I think it would be safe to say that I truly love food. I usually keep an open mind and will try anything once (for the most part, don't go shoving cooked bugs in my face =P). After watching the Food Network and the Travel Channel, I had accumulated a list of food eateries of all kinds on the notepad of my phone. Among these places were quite a few hot dog joints so after talking with some friends, we decided to make a day of sampling different types of hot dogs from different places in the city. I mapped out each of the locations (and still got lost) but I digress! Let's just say we were quite full by the end of the day.
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He looks utterly confused. I am proud of him though, he ate the whole thing!
Known as a classic hot dog, we had to stop by here first. They were probably the cheapest dogs we paid for on this entire trip.
The verdict? Quite tasty. I personally like my hot dogs well done so when you bite into them there's a bit of a snap. Gray's also offers an array of different juices so I had to try the Coconut Champagne. It was very coconut-y and very sweet, coyly sweet. I would try their famous pineapple juice next time.
30 St Marks Pl
(between Cooper Sq & Astor Pl)
New York, NY 10003
If you watch "No Reservations" or "The Layover" with Anthony Bourdain, you might have heard of the next two locations I'm going to mention. Japadog is basically a place where they serve hot dogs dressed with Japanese toppings such as bonito flakes, seaweed and plum sauce. We were recommended to try the Bourdain Special which featured the Terimayo and Okonomi hot dogs. The Terimayo hot dog consisted of: teriyaki sauce, mayo and seaweed while the Okonomi hot dog contained a Kurobuta sausage topped with bonito flakes. Our other friend decided he would rather try the Love Meat hot dog which had the topping of meat sauce fused with melted cheese.
The verdict? I thought the Terimayo hot dog was delicious! The Okonomi was also tasty but had an overpowering fish smell due to the bonito flakes. If you are not a fan of fish smell or fish avoid the Okonomi. If you are more of the adventurous type, I would suggest you try this place. They even a deep fried bun filled with ice cream! I had to save room, so I passed.
113 St Marks Pl
(between Avenue A & 1st Ave)
New York, NY 10009
OMG. I love Crif Dog! I had been here before with a friend but with all the possibilities I wussed out and only got the avocado and tomato toppings. This time I decided I would be different and try one of their creations. Let me just say right away that this was winner hands down. Oh man...so good!
I had the Jon Jon Deragon which consisted of cream cheese, bagel seeds and green onions. Me and my girlfriend loved it. The Mister had the bacon wrapped Crif dog with mustard and sauerkraut, and he loved his. My girlfriend got the tsunami, a bacon wrapped hot dog with teriyaki sauce and pineapples. Her hubby had the B.L.T. which was a bacon wrapped dog with tomato and lettuce. My homi got the chili dog which he said was the best chili dog he's had. He also said that those who like meat based chilis would love this one.The verdict? Highly recommend this place. The atmosphere is cool with a bit of grit and the hot dogs are really delicious. And yes, Anthony Bourdain loved it.
201 Allen St
(between 1st Ave & Stanton St)
New York, NY 10002
Ok, after getting caught in a downpour, we finally got to our fourth destination, Los Perros Locos. Specializing in Columbian hot dogs, this place offers pretty unique creations. At this point I was getting pretty full, but I ventured on and ordered another dog. I'm going to say that this place needs another chance because the hot dog I selected did not do it for me but the Mister's hot dog was pretty tasty. Now onto the breakdown.
My girlfriend is a tiny little thing and she was quite full at this point so we decided to just split a hot dog. We both thought the Pablo Escobar (bottom right) sounded tasty. The Escobar consisted of salsa de pina, apple chipotle slaw, potato chips, Kewpie mayo and a dusting of cheese. I think the mayo was what turned me off, there was just way too much stuff for my tastebuds to comprehend what was going on.
The Mister had the Spicy Spicy Mango (top right). This concoction of spicy, mango, mojo, melted mozzarella and crushed hot Doritos was really tasty. The salty and sweet melded really well together.
My gf's husband decided on the Amerro-Perro (bottom left). This was a chili dog, the chili made with beer and cocoa infused beef, shredded Vermont cheddar, chipotle kraut, crushed Fritos and ChipZana sauce. I didn't taste this one but the Mister tried and and said it was pretty good.
And last but definitely not least was my friend, B's dog (top left). This poor man ordered the Mas Perfecto which had 10 toppings. It was a combination of almost all of our hot dogs
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The verdict? Go on an empty stomach and be sure to go over the menu thoroughly because they will give descriptions of what the salsas are made of, etc., I will say one of the highlights of this place had to be the Coco-Cola! These were imported from Mexico and made with real sugar instead of HFCS. Yummmm
The last and final stop of our hot dog trip! At this point my girlfriend and her hubby bowed out gracefully while the Mister, B and I ventured forth. Mister had the Mel & Steve (left) which consisted of Asian sesame slaw. I settled for the Wangding (middle) with the toppings of Chinese BBQ pork belly, onions and cucumbers and B had the Ito (right) with Japanese curry and homemade kimchi apples.
The verdict? The hot dogs were unique in their creations. The Wangding was a little salty for me. The Mel and Steve and Ito were better. I recommend this place if you like Asian fusion/Asian food in general.
Whew! What a post! Overall I had an amazingly awesome time with my friends. Great food and great company can make any day better. We are already talking about our next trip! The debate is between burgers or pizza. What do you guys think our next trip should be?
That's such a cool way to spend a day with friends. I see about 8 dogs I'd like to try. But tonight the old-fashioned chili dog is calling to me. When you mentioned that your friend is tiny, I thought you were going to say she could pack away hotdogs like a competitive eating champ. :)
ReplyDeletePS--I vote for pizza next. If you do burgers, you'll have to invite Regis Philbin to go with you. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a How I Met Your Mother reference!!! I love that show! My friend is 4'11"ish so you can imagine how tiny she is. I was surprised she ate as much as she did!
ReplyDeletenom nom nom!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh my lawd, I'm salivating!
ReplyDelete