Short Stop: Two Hands Is the Newest Destination for Korean Corn Dogs

Denver's dining scene is better than ever — and we're hungering to go out. So we're serving up Short Stop, with recommendations for places that should definitely be on your culinary short list, from old favorites to newer additions. This week, head to Two Hands for Korean corn dogs.

What: Two Hands Corn Dogs

Where: 2076 South University Boulevard

When: Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily

For more info: Visit twohandsus.com
About the place: For months, the storefront near East Evans Avenue and South University Boulevard looked ready to open any day. The signs covering the windows promised Korean corn dogs coming soon, as well as a second brand, Thanks Pizza. But it wasn't until mid-May that Two Hands, a Los Angeles-based franchise that is quickly expanding nationwide, debuted its first Colorado outpost.

Following a rapid expansion of Korean fried chicken joints last year, that country's take on corn dogs has taken hold. Since the family-owned food truck Mukja, which specializes in Korean corn dogs, launched in 2019, a number of new additions have hit the scene. Ginger Pig's cornflake-crusted version stuffed with a Nathan's frank was our 2022 Best of Denver pick for Best Corn(flake) Dog, and spots like MyungRang, CrunCheese and Mochinut 88 Hot Dog Juicy, all located in Aurora, are now serving up their own takes.

The fast-casual setup at Two Hands, the newest addition to the scene, has a small footprint — just a walk-up counter where corn dogs are made fresh to order. On a recent visit, an employee explained that because this location had extra room, its owner decided to include Thanks Pizza as well, another brand owned by the same parent company.

But despite the fact that the pizza equipment is in place, the wait continues for that addition. "We just need the ingredients and we'll be ready to go," the employee said. When it does debut, expect pizzas made on its signature "soft, light, easy-to-digest 'breathing' dough," as described on the website, in options that range from classic pepperoni to tater tots and mashed potatoes, cheeseburger with pickles and bacon, pumpkin and sweet potato, and basil mascarpone.

For now, though, this space is all about the corn dogs.
What you're eating: The Two Hands menu includes seven types of dogs; you pick your style and your choice of filling — spicy beef sausage, all-beef sausage, plant-based sausage, mozzarella and two half-and-half combos, sausage and mozzarella or mozzarella and cheddar. Dogs range from $3.39 to $4.99 each.

Choosing can be tough for the uninitiated, but Two Hands also offers a three-dog set for $13.99, a three-dog set with fries and two drinks for $21.99, or a set of five dogs, the Mega Box, for $21.99, which includes its most popular styles: the signature Two Hands Dog, Spicy Dog, Potato Dog, Classic Dog and Crispy Rice Dog.

The enthusiastic employee at the counter was quick to offer suggestions on which filling would be best with each dog, and she told me that her new favorite was the Crispy Rice, something she'd never tried before. "I took it home and ate it in bed and, oh, my gosh, so yummy!" she exclaimed. Despite the small crowd inside Two Hands, the order came out surprisingly fast.

There are a few tables inside as well as a couple on the front patio, but I opted to take the box of dogs across the street to the bar-without-a-name that was opened by the owners of the Englewood Grand in March, so that I could pair my feast with a dirty martini.

With a friend along for the ride — because no single person should try to consume five corn dogs in one sitting — we dug in. The Mega Box came loaded with several sauces: ranch, spicy sauce and "dirty sauce," which tasted like a sriracha mayo. But the dogs themselves were so flavorful, extra sauce was deemed totally unnecessary (even for me, a total lover of dipping anything and everything). The end of each stick is color-coded to tell you which filling is inside, and there's a guide in the box that breaks down the details.

The mozzarella in the Classic, sweet and savory Korean style, had a cheese pull made for social media, while the version filled with the spicy sausage delivered a legit kick. The texture of the potato dog, which was covered in Hot Cheetos powder, was fun, but this one definitely needs to be eaten ASAP, because it lost its crispness quickly. The signature Two Hands dog drizzled with a sweet version of ranch would have been a nice contrast with the spicy sausage, but filled with the regular, it fell a little flat.

As the employee had suggested, the Crispy Dog, coated with little round balls of rice puffs, was the one we finished off the fastest. The texture was a delight, and the addition of sugar (which is optional) really amped up the sweet and savory experience.

The other two options on the menu are an American-style dog and the Injeolmi dog with bean powder and sweet sauce. One dog with Dirty Fries (tot-like potato puffs covered in the Dirty Sauce and Hot Cheetos powder) or Kimchi Fries (French fries with kimchi powder) would make for a filling, though certainly not healthy, meal. Elote is also available; a variety of slushes round out the drink options.

Locating near a college campus was a smart move for the brand, which serves up food that is basically made for the munchies. Maybe Two Hands will consider adding more hours in the future; Jerusalem has been a late-night staple in the neighborhood for decades, but the area could still use more options (besides Fat Shack) that are open after midnight.