Hot Dog!

In New York there is no lack of hip food joints for the basics. Burgers, pizza, macaroni, and of course even the unglamorous hot dog are no longer simple foods in this city. I have to admit this is a fact I enjoy when I have experiences such as the on I had today at the New York Hot dog Company. This simple space at the corner of Chambers and Church downtown, has the hipness factor of offering giant Kobe beef dogs ($4.50), the premium Japanese beef. So of course that is what I ordered. Fancy beef is one the draws to this place. I was hooked when I saw their list of toppings offered.

Keeping it simple for the first visit, I began with the standard (therefore free) toppings of sauerkraut and bourbon sauce. While eating and very much enjoying this hearty hot dog, I was already planning feature visits and combinations. For .50 I can add guac, which I think I would like with sour cream and salsa for an additional .25 each. How about I top a dog with Mac N' Cheese? And BBQ bread crumbs? So many choices! With 15 free toppings and an additional 18 offerings for a small fee, one can create many varieties of hot dog tastiness. And then how would I know which hot dog to select out of the 10 or so options. Bison dog ($3.50)?Chicken dog ($1.75)? I might not be able to return unless I map out my next selections, like making a battle plan.

I also decided to try their Healthy Fries ($1.95) (is this possible?) , but with cheese ($2.45) Oops! There went the healthy factor, if it even existed in the first place. Of course I'm at a hot dog place and not expecting to eat healthy. They were also good; baked waffle fries covered in melted cheese. Still no complaints.

If the food wasn't incentive enough to return, the service was amazing. Upon finding out it was my first time I was given a bonus treat and was even asked a couple times by friendly employees if I had enjoyed everything. For me the math of hip hot dog place with 32 topping options + 10 quality hot dog selections + great service = I will return.