THE OTHER DAY, I had one of those only-in-Seattle experiences. The place was Cyber-Dogs, the new all-vegetarian hot dog joint/ coffee shop/Internet cafe/job-referral service at the downtown Convention Center. Next to me, a kid played video games on one of five high-speed Internet hookups (20 minutes free, then $6 an hour). Belle & Sebastian blared from a boombox in the window. A guy with stretched earlobes, dressed entirely in black, slung espresso stylishly behind the counter. And an assortment of paintings, multimedia art, and dog-related merchandise filled nearly every square inch of the cafe's jarring orange wall space.
Amid all this charming miscellany, I dug into Cyber-Dogs' Laika Dog ($3.50), a Russian-themed wiener smothered in silky "eggplant caviar" and chopped onions. As far as I know, eggplant tastes nothing like caviar, but I didn't care: The dog was a perfect combination of salty hot-dog flavor, creamy eggplant and tomato puree, and crunchy whole-grain roll from Seattle's Essential Baking Company. I've eaten a lot of soy products in my day, but this was by far the most convincing not-dog I'd had in recent memory. Maybe it was just post-gym protein cravings, but I went home wishing I'd bought another.
On the second visit, I opted for the most adventurous-sounding selection on the menu: The DoggiLama, a dog covered in curry spinach sauce, (optional) spicy potatoes, and tzatziki, a cucumber-yogurt sauce ($3.75). The curry flavor of the spinach sauce was overwhelmed by the messy yogurt, which in turn contradicted the strongly flavored hot dog; I'd recommend getting it without the sauce. The Wiener Dog Schnitzel ($2.75), a traditional sauerkraut-and-onion combo, was proclaimed nearly indistinguishable from the real deal, although my dining partner longed for a plain, mushy white bun. The Greek Goddess ($3.75), a hummus-shrouded dog topped with feta cheese and served with pepperoncini, was the oddest of the bunch; the chunky chickpea spread seemed texturally redundant with the meatlike hot dog, though I still scraped up every bit.
Cyber-Dogs is bound to be open whenever you walk by (at least between 7:30 a.m. and midnight), and they also serve breakfast, gelato, and vegan desserts. Despite its low-traffic location just off the I-5 express lanes, the small space is often cramped, so they're adding some bar seating soon.
We vegetarians have gotten a ton of backlash lately from the meat-is-good majority, so it's refreshing to find a place that's unapologetic about its totally herbivorous menu. You almost don't notice the tiny sign in the window announcing, simply, "vegetarian" (A few people were seen beating a hasty retreat once they realized they'd stumbled into a meat-free zone). I'll be back, and I hope Cyber-Dogs will still be there to greet me.
This tiny space in the Convention Center serves several purposes: hot dog joint/coffee house/Internet cafe/job referral service. Amid all this miscellany, dig into a Laika Dog, smothered in eggplant caviar, zucchini paste, and chopped onions, or a Greek Goddess, a hummus-shrouded dog topped with avocado, veggies, and fresh Parmesan. Oh, one more thing—the entire menu is vegetarian, with not a "real" meat hot dog to be found.
Cyber-Dogs is, without a doubt, the only vegetarian hot dog vendor and Internet café in Seattle. But even if it weren't, it would likely still be the city's best. The dogs are juicy and flavorful and among the best we've had, vegetarian or otherwise. Try the DoggiLama, loaded with fresh greens and cucumber-yoghurt sauce; the Italian-style Dogalisa, or the Laika, a Russian-style dog with eggplant and onions. Juices, sodas, espresso drinks and a small selection of beers are available to wash the goods down.
True to the first part of Cyber-Dogs' name, a few terminals are available for checking e-mail, just 10 cents a minute, with 20 minutes free with a $2 minimum food or drink purchase. Those with intimacy issues may feel put off by the close quarters of the café; the place is only slightly bigger than a closet. But even the most claustrophobic of patrons will love Cyber-Dogs' friendly and good-humored staff, its funky ambience and its great food.
909 Pike St at Convention Place
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 405-3647 Website
(Cafe, Deli, Hippie-Dippie, Vegetarian)
A Seattle original: Cyber Dogs is an internet cafe, espresso joint, and veggie hot-doggery all packed into a tiny, arty storefront nestled next to the east end of the Convention Center. Go for damn good veggie dogs topped with chili and cheese (or pureed eggplant and onions, or baba ghanoush plus feta and pepperoncini, or other creative heart- and planet-friendly things) and a cold beer. You can count on good music and sweet faces behind the counter. Open late.
