LEWISTON — It’s an unconventional lunch story.

Hot dog meets scrambled egg. Meets hash. Meets your mouth.

Teresa Foster has a full menu of hot dogs and fixings that she describes as so weird they work.

The Dirty South (hot dog meets pulled pork meets homemade slaw.) The Kraut Dog (hot dog meets sauerkraut meets bacon, mayo and relish). The Mornin’ Dog (see above).

After years of working in other people’s restaurants — mostly as a waitress, sometimes as bartender or cook — she opened Top of the Dog in January in the former Sweet Pea Designs building at 940 Lisbon St. Last week she added steamed hamburgers to the menu, blowing a few people’s minds (steamed burgers are more of a regional thing in Connecticut and Texas).

“My husband says if you have crazy hot dogs, you might as well have crazy burgers,” said Foster, 37. “I had someone order a Chili N’ Cheese burger yesterday and they said ‘This is ridiculous, but it’s good.'”

Her duel inspiration for opening Top of the Dog with husband Chris: Their 5-year-old Alana — she loves hot dogs — and reaction after Foster made Pastrami Dogs (hot dog, pastrami, provolone and mustard) during a family get together. They were a total hit.

The restaurant is clean, spacious and simple, with seven tables and a countertop with stools. Texas Pete Hotter Hot Sauce sits on each table. Posters of Betty Boop and Elvis hang on the walls. It’s an open view to the kitchen so people can watch her at work.

Foster steams red and brown hot dogs that are made without fillers or nitrates. Specialty dogs, topped with everything from pizza sauce to bacon to jalapenos, range from $3 to $5. The menu is rounded out with conventional sandwiches, chips, soda and ice cream.

“To me, I feel like the crazier the better,” she said. “Half the people are excited to try different dogs, half the people just want mustard, ketchup and relish on a red dog.”

The Chili N’ Cheese dog, topped with shredded cheddar and Chris’ homemade chili with just a little bite, is her most popular dog. Key to squeezing in so much? A slightly warmed — but not steamed — bun.

“It might be a two-napkin experience,” Foster said. “The trick is, you take the hot dog and you keep eating it until it’s gone — you don’t set it down.”

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Top of the Dog

940 Lisbon St., Lewiston

Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Eat-in, take-out or to-go

Cash only

FMI: 755-1340

Nacho Dog

1 tablespoon cheddar cheese sauce

1 tablespoon medium-spicy salsa

2-3 Tostitos chips, crushed

Mix cheese and salsa, then warm the mix for a few seconds in the microwave. Spoon sauce onto a steaming hot brown dog already tucked in a warm bun. Top with the crushed chips.

Slaw Dog

Half-bag of Fresh Express three-color deli cole slaw mix

1 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

Mix mayonnaise and vinegar until smooth, then toss with other ingredients. Liberally spoon the cole slaw mix onto a steaming hot brown dog already tucked in a warm bun.

Enjoy.