by Leevan Tuckler



The Taste of Charlotte was marked by delicious aroma of restaurants cooking up some of the area’s favorites, and Huntersville residents may have noticed a familiar smell wafting through uptown Charlotte last week.

Brian’s Dog House Grill, a 9931 Rose Commons Drive restaurant, took its hotdog talents to the culinary gathering that stretched five blocks along North Tryon Street.

“Its pride, it’s about exploring and getting people to try our food,” owner Brian Benatovich said as he sizzled hotdogs for the next in line at his booth.

The Taste of Charlotte, he said, is a great way for Dog House Grill to get Charlotte’s natives to know about the north Mecklenburg restaurant, and getting them try its unique Buffalo-style hotdogs.

It seemed to work, as scores of people lined up to try the Buffalo native’s dogs.

“It’s really good just from my first bite,” said Jennifer Scott, one of many event-goers that stopped by the booth.

Many Taste of Charlotte visitors who stopped by Brian’s booth for a bite said they were delighted by Benatovich’s specialty hotdogs including The Works. The spicy “Texas Dog” and, not least, “The Carolina Dog.”

“That’s different,” Tasha Robinson said after biting into the Texas Dog “It’s unexpected. It’s a really good hot dog.

Benatovich opened his restaurant last year as a way for northern transplants to get a taste of home. Back in Buffalo, Benatovich worked for Angelo Turco at the famous Louie’s Original Footlong Hot Dogs.

He chose Huntersville because of the community.

“I like the area. it’s got a lot of good things going for it,” Benatovich said.

And the demand has been steady since the day Brian’s opened.

“It’s the only dog house you’ll ever want to be in,” Benatovich said.