Price: Average Entrée:
Hours: 10 am-midnight every day
Features: Cheap Eats, Late-Night Dining, To Go, Free Wi-Fi
Next time you are in Downtown Seattle and are hungry, needing caffeine and wanting to check your email I suggest that you head over to Pike street and walk up almost to I-5 and of your right as you past the Washington State Convention center is a funky orange painted deli/cafe with computers called Cyber-Dogs.
First the food, it is God-damn tasty. I became a vegetarian recently so I have my eye out for good restaurants where I can get a bite to eat with out settling for a salad. I had a Lakia dog that was a tofu dog in a large wheat bun with roasted eggplant purée and green onions. You pretty much need to use a knife and fork to eat it but it is no worse than your typical chili dog. It was so good that I decided to get another dog with mustard and sauerkraut. Now the brilliant thing is that it tastes bad for you but it is almost pure protein with almost no fat.
They have a fast net connection and a LAN connecting two PCs with flat panels, a notebook PC and a grape iMac with OS9. In fact this would be a damn nice place to go and do some Macintosh testing of a website design. It is a lot more fun and cheaper than going to Kinkos and renting their Macs. As a matter of fact I am writing this review in the actual café. It is 11:30 AM on a Sunday and I know for a fact that BBQ is still asleep in his bed. But I digress. Oh they also have a PC serving as a MP3 stereo system with Moby and Grunge in heavy rotation.
Now the place is not that big and it is sure cozy but it has a hell of a lot better food and more atmosphere than your typical cloned Starbucks.
They have a great idea and a great location being close to Capital Hill, the convention center and the down town shopping district and I hope that they do well and become a Seattle landmark place to eat like Dicks Drive-In Burgers.
Cyber Dogs is a small internet cafe serving up veggie dogs in Downtown Seattle. Toppings range from standard (chili, dairy or vegan cheese) to unusual (hummus, potatoes, veggie bacon). Most items are vegan. Some small vegan deserts are available.
I didn’t really expect much of Cyber Dogs, but it was better than I expected. There are lots of choices and many of them sound delicious. If you buy food, you get a certain amount of computer time, or else you can just go in and pay to use the computers. The lady working there seemed friendly.
Absolutely the best hot dogs around! I agree, they are a little odd and crazy looking - but you'll quickly get over that. The atmosphere is wonderful and the employees are prompt and friendly. FREE internet service available too! Grab a dog and a coffee, log on to the net and have a peaceful time here at Cyber Dogs.
You'll enjoy it!
Absolutely the best hot dogs around! I agree, they are a little odd and crazy looking - but you'll quickly get over that. The atmosphere is wonderful and the employees are prompt and friendly. FREE internet service available too! Grab a dog and a coffee, log on to the net and have a peaceful time here at Cyber Dogs.
You'll enjoy it!
http://www.judysbook.com/cities/seattle/Restaurants/4624/p1/Cyber_Dogs_Internet_Cafe.htm
I could never forget Cyberdogs! I was intrigued from the time I saw their name on this website. We had to try it out. Did so a couple of years ago when we came thru Seattle. This year we made Seattle the focus of our family vacation and went their twice. The owner, Tatiana, is one cool lady! She makes friends of everyone who walks in the door, loves to talk and is eager to please customers. There really is something magical about Cyber Dogs. It's extremely tiny - I've seen some walk-in closets that are big as this place. We joke that it is the smallest restaurant we've ever been in, but that's a big part of the place's charm! The spaces on the walls and other areas are totally covered in weird art and stuffed animals and such. She has a TV always on playing some featured film, one or more persons are always entranced in front of the many computers there, and she usually has some cool music playing in the background. It's funny to see people try to squeeze in...If there just a few people waiting to order, the line takes up a third of the space. The hot dogs she serves aren't bad. In general the actual weiners are small and cloaked in the large buns they come in, and I wish she'd use bigger weiners, but they are usually smothered in a good portion of her homemade toppings. You can ask for a heartier sausage-type dog if the weiner is too small. Cozy, cramped but entertaining quarters, tasty \"weiner meals.\" Cyberdogs, there'll always be a place in my heart for you! :)
Pros: atmosphere * good value * friendly owner
Cons: usually pretty crammed * needs different weiner * stroller goes where? :)
What keeps you successful is staying open and changing all the time, trying to improve," says TANIA HARRISON, the owner of Cyber-Dogs. Harrison opened her Internet cafe and veggie-dog restaurant three years ago, and the tiny place—nestled in a former storage space in the Washington State Convention Center and decorated with movie posters and stuffed dogs—just keeps on trucking. After moving to the United States from Russia and working as a software engineer for nearly three decades in Los Angeles and Seattle, Harrison realized a longtime dream: owning a place that serves "healthy fast food," something her vegetarian family and friends (and countless herbivorous Seattleites) would enjoy. Cyber-Dogs jazzes up Loma Linda Big Franks, Harrison's brand of choice, with themed toppings: El Bandito is loaded with vegetarian chili, avocado, and cheese (on request); Laika packs eggplant caviar and onions; and the Greek Goddess is awash in hummus or baba ghanoush, plus feta cheese and pepperoncini—basically a meze platter on a meatless dog. "Nothing I have done as a software engineer, nothing [was] even close to the challenge of making a small business," Harrison says. "I'm doing computers, and I need to do computers well. I'm doing food, and I need to do food well. I hire people, you have to do purchasing, you have to do finance, . . . you have to do interior decorating."
