Super Perros,Bogota Colombia: The Colombian Hot Dog Puts the Super in Super-Sized

In Argentina the local hot dogs are called panchos, their grander offerings, super-panchos; Bolivia,Paraguay, and Uruguay also have their respective variations called panchos;Venezuela is content with just callin 'em hot hogs(with a cool spanish accent,of course=hote doeg); in Brazil, it's the ingredient packed dogão;Chile has the mayo spackled completo; but perhaps the grandest of all South-American hot dogs is the super-perro, or super-dog from Colombia.

The super-perro is a tremendous bite densely packed with all things good. Toppings vary, but there are some basics, the special pan perro bun, mozarella cheese, ketchup, mustard, garlic mayonaisse, pink ketchup to exite the eyes, relish, onions, tomatoes, and a mound of crushed potato chips.Maybe a bit of pineapple thrown in for extra sweetness? One stand I came across in Bogota even offered quail eggs!

Most of these stands are simply titled super-perros, and they can be found all over Colombia.


I came across a rather camera shy woman with her family one night in Bogota's Zona Rio, my neighborhood stay of choice; it's where the party's at. They come to Bogota from nearby Zipaquira to sell these hulking hot dogs. They are located across the street from the El Corral in the Zona Rio, it's a branch of a popular,local burger chain.


You can't have a super-perro without pan perro, or dog bread. It's a light, airy sesame-seed bun with a crust that gets browned and crisped on a flat iron.


A rainbow of condiments says Colombia: ketchup, pink ketchup, mustard, and a spicy,garlic mayonaisse are the standard quartet of criss-crossed patterns of condiment.


While the bun with its fillings are getting toasty, mozarella cheese is grilled to make a sealing layer atop the super-perro.


The finished product is a startling proposition, surely this is too much to eat at once; these are big enough to share.


This formidable bite bestows upon its owner a medley of compositions and dashes, from crunch to snap; from sweet to salt. The pan perro really sets this hot dog apart from other similar South-American style dogs, and also gives the super-perro its girth. Oh yeah, my super-perro costed $1500 Colombian pesos, under a dollar in US currency.

The Colombian hot dog is best enjoyed at a stand with an ice-cold gaseosa, a soft drink, just look for the super-perro sign or banner, super-sized for your pleasure.

Super Perros
kiosk across from the EL Corral
in the Zona Rio
Bogota, Colombia
All over Bogota, Colombia and
throughout the rest of the country
afternoons and evenings