We Detroiters (or metro-Detroiters in my case) are adamantly defensive and passionate about our Detroit roots. Ask one of the thousands of Detroit expats what they miss most about their homeland and they will give you answers ranging from the lakes to the sports to awesome summers. But there is one thing just about all of us can agree upon: we miss coney. In LA, we are about as far from Detroit as possible in the lower 48 and absence truly makes the heart grow fonder. Just about every conversation I’ve had with a former Detroiter in the 3-plus years I’ve lived in LA has led to a “wouldn’t it be awesome if we opened a coney restaurant out here?” moment. Yet, while all these conversations were taking place, a few people were making it happen.

A combination of famous Michiganders like Mike Binder, Tim Allen and Kris Draper (adopted Detroiter) moved forward with bringing coney to LA, specifically the Sunset Strip. Finally, after months of anticipation (and likely years for the owners), Coney Dog soft-opened on Sunday. The opening was limited to Facebook fans and those fans were even rewarded with a coupon for a free coney dog, loose burger or fries. If you haven’t yet read one of my Detroit-area coney reviews and don’t hail from Detroit, you’re probably now wondering many things. First, what is a coney dog? Second, what is a loose burger? And third, who is Kris Draper? A coney dog is a natural casing hot dog composed of a beef and pork mix, topped with a Greek-style wet chili, mustard and onions. A loose burger is essentially the same, but in place of the hot dog is loose ground beef (not formed into any sort of patty). Oh and they each are served in a steamed bun. Finally, Kris Draper is a center for the Red Wings, the greatest hockey team in the world.

I arrived to find a long throng of people waiting in line to get a taste of Coney Dog. Judging by the Tigers shirts, University of Michigan caps and Michigan State stockings, it was obvious that this line was populated by expats like myself. It took about 45 minutes to get inside (an issue that I’m certain will pass after the grand opening), but once inside, I found a pretty authentic coney experience. The interior was no-frills, the staff were incredibly friendly and I even saw people I knew (which always happened at Leo’s). A huge difference was the menu. Where coneys in the Detroit area offer a huge variety of Greek and American food, Coney Dog stuck to the basics and I think that was a wise decision. I ordered a coney dog, a loose burger and some chili cheese fries, and topped it off with another Detroit staple – Faygo Red Pop. That’s right, pop. In Michigan, soda is something you bake with. In a very un-Detroit fashion, I ordered my dog and burger with onions or mustard. Sorry, I just don’t like that crap.

The food took a few minutes longer than a normal coney, but definitely not long enough to complain about. After all, this was the soft opening and when you order food at coneys in Detroit, the food is usually finished before you got your last word out. And boy were these things beautiful. Coney Dog did not hold anything back with the chili, which was fully loaded and completely hid the actual hot dog from view. I could have used a knife to go with my fork, but instead I went right at them and chowed down with no regard for the chili and beef that would be strewn about my hands, table, plate and shirt.

They nailed it. The chili was perfectly spiced, delightfully wet and nostalgic as hell (because hey, I hadn’t been to Detroit in 3 weeks). The hot dogs that had been imported from Michigan were cooked to perfection on the griddle and the steamed buns did not fall apart even as the chili and ground beef overflowed from within. And of course, the beef in the loose burger was everything it was supposed to be.

I was a little surprised to find the fries crinkle-cut rather than the straight up thin fries. To me, this sort of fry is more closely associated with real Detroit sliders and gave me the hope that perhaps true sliders would someday make it to the menu. The fries had been cooked well-done, which I always prefer. Plus, they held up strong against the wet coney chili and refused to get soggy.

Coney Dog also offers a selection of beers and touts Stroh’s, a native Detroit beer. I love my beer, and I love that they were able to get beer from Detroit, but in truth I’m not the biggest fan of Stroh’s so I’m hoping they are able to get some other Midwestern and Michigan beers onto the tap at some point. Nonetheless, the rest of their beer selection was great and when I get a chance to sit down, relax and have a longer meal at Coney Dog, I will be sure to have some drinks.

So, after months of anticipation, I’ve got to say that Mike Binder and his motley crew of Detroiters have pulled off something truly remarkable. Not only has Coney Dog brought the true taste of Detroit out to Los Angeles, he has brought a truly Detroit experience with it. Even more remarkable is that he kept the price within reason. At 4 bucks for a dog and 4.50 for a loose burger, the value is most definitely there. These dogs may only cost 2 bucks in Detroit, but that differential is a whole lot cheaper than a flight to DTW. I’ll definitely be back. Probably tomorrow.

