Happy Dog Street Meat might be the most unique hot dog vendor in the city. 

Located outside of one of several outlet strip malls on Orfus Road in the Castlefield Design District, Happy Dog is perfectly positioned to attract hungry shoppers who've worked up an appetite hunting down deals. 

The owner of the stand, Mona, says that she operates the stand for 9 months from April to December in a typical year, only shutting down during the snowy season.

Grilling up onions and hot dogs at Happy Dog.

I recently visited Happy Dog just before noon on a weekday, in time to watch the lunch rush of local construction workers wolf down their meals. 

Happy Dog's hot italian sausage, fresh off the grill

The menu is taped to both sides of the stand. The beef, chicken and veggie dogs cost $4, while all sausages are priced at $5, save for jerk-flavoured 'Big Jerk,' which is unique to Happy Dog. Everything on the menu is halal. 

Loading up on condiments at Happy Dog.

When it was my turn to order Mona recommended the hot Italian sausage with her specialty fried onions. So, that's what I got, dressed to my liking with the arsenal of condiments built into the cart. 

Mona's homemade garlic sauce is one of several condiments available at Happy Dog

Don't make the mistake of sticking to the run-of-the-mill hot dog condiments — ketchup, mustard, sauerkraut and onions — but instead go for at least one of Mona's homemade garlic or chipotle sauces.

The menu.

The recipe for the garlic sauce apparently draws from Mona's Iranian roots with a taste not dissimilar to the garlic sauce I've had at various shawarma joints around town.

The final product.

Undoubtedly the heart and soul of Orfus Rd., Mona says that she's been operating her cart in the same spot since 2008. She runs her business with an infectious joy.

Customers ordering and dressing hot dogs at Happy Dog

You can find Happy Dog at 39 Orfus Road.