Wetzel's brings fresh and fancy pretzels to the Phoenix Valley

A giant soft pretzel with big grains of salt and a cup of processed cheese sauce is a simple but delightful culinary pleasure, and pretzel buns are all the rage these days.

• So I figured I had to try out the new Wetzel's concept, which aims to take pretzels to the next frontier.

Driving the news: Twisted by Wetzel's recently opened at Prasada Parkway and Waddell Road in Surprise.

• It's the concept's first location in Arizona and second overall. The first was in La Habra in Orange County, California.

What I ordered: Everything on the menu seemed unique, pretzel-wise, so I picked out a couple of items to try.

• Baja Boardwalk: Twisted has several all-beef hot dogs in pretzel buns, this one with cilantro sauce, jalapeño, slaw, green onion and Tajin.
• Nashville Heat: It's also got several traditional pretzels with various toppings, so I got one with the signature Twisted sauce and spicy Nashville seasoning.

The verdict: It was worth trying, but I wasn't wowed. The Nashville Heat pretzel wasn't bad, adding a little sweetness to the advertised spice. The hot dog was OK, but if that's what you're in the market for, there are plenty of good spots around the Valley.

• I stuck with the savory options, but I'd be interested in trying some of the sweet ones. The s'mores pretzel looks tasty.