And thanks to Joel for that shot of Stroh’s.

With nearly every visit back to Michigan (time permitting), there is a requisite stop at a Coney Island. You can’t drive more than a few miles in the metro Detroit area without hitting a Coney, and I’m pretty sure they are all awesome. My go-to Coney growing up was Leo’s, but sometimes convenience outweighs loyalty. So last time I was back in the homeland, we went to Lulu’s Coney Island in Walled Lake.

Lulu’s is a relative newcomer on the Coney scene. If my memory serves me, it’s only been around for the past 5 years or so and the Walled Lake location is the only location. But just like all Coneys that have come before it, they serve a mix of Greek, American, and my favorite Coney specialties, the Loose Burger and the Coney Dog. The Loose Burger is a ground beef that never made its way into a patty. Instead, it has been loosely tossed into a hot dog bun. Then, just like the Coney Dog, it is topped with Detroit-style chili. This runny, flavorful and beanless chili can only be found in Detroit (to my knowledge) and is some of the best on earth. It’s so good that even though my weekend in Michigan was 85 degrees and about 85% humidity, my craving for Detroit-style chili did not subside. Some like to eat their dogs and loose burgers with onions and mustard on top, but I like mine just the way nature intended. Just chili, meat and bun. These beauties, if prepared right, can’t be eaten by hand. Instead, they require a fork, knife and a few napkins.

On top of those, I like to get a side of cheese fries. These do a great job of rounding out a deliciously meaty meal. Another thing that distinguishes Coneys from other restaurants are their unbeatable prices. A Coney Dog runs about 2 bucks, a Loose Burger is about $3 and the cheese fries are are $2.50. Great prices, great food and a taste you can’t find outside of Michigan make Coney Islands a necessary stop for any traveler to the area. Lulu’s is no exception to that rule.

The phenomenon of the Coney Island is one of the greatest aspects of eating out in the Detroit area in Michigan. Completely unrelated to the actual Coney Island in New York, these restaurants are a result of the mixing of Greek and American foods, with the addition of the famous Coney Dog. Everyone has their favorite Coney Island, and sometimes the favorite one is just around the corner. I grew up with Farmington Coney Island half a mile away and would go at least once a week. Over time, the place underwent a few name changes, such as Farmington Souvlaki (alluding the Greek heritage of the place), but eventually it came to be known as Leo’s Coney Island, named for the owner, Leo Stassinopoulos. Leo was as much a part of the community as any of the customers and I went to high school with his son, also Leo.

The Coney in Farmington Hills is the flagship (in my mind) of an ever-growing Empire of Leo’s Coneys, supposedly even reaching Chicago in the future. Despite name changes and growth, Leo’s remains one of the best places to get good quality, fast and cheap food. There have been days I’ve waited in line at Taco Bell longer than it has taken me to get seated at Leo’s, eat and pay.

At one time, I was able to just go in and order my usual (two grilled cheese pitas without pickles and a side of well-done cheese fries with the cheese on the side). Times and the waitstaff has changed, and since I rarely make my way back to Coney, on my most recent visit I decided to change my order. Instead of my usual, I ordered a Coney Dog and a Loose Burger with a side of well-done cheese fries with cheese on the side. The dog and burger both come with mustard, onions and Coney-style chili. I ordered mine without the mustard or onions, since I’m not a big fan of mustard and onions are one of my unvegan enemies.

Now, you may be wondering what makes Coney-style chili different from other chili and honestly I’m not totally sure. It looks pretty terrible, but tastes amazing. It is the perfect topping for the Coney Dog and the Loose Burger. The Loose Burger is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Rather than cooking ground beef into a patty, the loose burger is made by cooking the beef while it is still ground and separated, kind of like taco beef. Then, to keep it from falling apart, it is dropped in a hot dog bun and topped with the chili.

As usual, my food arrived quickly and was just as I remembered it. The dog had a little snap to it, but wasn’t too fancy. I did my best to keep the chili on it while eating, but there is only so much one can do. The loose burger was great as well, and since it is already loose, it saves me that unnecessary step of chewing before swallowing.

Grabbing a meal at Coney is a must in this area, so much so that my step-brother-in-law, who has never lived in Michigan, makes sure to stop at a Coney every time he visits and orders at least three Coney Dogs. This food isn’t pretty, but it is damn good and damn cheap. I’m not even sure it’s possible to find a meal there for more than 10 bucks a person. It won’t win any culinary awards for groundbreaking food, but Leo’s Coney Island is the kind of restaurant the world just doesn’t seem to have enough of.