Food: Mustard's Last Stand

In a world where most hot dogs come from gas stations and street vendors, Mustard's Last Stand in Melbourne, Florida is a stubborn hold-out. As its name suggests (and there are quite a few establishments around the country that have adopted the moniker), the restaurant serves all manner of dogs and sausages, often with toppings that you can't get anywhere else.

For the staid, value-minded consumer, Mustard's Last Stand features a $5 footlong special that includes fries and a drink. Most people will be better served, however, by picking up one of the more esoteric hot dogs. My particular favorites are the Discovery Dog (a dog with chili, cheese, jalapenos, and salsa) and The Surf and Turf (fried, with popcorn shrimp, onions, and chili sauce).

The atmosphere is laid back, with an open-air porch that's perfect for an autumn afternoon in Florida. The quirky decor isn't the result of some cynical corporate branding scheme, because the place is a small, family-owned business with only two locations. Anyway, if you're in Brevard County and you want to have a "garbage dog" with all sorts of stuff on it, you should probably visit Mustard's Last Stand.

2/4 stars