BRATS at Paramount Garden, Petaling Jaya: Review

BRATS looks nothing like a hot dog parlour – its roofed, atrium-style courtyard at the back, converted from a kopitiam kitchen, could be mistaken for a contemporary art museum corridor. But that’s fitting; this new cafe is a fresh canvas that empowers its imaginative founders to cook up their own personal vision of what hot dogs might be, painting with bold-looking brush strokes.

Seven Different Hot Dogs

BRATS currently serves seven different hot dogs: four variations with pork sausages, two with chicken, & one with beef & pork combined. The twist is that each sausage – produced exclusively for BRATS – is laced with extra ingredients; imagine a pork sausage that’s speckled inside with chopped-up bits of mango & jalapeno. Or pork with walnut & coriander or apple & cinnamon. Or chicken with garlic & thyme, or beef with sun-dried tomatoes & mushrooms. Each hot dog costs RM16 & can be topped with chopped onions, caramelised onions, peppers, mustard or ketchup, or simply served naked in a fresh-tasting bun.

The sausages prove juicy & easy to enjoy – two of us easily finished five hot dogs (though we likely left behind some bread). Note however that the infusion of elements like cinnamon may turn out to be more subtle than expected, supplying nuanced dimensions of flavour instead of knock-out dynamics. There’s potential for slow-burning pleasure, but probably no fireworks.

Partner your wieners with poutine (RM15); BRATS offers the basic version with light brown gravy & cheese. For mindless munching, there’s also breaded deep-fried calamari with sea salt & lime (RM15). A variety of beer is available – BRATS plans to eventually provide beer pairing recommendations for its hot dogs. Bet on hearing a lot about this place in the months ahead.