You also have to build a sense of community, which is trickier than all of the above. Walking into Cyber-Dogs is like entering a familiar bar, even if you're there for the first time. Harrison affectionately razzes her customers, whether they're regulars or newcomers, and they seem to enjoy it. Recently, while a professional-looking man waited for his dog by the window overlooking Pike Street, Harrison quipped: "Maybe we should put a good-looking guy by the window!" He laughed. And although she's the owner, Harrison tries to coordinate Cyber-Dogs' music to customers' tastes—and sometimes their national origins. When a frequent customer of Italian descent comes in, she'll stop the Sam Phillips or Bowie and put on opera. She also shows films. When I was there recently, O Brother, Where Art Thou? was playing, but she encourages customers to bring in their own movies, and some actually lend them to the restaurant. Harrison used to play matchmaker, trying to pair up regulars; she quit after one match turned sour. That's probably for the best because the warm, funny atmosphere she's created, platonic or not, is rare and special enough as it is. There are truly few places in Seattle that make you want to talk to strangers as much as Cyber-Dogs.
Though it's a place that makes conversation seem almost effortless, the restaurant is a serious commitment for Harrison, a part-time Roslyn resident. She commutes to Seattle three times a week to work 18-hour days—Cyber-Dogs is open from 11 a.m. to midnight daily—and spends the rest of her time with her family and on sideline projects (like selling her sauces to Roslyn restaurateurs). "I have so much perseverance, I don't give up easily," she says, and that spirit shows. 909 Pike St., 206-405-3647, www.cyber-dogs.com.
Tania Harrison's Picks
Best Non–Hot Dog Food:
"I love mushrooms. Any kind of mushrooms. I grew up in Russia, and I used to go pick mushrooms. And I was a really, really brilliant picker. My parents sold mushrooms and marinated mushrooms. One of my hot dogs has mushrooms; it's called Sputnik, with mushrooms and potatoes."
Best Hot Dog–Eating Music:
"You know, I like almost any genre, if it's good. You know what I mean? I play a lot of '60s music. I do play Beatles and Stones and Led and Janis. And Johnny Cash, Fiona Apple. I have Magnetic Fields. I do have opera, and I have French music. . . ."
Best Examples of Cyber-Dogs Customers Giving Back to Cyber-Dogs:
"We [have] computers, [a] stereo, music, stuffed dogs, theater tickets. I loved those! I am a big theater fan. I suppose those donations didn't directly help the business, but they did cheer me up tremendously, helped me not to give up through the tough times."
Tania Harrison Owner, Cyber-Dogs, 909 Pike St (Convention Center), 405-DOGS. Mon-Fri 7:30 am-midnight; Sat-Sun 10 am-midnight.
Tania Harrison
Owner, Cyber-Dogs, 909 Pike St (Convention Center), 405-DOGS. Mon-Fri 7:30 am-midnight; Sat-Sun 10 am-midnight.
When Tania Harrison was laid off from her software engineering job last year, she got a brilliant idea. Why not open a vegetarian hot dog stand downtown, use the cart to post her resumé--and those of her laid-off friends--and land a new tech job? Then she could pass the cart on to another jobless techie.
Unfortunately, Seattle health codes prohibit veggie dogs in mobile carts, so Harrison, who's 49 and originally from Russia, had to find a permanent location. Cyber-Dogs opened late last summer, and Harrison has officially abandoned the tech job hunt. Her cozy orange-and-red space is a great backdrop for Harrison's charged-up personality and her diverse menu. Don't worry if you can't decide between curry or "tuna" salad, since Harrison's more than happy to let you taste everything behind the counter first.
So does everyone get that friendly sampling session when they walk in?
"Oh yeah, totally! I have slogans--my marketing brilliance--'No pressure to buy, but pressure to taste.' If I didn't need the money, I would love just feeding people for free. I feel so guilty charging money."
