xoco thing, because I'm getting de ja vue from this repeat conversation.

[Peckhampam]

I find threads get awfully boring when the usual suspects mount their hobby horses and start sounding off and doing it ad nauseam.

[Louisa]

What is ad nauseum about me commenting on the price of a hotdog? I can't remember the last time I spoke about hotdogs on this forum. It's your money, do what you want with it! Must be a totally amazing culinary experience based on those prices.

Louisa.

[Jah Lush]

They don't cost ?7.50. That's a price DF made up on the spot. I know that when Cooper ran the Dogfather the dogs were 100-per-cent kosher beef and bloody delicious at around the ?4 - ?4.50 mark.

[Peckhampam]

Oh dear Louisa, I wasn't commenting on hot dogs. I was commenting about the posts

[titch juicy]

Can people stop saying ?7.50 for a hot dog when it's not ?7.50 for a hot dog.

Foxy just made it up to try and add weight to his featherweight point.

[KidKruger]

I think Joan who now runs the DogFather stall, would be upset to read those comments intended to give a poor impression of the quality of her dedicated work and the efforts to exagerate the costs of her offering.

[DulwichFox]

Most people do not have a clue what they are actually paying for stuff.. Not a Scooby..

I seem to remember the basic Dog was around ?4.50 - ?5.00 but with extras the price goes up.

DF

[titch juicy]

Pretty sure it's ?4 or ?5 all in.

it's not a case of adding extras- there are various different types of finished hot dogs with different toppings, all in the above price bracket.

[titch juicy]

It's the same tactic Louisa used to use with her phantom ?12 burger.

[DulwichFox]

My original Post..

There is nothing sophisticated about 'Hot Dogs' Any suggestion that there is, is Pretentious.

Charging ?7.50 does not alter that.

Did not mention The Dog Father.. so does not suggest THEY were charging ?7.50 for a hot dog.

Whether someone was charging ?7.50 or whatever was suggesting that because it is expensive does not make it sophisticated.

Folk are just too literal on here..

Like .. Went down the lane yesterday... there were millions of people down there.

Does not really mean there were millions of people..

Anyway.. with regards to Xoco grill.. 23rd March has been given to me as the opening date with new management.

But please don't shoot the messenger if it don't open on that date.

Foxy

[Jah Lush]

Wriggle wriggle wriggle.

[KidKruger]

Oh sod being literal, let's just say what we want even though we don't know what we mean, let's retract whatever we say or parts of it or twist them to mean something else in a chameleo-speak kinda way, people can interpret it another way however they want and we'll all have a cracking LSD stylee conversation !

Pass me the Kool-Aid maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn........

[Sue]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> My original Post..

>

> There is nothing sophisticated about 'Hot Dogs'

> Any suggestion that there is, is Pretentious.

> Charging ?7.50 does not alter that.

>

> Did not mention The Dog Father.. so does not

> suggest THEY were charging ?7.50 for a hot dog.

>

Erm, as the discussion was specifically about so-called street food in North Cross Road market, and as there is only one hot dog stall in North Cross Road market, you did not really need to mention The Dogfather.

What else could you have been referring to??

[Louisa]

Well whoever is charging ?7.50, wherever they are, I wouldn't personally feel comfortable paying that myself even if it was the best hotdog I'd ever tried. I don't know the mark up on these items, but I know how much I would feel comfortable paying for a street food item I'll be eating on the move, and it's the lesser side of ?5.

Louisa.