Coney d'Concourse

I was sad when I got to the Detroit airport for a trip back east because I had spent all my time eating around Ann Arbor (not that there's anything wrong with that), leaving me no chance to enjoy a  Coney at Lafayette and/or American, the side-by-side weenie shops that have defined heartland Coney goodness for decades. Lucky me, my flight departed from the A Concourse, not far from gate 24, where National Coney Island has an outpost that starts serving the Detroit signature dog at 5am. Ah, bliss: a "Coney Special," which is a snappy little frank topped with chili, mustard, and onions, plus more spicy ground beef, all in a supersoft steamed bun. I had mine gilded with melted cheese. As is true of all classic Coneys, no single ingredient is great, but this is a whole package that completely transcends the ignominy of each of its parts.