Why vegetarian hot dogs?
"I had this idea when I came to this country [27 years ago]. I thought there was no healthy fast food here, and so I was thinking of doing something quick and healthy and inexpensive."
It took me a while to discover this place--I didn't notice at first that the "dogs" are veggie.
"I have to have a sign that says "100 Percent Veg" or something. But on the other hand, the rednecks sometimes come in and don't want to [eat a veggie dog], and then I win them over as customers anyway. When people do discover me, they're very loyal and are excited that they found us."
How do you come up with all of these toppings?
"I've been throwing things together, and my belief is that if you put good ingredients together, it's going to be good. We did a tuna melt special that's so popular, I'm going to add it to the menu, and 'meatloaf' is going to be the next new one. I just get friskier and friskier."
What else does Cyber-Dogs offer?
"Internet [access], and I do informal computer consulting. Oh, and I'm doing matchmaking! I matched up a guy with one of my customers and now they're getting married! I kid you not. And you know what--there was no business angle to it. Well, only that their firstborn was going to be named after me.
"I am having the absolute time of my life. My whole life, I was almost a slave to all these [software] companies. I was so loyal, and it never paid off. Now I'm loyal to my customers."
Dedicated mostly to all-vegetarian hot dogs, Cyber Dogs is a friendly burst of funk tucked in a corner storefront at the sterile Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Beyond dogs, there are a few other veggie and vegan-friendly entrees, a coffee bar and free Internet connections with purchase. The ambience (personable counter staff who know their customers, walls decorated with doggie themes) was better than the food to our omnivorous tastes, but still worth a visit. We tended to like dishes that had more original toppings than the classic krauty meat-dog fare. Try a mellow "DoggiLama" loaded up with curried potatoes, or a tasty "Laika Dog" with creamy eggplant topping. Lunch, dinner, late-night, takeout; open daily.
The customers are so thankful and enthusiastic at Cyber Dogs. They ask which brand of vegetarian hot dogs it can be that tastes so real (Loma Linda). They ask if the soup is organic (it is). They ask if the feta cheese is available in soy (it is not).
Dedicated mostly to all-vegetarian hot dogs, Cyber Dogs is a friendly burst of funk tucked in a corner storefront at the sterile Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Beyond dogs, there are a few other veggie and vegan-friendly entrees, a coffee bar and free Internet connections with purchase. To my omnivorous tastes, the ambience (personable counter staff who know their customers, walls decorated with doggie themes) is considerably better than the food, but it clearly has a cult of regulars.
The dogs capture the texture of "real" hot dogs well, but still can't duplicate the flavor. The lack is accentuated on dishes that hew to hot dog classics, such as the Weiner Dog Schnitzel ($2.75) with kraut and onions. Go instead for a mellow "DoggiLama" ($4.25) loaded up with curried potatoes, or a tasty "Laika Dog" ($4.25) with creamy eggplant topping.
Chili corn bisque ($3.75/bowl) was decent but arrived half-cold.
Breakfast "Cybereggs" ($4.75), a big bowl of scrambled eggs, avocado, salsa and cheese, comes with veggie bacon so crisp and smoky it merits a second store dedicated to it alone.
Cyber Dogs, 909 Pike St.; 206-405-3647. Open 7:30 a.m.-midnight Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-midnight Saturday and Sunday.
Our resident food mentor recalls painful hot dog memories and finds painless pleasure in vegetarian Cyber Dogs
By Nora West
When I was a little girl, I used to get debilitating headaches an hour or so after consuming hot dogs. It happened just about every Saturday afternoon, when my mom would boil up a big pot of the delectable dogs as a weekly luncheon treat.
Even as a first-grader, I started to make the connection, like a Pavlovian dog: “Hot dogs give me headaches.” I am abashed to admit it, but this did not stop me from eating them. I liked them too much.
I even refrained from telling my mom for fear she would stop making them. Now that is a bit masochistic, don’t you think? Just for the love of a good dog.
Eventually (although it took years), I figured out it was the nitrates, preservatives and who knows what else that caused the chemical brainstorms in my head. I haven’t eaten hot dogs, no matter how tempting, in years. My decision is for many reasons, headaches notwithstanding.
Until recently, that is, upon my first trip to Cyber-Dogs, the “Frisky Internet Café” at 9th and Pike (check out their website).
This is not a big place, but it’s cozy and has Internet access (10 cents a minute, 20 minutes free with purchase of $2 or more, $40 for a 10-hour Internet card). It offers espresso drinks, fruit “schmoozies,” hot chocolate and an assortment of muffins, cookies, etc. (many are vegan).
