Westie Side Story
Episode KH106
Original Air Date: 3/2/97

Hank mistakenly believes that his new Laotian neighbors use dog meat to make their delicious barbecued hamburgers.

A large moving truck pulls into the driveway of a home next door to the Hill residence. A strapping, all-American father and his teenage son hop out of the vehicle, drawing words of approval from Hank and his friends. But the man explains he was hired to move the belongings of another family, and points to a minivan as it pulls into the driveway. When a Laotian family, the Souphanousinphones, steps out, Hank's jaw drops in disbelief. Telling his buddies that "a neighbor's a neighbor," Hank walks next door and introduces himself. He meets Kahn Souphanousinphone, his wife, Minh, and their daughter, Kahn, Jr. (Connie). Kahn Sr. explains that he and his family moved from Laos to California, where they lived for twenty years. Peggy invites the family to her home for dinner. For dessert, Peg serves up her Brown Betty, the recipe for which is a closely guarded family secret. As the Souphanousinphones leave the house, Minh makes a remark regarding Peggy's large feet. The next day, Hank discovers his dog, Ladybird, being mounted by Kahn's West Highland Terrier, Doggie. Hank tells Kahn his dog should be "breeding with her own kind," prompting Kahn to call Hank a "narrow-minded redneck."

Minh apologizes to Peggy for getting off to a bad start during dinner. She invites the Hills to join her family for a barbecue. Peggy accepts the offer. During the meal, Minh serves up Peggy's Brown Betty with an added dash of nutmeg. Peggy is furious that Minh was able to figure out the recipe. Meanwhile, Bobby and Kahn, Jr. give chase when Doggie runs off into the neighborhood. Relations between Hank and Kahn thaw the moment Hank takes a bite of Kahn's barbecued hamburger. Hank calls it "the best damn burger I ever ate." Dale, however, abstains from tasting the burger, noting the Westie's empty leash lying on the ground.

Refusing to believe his neighbors would cook dog, Hank does some investigating on his own. After overhearing, and misconstruing, a conversation between Minh and the dog pound, Hank concludes the burger was made of Doggie. Meanwhile, Bobby and Connie unleash Ladybird, hoping she will lead them to the missing Doggie. When Hank discovers Ladybird's leash swinging in the breeze, he mistakenly concludes that his neighbors are using her to make hamburger. Hank bangs on the Souphanousinphones' front door, demanding the return of his dog. Kahn threatens Hank with a baseball bat, but before the argument escalates, the two children race to the home and explain that they are responsible for the missing pets. Angered, both men send their children to their respective rooms without dessert. Noting how they punish their offspring the same way, Hank and Kahn patch up their differences.