Crif Dogs

From eggs to bacon to sour cream to ...

I've finally tried New York City's best hot dog!  We had a Groupon for Crif Dogs, but I reckon the food there is sufficiently "cheap eats" that you don't need a coupon to get a dog.

This place is something of a local institution.  I hear people pre-game and post-game at this hole-in-the-wall greasy food joint.  It's almost like a cave: go down a few steps and the door opens up to a small exposed-brick  restaurant with a couple of arcade games, graffiti, and rock music memorabilia.  I would have expected people who worked there to be stiff, unfriendly punk rockers but happily that was not the case.

We ordered two dogs, tater tots, chili cheese fries, and coleslaw.  At first I thought a single hot dog and a measly side of fries would leave me hungry...but that was before I saw the mountain of tater tots and chili cheese waffle fries. My Crif Dog was called the Spicy Redneck: a bacon-wrapped hot dog with chili, coleslaw, and jalapenos.  Alex got the Morning Dog: a bacon-wrapped hot dog with a fried egg and cheese.

DAWGZ

Lord have mercy.  Crif Dogs are delicious.

It's a little hard to taste the hot dog itself under all that other stuff, but together my Spicy Redneck was a good combination of flavors.  The chili and jalapenos were mildly spicy, but the coleslaw was a refreshing way to balance it all out.  The Morning Dog was kind of like a breakfast sandwich in a hot dog bun-shaped bread basically.  I wasn't a fan of the American cheese on the chili cheese fries and the Morning Dog, but it was a clever combination.  Basically everything on the menu was really appetizing and tempting, and I can't wait to go back to try something else!

On the one hand, the food was really delicious and hit the spot: fried, salty, meaty goodness.  The toppings on their dogs are clever and tasty.  However, sort of like Pomme Frites, this is clearly not something you can get away with eating very often.  Just think of all that bacon!  Wrapped around hot dogs!  Topped with God-knows-what!  Also, we were perplexed at the ridiculous serving size of the tater tots and chili cheese fries.  The little paper boat was filled to the top, and then some: one large chili fries could have fed a small army. And then it got me thinking...if I opened a hot dog cart, what crazy toppings would I put on a weiner???  Let the fun begin...

Crif Dogs
113 Saint Marks Place

Tots, cheese, chili, fries

It's a mouthful!