New York: Crif Dogs

Immediately following the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop was Crif Dogs, which Nana had talked bout taking us to for the longest time now: 

Slightly below ground level, Crif Dogs feels like a semi-secret basement turned hot dog joint:

Nana had a Groupon, but we ended up not using it because we wanted to try different dogs instead of having individual meals.  Nana already had three dogs in mind.  My sister and I selected a fourth.

On the left is the spicy redneck, which consists of a bacon wrapped dog smothered with chili, cole slaw, and jalapenos.  On the right is the jon-jon deragon, which is slathered with cream cheese and generously topped with scallions and everything bagel seeds:

And here on the left is the chili dog with mustard, onions, and secret chili sauce.  On the right is the chihuahua, in which avocados and sour cream line a bacon wrapped dog:

Every single dog was UH-MAY-ZING.  If I was forced to choose a favorite, I would probably say the jon-jon deragon.  Those everything bagel seeds were killer.  Toward the end when there were still a bit left of each hot dog, we started making bets on whether my sister and I could finish each in one bite.

It was a twisted kind of bet in which we would pay Nana every time we successfully stuffed a hot dog remnant into our mouths.  Kind of backwards, yes, but that was the only way we could think of to get Nana to take our money (she paid for the dogs).  Let's just say, it wasn't very attractive at all.  But we did it!

Oh, and we got tater tots too:

I. Love. Tater. Tots.

Crif Dogs is the perfect place for lunch, for dinner, for a late night snack.  Go with your friends, go with your date, go alone.  Just go.  And be prepared to want to order more than one.

My sister and I are actually heading back to NY tonight to support Nana's thesis play.  I still can't believe we're going to NY twice in the span of three weeks, but...YAY!


Crif Dogs
113 St. Marks Pl
New York, NY 10009
(212) 614-2728
http://www.crifdogs.com/