UP THE RIGHT TREE (Bark Hot Dogs)

My search for the best hot dogs in New York continues….

SADLY, BARK HOT DOGS IS NOW CLOSED.

I’m slowly learning that the majority of the hot dogs in this city come from one company. You may have heard of the little known Sabrett. If you haven’t and you’ve walked around NYC, you need to open your eyes. Some, but very few, of NYC establishments are actually making their own hot dogs from scratch – casing and all.

The newish and hugely popular Bark, located on the outskirts of the family friendly neighborhood of Park Slope are certainly not making their own dogs in house, but they do have a “private label” with Hartmann’s Old World Sausage in Rochester, NY. Private label makes me think of wine. The nose on this smells like hot dogs!!!

Bark is one of those places that likes to list where all their ingredients come from, so there is a big poster on the wall that will let you know that their potatoes come from J. Glebocki Farm and their flour comes from King Arthur Flour. I can safely say this is unlike any other hot dog joint in the city.

But the ordering system is pretty much the same. I wonder how many people actually pay attention to the burger and sandwich options because it’s clear that Hot Dogs are the main event here. While the NYC Dog seemed to be the obvious choice for my journey, I chose the Bark Hot Dog. Whenever a restaurant names a dish after themselves, I figure it’s worth a try.

I appreciate that Bark doesn’t get too funky or creative with their toppings. Everything is pretty simple (and homemade) and allows the hot dogs to bark for themselves. No kimchi or fried mayonnaise on these dogs. Baked beans is about as adventurous as it gets here.

The namesake dog was full of colorful toppings. The wiener was a little paler and less red than I expected (bring on the snickers), which I must attribute to the natural casing without any artificial ingredients. It also had a buttery glisten that I later learned is from the secret Bark butter (smoked lard and butter) that gets brushed on each dog after its grilled.

It adds an amazing richness that brings out the natural smoky, porky flavors. The toppings – sweet pepper relish (a far cry from most sugary ketchups), crunchy raw red onions, and spicy French’s mustard are the perfect complement to this stellar dog.

The snap was subtle, but consistent throughout the meal. This grilled specimen is everything today’s NY hot dog should be, with fresh, local ingredients that leave you feeling light and clean, but fully satisfied with the classic NY hot dog flavors.

And while $5 is more than most people expect to pay for a hot dog, this special, exclusive dog puts most of those Sabrett carts to shame.

Does Bark have the best hot dogs in NY? They certainly stand out from the pack with their sustainable resources, simple and delicious toppings, and that addicting lard butter garnish. They can’t get less than a 9 out of 10 from me.