People love to tell me what I should tackle on my next food journey. There are so many options in New York. But the one that seems to get recommended the most often are hot dogs. It’s clearly a New York dish and I suppose I’ll have to get to them eventually. But I’ll admit, I’m not looking forward to it.
I like hot dogs, sure, but childhood memories of badly boiled wieners and the knowledge of all that goes into making a frank, has me putting off the hot dog challenge for as long as possible. I do like them once in a while (and it usually has to do with an event or holiday or something), but they’re not a food that I want to eat on a regular basis.
Now, proper sausages on the other hand, I could eat all the time (Thank God I don’t). And when the lines between a hot dog and a sausage tend to blur, then I’ve got some eating to do.
Bark Hot Dogs in Park Slope is one of the many new spots in New York that is trying to blur that line and turn the hot dog from a dirty water floater to a gourmet dish.
Although unlike at Crif Dogs or Dogmatic, Bark doesn’t really try to re-invent the hot dog. They just use the finest ingredients (as related from their list of sources on the table) and add some tasty toppings to their Classic Dog. Time Out called for us to try the House Dog so we just got a plain dog (minus any chili or cheddar), added some mustard and bit in.
What a snap! Just as much as flavor, I think a hot dog should be judged on its snap. And this guy exploded on each bite. It’s an exciting sensation and a slightly laborious work-out for your teeth. In a good way.
And the flavor of this pork and beef blend was hearty and complex. It had a meaty, rich beginning and a surprisingly smoky finish. I’ve never deconstructed a hot dog like this. And I haven’t even gotten to the bun which was perfectly toasty giving way to a soft interior.
The veggie version that we got (made of mushrooms and chickpeas) didn’t fare quite as well. There was no snap (I’ve yet to have a veggie version that’s successfully re-created the snap sensation) and the flavors and textures were a little muddied and soft.
But stick to the meat here and you’ll be happy. And it’s definitely gotten me thinking about the best hot dogs in the city. You might see a hot dog episode sooner than you think.
Would Bark Hot Dog’s House Dog make my Top 100 of the year? The link gets an 8 out of 10, much higher than I anticipated, but this frankfurter is fresh, flavorful, and fantastic.
