According to our Readers' Choice competition, Dino's Chicago Express has the best hot dog in Augusta. I've got to agree. This Chicago-style dog is a culinary delight.

Lunch Buddy Donna and I visited the Furys Ferry Dino's on a recent weekday, our first visit in several years. It had been a somewhat regular staple for takeout meals for us, but we had just sort of fallen out of the Dino's habit. Our loss.
This time, we dined in. I wanted to revisit the hot dog, since Dino's topped that category, and Donna had a gyro salad. We were both pleased with the food - and the value.

The Chicago dog ($2.49) comes on a poppy seed bun and is dressed with peppers, tomatoes, a pickle slice, relish, mustard, celery salt and onion. Don't even think about getting it with anything else. This is a top-notch dog. It came with french fries with the skins on that were salted just right, a perfect accompaniment.

Donna's gyro salad ($6.99) was topped with a generous portion of gyro meat that was spicy and fresh. The greens seemed to be from a bag, but hey, that's what we eat at home, too.

The dining room is fast-food simplicity, with a wall devoted to Chicago-related mementos. It's clean and gets the job done. The counter worker was pleasant and attentive.

Dino's is great for a quick, cheap lunch. We were fed and out of there in 20 minutes, and with just $11.50 out of the wallet for the food and drinks.

Applause readers know a great deal when they see one. See next week's Applause for a list of winners.

THE LUNCH LINE
What: Dino's Chicago Express
Where: 500 Furys Ferry Road, Suite 100
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday
The food: 3.5 out of 5
Service: 3
Value: 3.5
more: See www.dinoschicagoexpress.com; call (706) 228-4476.
other location: 4446 Washington Road, Suite 20