HANK'S HAUTE DOGS

324 Coral St., between Auahi Street and Ala Moana; 532-4265, www.hankshautedogs.com

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays

Prices: $4.50-$10

This sit-at-the-counter eatery is kitted out in budget materials — two-by-fours, corrugated iron — in a sparely stylish way. Just like the decor, the food is elevated lowbrow: gourmet hot dogs. Leave your Oscar Mayer-and-French's-in-a-marshmallowy-bun preconceptions at the door.

The signature is the Chicago-style dog with the works. Hot dogs are all about the snap — and these Vienna beef versions flown in from Chicago (along with the radioactive-green pickle relish, sport peppers and poppy-seed buns) have a lot of it. It's a great classic hot dog, but where Hank's wins best in show is with the sausages — andouille, chorizo, Polish, chicken, and daily specials such as a house-made seafood number — all served in buns baked by Bale.

Best is the andouille — gooey, sweet sauteed onions balance the spice of the Cajun classic (that's made in San Francisco). Reportedly, it's Alan Wong's favorite — he likes it topped with sauerkraut.

Forget about bypassing the sides. You're eating hot dogs, for chrissake — now's not the time to count calories. The fries are tied for the best in town (with Cassis by Chef Mavro). And for once, there's more onion than batter in the crunchy Maui onion rings.

BRANDI'S

1633 Kapi'olani Blvd., second floor (across from Pan Am building); 943-0480

10 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays

Prices: $1.75-$8

When you're here, you're with family — Linda Nambu's family. The mom, sister, cousins, nieces (the deli is named after one), even former in-laws help out, many for free. It's the only way the business can survive, Nambu says.

Her dad created the beef stew, which is a winner. Her sister came up with the loco moco. Customers from the Big Island, home of the loco moco, have raved about the dish to Nambu. Not surprisingly, the gravy is made from scratch.

The chili bowl is meaty and the crinkle-cut fries have a solid potato bite — no heat-lamp overexposure here. And, oh wow, lau lau. Brandi's Friday special gives you one lau lau with pork AND chicken AND butterfish inside. The plate comes with lomi salmon, tossed or macaroni salad, rice and an attack of the killer zzzs back at the office.

DAT ONE PERSIAN RESTAURANT

801 Alakea St., Suite 109 (entrance off Queen Street); 791-1616

10 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays

Price: Full plates, $5-$6

Honolulu's only Iranian restaurant is a simple lunch spot in that rabbit warren of lunch spots at 801 Alakea (corner of Alakea and Queen in Downtown Honolulu). Owner Missagh "Misa" Rajaei does all the cooking.

The recipes are standard homey dishes from Iran, except for a nontraditional creation of his father's: a vegetarian stew of mixed vegetables with coconut milk.

There are seven standard entrees, including a soup, stews and meat dishes, and Friday is "Kabob Day," with beef or chicken skewers served over basmati rice.

Particularly good is the pairing of fruit with protein in dishes such as fesenjoon, a slow-simmered stew of boneless chicken with a walnut-and-pomegranate sauce. It is almost candy sweet, yet richly meaty — and usually sells out every day.

Khoresh nademjoon is a thick, jammy melange of boneless beef and chunks of tomato and eggplant, and it's about as comforting and homey as your mom's smile. The flavor is tartly sweet, and this is a dish pretty much anyone (well, any meat eater) could love.

Like Hawai'i, Persia is a rice-eating culture — all the entrees come with a long-grain, loose basmati/saffron rice. In the three-compartment takeout containers at Dat One Persian Restaurant, the rice occupies the largest container.

Still, the servings are generous; they pack the smaller compartments (you can choose one or two entrees). You can also choose to skip the rice and get a bowl of whatever entree you want.

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