The 1985 Live Aid concert was playing on the TV during my visit. I was mesmerized by a 20-year-younger Jack Nicholson and Bette Midler introducing Phil Collins, who had just flown over on the Concorde to play back-to-back Live Aid concerts.
So grab a coffee to go, check your email, watch the show (whatever it may be) or go for the main attraction: the dogs.
Of course, these are not your average dogs. These are superior-quality, delicious 100-percent vegetarian dogs.
For me, veggie dogs and veggie burgers are all about the fixings. Start with a nice whole-wheat bun (which all Cyber-Dogs do), then add a varied assortment of toppings and a quite satisfying sandwich emerges.
One member of our party ordered the “Plain Jane” ($3) which is a Loma Linda Big Frank on a whole wheat bun with absolutely nothing else. She enjoyed it, but this version is definitely not for me.
I ordered the “Dead Beet” ($6.25) which comes with a borscht-like sauce (beets, walnuts, spices) smothering the dog along with cucumber chunks, tomatoes and green onions. Now, that’s more like it. A perfect tribute to the Russian owner.
We also tried the Wiener Dog Schnitzel ($4.50), which is a Tofurkey-brand sausage served with sauerkraut and onions. I added dijon mustard. It was good, with enough spice to taste like a sausage served with the trimmings of a brat.
One member of our group ordered a “Plain Jane” and added ketchup. A hot dog travesty, but what the heck—I guess he enjoyed it.
Some other temptations: the “Greek Goddess” served up with hummus, Parmesan cheese, avocado and veggies ($6.25); the “Laika” doused in eggplant and zucchini sauce ($6.25); the Doggi Lama with house spinach sauce and veggies ($6.25) and the Doga Lisa accessorized with pesto and Parmesan, then baked ($6.25).
There are all kinds of variations and toppings so you can create your own favorite. Toppings include avocado, vegetarian bacon, sauerkraut, cheese, salsa and vegetables, which are fresh and crisp (most toppings are 75 cents or $1, avocado is $1.75).
Beware, many of the specialty dogs are unwieldy. This is not a bad thing, but it does pose a considerable problem if you want to walk along the street and eat. The solution: Order the more manageable “Walking Dog” ($4), which has only a spoonful of sauce but is still plenty of food.
I don’t know after our trip which one is my favorite. The young woman serving us was pleasant, efficient and enthusiastic. She loves the Laika. I’ll just have to try them all as the mood strikes—no more Saturday afternoon headaches for me.
I’ve long said that while there are amazing meatless sausages and hamburgers and chicken and on and on and on, all of the meatless hot dogs I’ve tasted—and I’ve tried all the major brands—have fallen short of the real things in terms of taste and texture. And most of them have a funny smell, too. I started to think that there was no such thing as a really good veggie hot dog.
I’m happy to report I was wrong. Unfortunately, I had to come to Seattle to find that out.
After getting into town last night at about 8:30, I called over to Cyber-Dogs, located just three blocks from where I’m staying. I figured they might be closing soon if there weren’t already. Fortuantely, they’re open until midnight every night, so I wandered over there for a second dinner (the one on the plane wasn’t terribly satisfying).
On a recommendation from an employee, I ordered the El Bandido with chili, vegan cheese, and avocado on a 7-grain roll. Let me tell you, folks: this hot dog was some good eats. The dog itself wasn’t an uncomfortable chewy texture and didn’t have the funny aftertaste. It was how I remember hot dogs. The chili was also quite good and piled high on the dog and it all equaled up to one heck of a meal.
On my way out, I chatted with the awesome Russian woman (Tania?) who runs the joint. She convinced me to buy a vegan cookie she had made (damn fine!) and told me about her hope to open up a bakery in Rosslyn that sells a wider variety of vegan baked goods.
Be sure to schedule a visit if you’re in the area. It’s well worth it (and you get 20 minutes of computer time for free if you order some food).
Internet Café. Vegetarian and vegan-friendly American. Menu: Serves vegetarian hog dogs on 7-grain buns, coffee, espresso and pastries Vegan cookies.. Toppings range from chili, dairy or vegan cheese, hummus, potatoes, veggie bacon (not vegna). Most items are vegan. Comments: The owner is really nice. Small Internet cafe. Directions: This place is near I-5, a few blocks north of exit 165B on I-5. Near the Covention and Trade Center in the downtown area
Cyber Dogs (Downtown) 
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/QxhudUj03GGmj4bON-3_vw?select=m5XAuwgUzWRd3gS05Pj8nA
