HOT DOG REVIEW: Dickson’s Farmstand Meats

It had been a long time since I had been to Chelsea Market on a weekend afternoon. I could not believe how mobbed the place was. What once was a favorite of locals has been taken over by tourists. And I mean taken over. It was nearly impossible to make your way from one side of the market to another. It was actually easier to exit through one of the side doors and come in another door from outside.

I was here because I had a special tour that had requested a visit. And they were having lunch and craving a New York hot dog. So that meant I also got to eat a New York hot dog. I recommended Dickson’s Farmstand Meats since they have a great reputation and I had heard good things about their dog.

While I have never sampled the actual dog from Dickson’s, years ago I tried one that was curated by them for a now-closed restaurant in the East Village. And I have to say I was hugely disappointed. I don’t blame Dickson’s for that as it was specially made for the chef.

I was eager to see what they do on their own.

But the biggest flaw for me was that it had absolutely no snap. Sometimes the first bite snaps and then the natural casing gives way to the softer texture of the sausage. I can’t say that I got even one snap with this lunch.

Not sure what went wrong here as I’m sure Dickson’s knows the beauty of a good snap. Perhaps it was so busy that mine didn’t get grilled as long as it should have. But that would surprise me.

It’s still a much better (and healthier) option than most of the boiled dirty water dogs. So I’m glad all the tourists at Chelsea Market have this option, but I wish they could taste one level up and see how good a New York dog can be.