Hotdogs, Cocktails and Burlesque – Review of The Dog Haus Brighton

Since The Dog Haus Brighton opened within the nightclub Patterns, I’ve been dying to try it out. We’ve all tried gourmet burgers (how 2015…)  and it seems this years foodie trend will be the gourmet hotdog instead. Being a vegetarian, I don’t often get to indulge in a hotdog, so I was more than excited to hear that The Dog Haus Brighton had all bases covered caters for meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans too. Pretty impressive! So, with this in mind I slapped on a bit of red lippy and a fur coat, and headed down to Patterns to discover what the fuss was about. Also, to make it even more exciting; it was their monthly event ‘Dirty Bare‘ too. An evening of Burlesque and top it all off with a Rocky Horror Picture Show theme too. Hotdogs, cocktails and Burlesque, all in one place, what else could you need?

Patterns is located right opposite Brighton Wheel so is in an ideal location – for those who are local to the area, it used to be where Audio was. The Dog Haus is located within Patterns and is Brighton’s first gourmet hotdog restaurant. Serving fully-loaded hotdogs and an extensive cocktail menu, they seem to have created the perfect equilibrium for pre-drinking and dancing food, or if clubbing isn’t your thing then it serves as the perfect casual after-work dinner too.

The menu has something for all tastes – top picks include:

•  Happy Days (the American classic with caramelised onions, ketchup and mustard)
• Booze Hound (Beer batter, mushy peas and pickled onion)
• Acid Haus (with Bourbon pulled-pork complete with old school potato smilies)

Being a veggie I went for the Hand of the Dog (which was the best vegetarian frankfurter I’ve ever tasted). With an Argentinian twist, our dogs were fully-loaded with Aubergine, Smoked Tofu and Chimichurri with Metsovone Cheese, all wrapped up in a delicious brioche bun. I really loved how they used ‘meat-like’ frankfurters, giving the hotdogs an authentic taste, even if you prefer to go without the meat like me.

We also ordered a side of fries each – although to be honest, we should have got one to share as the portions are so huge. I ordered the Seaside Chips, which came sprinkled with salty seaweed flakes and splashed with malt vinegar, Vee ordered the Four Cheese Chips, which were SO GOOD and so rich – these were smothered in Mature Cheddar, Blue Cheese, Parmesan and Ricotta. It was enough to send us into a food coma for sure.

As we ate our food, the Rocky Horror Picture show was displayed on the big screen and the place packed out with people in various costumes, ready for the Burlesque to begin. The place has a great atmosphere, with people visiting for food, drinks or preparing for a big night of dancing into the small hours, there is something for everyone. We polished off the last of our food, it was time for the Burlesque to begin, so we ordered another round of cocktails and sat back to enjoy the show.

Compered by the hilarious Dolly Rocket, the Rocky Horror themed Burlesque performances included Hula Hoop act; Chi Chi Revolver, Burlesque meets belly dancing with Sirona Thorneycroft, Miss Lily Fortune and an appearance from Lady Marmaduke. There was also a competition for the ‘best dressed’ from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Sadly, we had to leave just after the Burlesque, however the evening continued into the night with DJ Eddie Adams taking over the stage at 10.30pm until late and the atmosphere was buzzing.

Overall we had a fabulous time at The Dog Haus at Patterns, we had great food, deliciously unique cocktails-a-plenty, plus we were entertained with an evening full of laughter, amazement and sensuous surprises galore.

Dirty Bare is the first Tuesday of every month, you can also visit the Dog Haus on a weekdays before 7pm to have ‘chips on the haus‘ when you buy a drink. Keep up to date with the latest events on The Dog Haus’s Facebook and Twitter here.

A big thank you to Patterns & The Dog Haus Brighton for having us and for a great evening out! 

I was kindly offered a meal at The Dog Haus for the
purpose of this review, however all views and opinions are my own.