Lettuce B. Frank

Lettuce B. Frank is the second iteration of the Doghouse business formerly on Milpas St. Rumor has it the investors wanted to move in another direction that wasn’t primarily based on hot dogs. I was upset when the Doghouse closed so upruptly, but very pleased to see Lettuce B. Frank now open for business on State Street.

Silly name aside, Lettuce B. Frank sells…guess. Give up? Okay, I’ll tell you. Salads and hot dogs.

But it’s salads and hot dogs with a fun twist if that’s what your little heart desires. You can be a purist or you can be an adventurist, it’s all up to you and Lettuce B. Frank will be happy to accommodate you.

I tried out the joint for the first time about a week ago and came away very pleased. The interior is fun, vibrant, splashy and hip. Lunch patrons included tourists, biz casual folks, and blue collars.
I was eager to try the fries with hot bacon, melty cheese and ranch when I saw my prize: sweet potato fries with pulled pork, coleslaw and pickles. I’ve never had something like that and it intrigued me! The man at the counter gave me the nod of approval.

I also ordered the NY Deli style that I remembered from the Doghouse. It had sauerkraut and spicy deli mustard. The twist was that they stuck it in the panini press, so I got all that dog, kraut and mustard goodness packed into a hot grilled bun that had a pleasant crunch to the outer shell.

My meal also came with a spicy maple and mayo dipping sauce. I don’t know if was meant to accompany the southern fries or the dog, but I had it with both without any ill effects.

A man in a pork pie hat strutted into the shop and was super friendly to anyone nearby. He asked if he could get me anything. I believe he was one of the owners.

It took a few minutes to get my friend’s and my order together, the reason being that they were preparing everything fresh. I saw fries go into a big bowl to fold in seasonings. I cannot confirm this, but it looked like they were making the fries in the Belgian style – twice cooked – and I do think that makes a superior french fry.

Looking back, I think the southern fries were enough for a full lunch meal – it was piled with pulled pork, and also had a good portion of red cabbage coleslaw on top.

The panini hot dog, while I wouldn’t call it a NY Deli style anymore due to being press-grilled, was a fun change I wasn’t expecting.

There are times when I just want a simple hot dog, yellow. And there are times when I want the cook to be an artist and his food to be his canvas. Just my luck that Lettuce B. Frank has both.

And don’t forget they have fresh salads!

Lettuce B. Frank
413 State St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93190