With the popularity of burger shacks and hot dog stands, Holy Dog fuses the two together and puts an Asian twist on them in a five-month-old spot in the Fillmore District.

It’s part of a slew of new eating destinations in the neighborhood, across from the white-hot State Bird Provisions and around the corner from Social Study café. And with a menu that caters to the late-night munchies, it doesn’t hurt to be near The Fillmore concert hall.

What do I mean about an Asian twist? Imagine ingredients like kim chee, bulgogi, teriyaki, and daikon. Just as long as the specialty burger and hot dog menus is the variety of French fries and chicken wings (with names like the “loco moco” playing off the Hawaiian hamburger-gravy-egg dish).

It’s the kind of place that I really wanted to like, but unfortunately it’s one of those places that looks good on paper and doesn’t necessarily delivery on the plate. I tried the Spicy Pork Belly Burger ($6.50) but what I got was a burger with thin pork slices that were chewy and covered in an orange-red sauce. Sometimes messy is worth going for if it satisfies in the end, but this pork belly burger didn’t.

The Kim Chee Dog, a bratwurst with mustard and Korean fermented cabbage

Shifting to the hot dogs, I went for the Kim Chee Dog ($5.95), which was simply topped with the Korean fermented cabbage and mustard on a bratwurst. (It also comes with onion but I asked for mine without.) While the hot dog was OK, the kim chee lacked flavor and didn’t really add much to the overall eating experience.

Holy Dog has a fun menu (and they serve beer) with friendly owners, but the ingredients don’t live up to their Asian roots and don’t even make a half-hearted attempt at fusion. Maybe it’s better to skip the fancy, specialty menu and stick with a simple sausage or burger.

Holy Dogs, 1552 Fillmore St. (at Geary), San Francisco. PH: 415.441.9299. Open daily. Cash only.

Holy Dog opened last December in the Fillmore District

Spicy Pork Belly Burger

The messy aftermath of eating the pork belly burger

Mural in the dining area at Holy Dog