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Greenwich Village's Dogmatic Redefines What A Hot Dog Can Be
By
Scott Heins
Published Feb 7, 2014
Modified Feb 7, 2014
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Scott Heins, Gothamist
By
Scott Heins
Published Feb 7, 2014
Modified Feb 7, 2014
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Hot dogs. Bratwursts. Frankfurters. Wieners. Whatever your preferred style and nomenclature, the encased-meat-in-a-bun meal has been a New York City staple for well over a century, brought across the Atlantic by the German and Polish immigrants in search of their own manifest destinies. While the hot dog of today has, for the most part, been tenuously exiled to ballparks, street vendor carts, and local chains fast disappearing, a small cohort of local shops continues to push the boundaries of what can go on, in, and around the dog. Just like the universe itself, the cylindrical sandwich scene (yes, hot dogs are sandwiches) is ever-expanding.
Dogmatic, which recently opened in a new Greenwich Village location, aspires to something else entirely, bringing not just new flavors but an entirely new hot dog construction method to the local food scene. Inspired by the "fransk hotdog" of Denmark and other European nations, Dogmatic's signature dog comprises a hollowed-out miniature baguette that is seared upon a hot metal spike and then filled with a delicious frank (or grilled asparagus stalks) and any one of their ingenious sauces.
We tried a lamb dog with cheddar jalapeño sauce ($5.95), and apart from a bit of extra cheese that escaped the baguette's hollow confines, it was clear that this "meat wholly encased in fresh bread" approach is by far the most practical and fun way to consume a hot dog. We can debate pizza slice techniques for all eternity, but the how-to hot dog discussion ends here and now. The 100% pasture-raised lamb was grilled perfectly and mild in flavor, while the sauce was satisfyingly spicy and far less greasy than expected.
Italian Sausage (Scott Heins, Gothamist)
Also inhaled was an all-pork dog with truffle gruyere sauce ($4.95) and the restaurant's own take on the classic Italian sausage ($6.95), which arrived in a traditional bun. The pork dog and gruyere combo was a bit understated in flavor but still excellent thanks to the perfectly-cooked textures of both hot dog and baguette. The sausage was nice and came topped with a generous helping of peppers and onions, but at nearly $7 we recommend you stick to the specialty "Dogmatic dogs."
The restaurant's president, Marisa Regal, filled us in on Dogmatic's pragmatic approach. The operation began as a cart in 2007 before moving to a brick and mortar on 17th Street the following year. Dogmatic was motivated to move to the Village in December by the prospect of the late night barfly crowd, and widened their offerings to include burgers, fries, and mac and cheese at the same time.
(Scott Heins, Gothamist)
Most of all, the restaurant hopes to be a healthier and more natural answer to the hot dog's tradition of dubious ingredients. Every hot dog is grilled on a flattop with no added oil, and the pork, beef, chicken, and lamb are sourced from farms that use no hormones, antibiotics, or nitrates. French fries are air-baked and each sauce is made fresh daily. "For us the concept is really naturally good fast food," Regal said during our visit. "We do not have dirty water dogs. We have the better version." While the Sabrett cart will always hold a special place in our hearts, Dogmatic is a must-try for frank fans and wiener believers.
120 MacDougal Street (between W 3rd and Bleecker), (212) 414-0600; dogmatic.com
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Scott Heins
Scott Heins is a freelance photo and video journalist based in New York City, and a frequent contributor to Gothamist + WNYC. His work often centers around labor rights, housing, and policing. In 2018-2019 he traveled to four states while covering a wave of public school teachers strikes, with work featured in The New York Times, The Intercept, Getty Images, Splinter, and Bloomberg Photos. Scott is a dues-paying member of the National Writers Union's Freelance Solidarity Project.
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