New York Hot Dog & Coffee - Bodacious Korean Hot Dogs

New York Hot Dog & Coffee - 245 Bleecker Street, New York NY 10014
917.388.3742
A/B/C/D/E/F/V Train to West 4th Street/Washington Square
www.nyhotdogcoffee.com

Only recently have I gotten into Korean food, tasting it for the first time at 8st Kitchen.  It made such a strong impression on me that when I was invited to try New York Hot Dog & Coffee, a unique hot dog place with a Korean twist, I was intrigued.  Dan accompanied me on my hot dog journey, and I think I sold him on the amazingness of Korean food. We both enjoyed ourselves and I was glad that we got him to open up to hot dogs a bit more (he doesn't usually like them).

Atmosphere:
Located in trendy West Village, New York Hot Dog & Coffee is positioned on a lively street, in the company of legendary food institutions such as Amy's Bread, Murray's Cheese and Rocco's Pastry Shop.  It's really a wonderful place to be for the time being, but I hear that it's going to be moving to a more central location in the future to accommodate a more prominent lunch crowd.

The overall vibe at New York Hot Dog & Coffee is funky and modern.  The front of the house has a long counter where you order your grub and a couple of casual tables with high stools for you to relax and chow down.  On warm days, the front windows are open to enjoy the sunshine and the buzz from busy Bleecker street.

If you choose to take your food to the back of the restaurant, you'll enjoy a quirky vibe with modern white furniture that looks like it came out of anime.  I especially liked the comfy couches in the back, which were nice for unwinding after a long work day.  The back area is a bit more quiet so if you want more privacy, I'd suggest it.

Food:
Just like its decor, the style of the food is unusual and innovative.  Hot dogs and hamburgers are spruced up with interesting Korean toppings such as kimchi, bulgogi and various Korean seasonings.

Hot Dogs - Although not all hot dogs have Korean flavoring, some being more Americanized options such as BBQ Chicken, Chili Cheese and the Texan, we chose to sample the Korean varieties including the Kimchi Bulgogi and the Dak-Kalbi.  The first was a hot dog with marinated beef with Korean-style pickled cabbage (kimchi) on top and the other was topped with marinated chicken with a Korean sweet sauce.

Out of the two, I had a strong preference for the chicken topping due to the flavorful sauce and the tender chicken.  It reminded me of the fabulous chicken dish I had at 8st Kitchen and I loved pairing it with the light-tasting hot dog, which was comprised purely of beef brisket.  The beauty of it was that it really felt unbelievably light for a hot dog, and didn't leave me feeling overly full.  The fluffy, slightly toasted bun was also rockin'.

While I had a thing for the chicken hot dog, the Kimchi Bulgogi (beef) was also great.  I loved the clean crunch of the kimchi and the fresh feeling that didn't have a tinge of fishiness.  I don't like when kimchi has a fishy aftertaste and during my experience at New York Hot Dog & Coffee, I found out that the fishiness of kimchi depends on the region of Korea - the further South you go, the fishier the kimchi.  Interesting.  In terms of the actual bulgogi (beef), it was also tender and slathered with naturally flavored sweet/tangy sauce that comes from freshly pureed fruits such as pears and apples among other ingredients.

The Burger - The bulgogi burger was really similar to the above-mentioned hot dog, except for the patty, of course.  Made out of 100% beef, the burger tasted fresh and just like the hot dog, it was infused with sweet/tangy Korean seasoning.  I liked that the meat was tender and not overcooked, with nice char marks from the grill, which I always enjoy.  Once again, importance was placed on the bread, as it tasted fresh, slightly warm and peppered with plenty of crunchy sesame seeds. If you don't love hot dogs, I think this one's for you.  And for the record, the burger makes you a lot fuller.

Fries - How could we not order a side of fries with all this protein?  Yum! We were very satisfied with this rendition, as they were really, really crispy on the outside and nice and chewy on the inside.  In fact, the outside seemed like it was battered - I'm not really sure in what but whatever it was, we dug it.

Service and Cost:
Since this place is super casual, there's no wait service.  You order up front and then pick up your food and bring it to your table of choice.  The employees however seemed really friendly and accommodating.  Given that the place wasn't busy when we walked in, they were happy and eager to serve us.

Costs are moderate for hot dogs and burgers and I'd go as far as saying inexpensive for the West Village area:

Hot Dogs: $3.25 -$5.50
Hamburgers: $6.49 - $7.25
Korean Tacos: $2.25 -$6.49
Fries: $2.49 -$3.29

3 Mmmms

San Antonio Bakery's Completo - I Couldn't Ask for Anything More

San Antonio Bakery 2 - 36-20 Astoria Blvd, Astoria NY 11103

718.777.8733

N/W Train to Astoria Blvd

I've been hearing nothing but great things about San Antonio 2 Chilean bakery.  Meg has praised their hot dogs many times and recently, I also read about it on Local 718 blog, which further convinced me to try it.  I brought Jess along, who I thought would be a great critic, given her experience with Latin food.  Sure enough, the food at San Antonio passed her taste test and she even compared it to a legendary hot dog place in her hometown of Los Angeles.  So I kid you not...this is the real deal.

Atmosphere:
While its exterior can be misleading and a bit uninviting, I do encourage you to look past it and go inside.  Once you enter, you'll notice a relatively large, clean space with plenty of tables and chairs for dining in.  They even offer table service, which I found to be a really great convenience.  And though the decor is as simple as can be, you can expect to feel comfortable and relaxed.  After you finish your hot dogs, or whatever else you came for, you can always stop at the front pastry counter and order a cookie or an exotic dessert to go.  Overall, I'd say the theme of this place is to not judge a book by its cover.

Food:

The Completo - We came for the legendary hot dogs and both Jess and I ordered the Completo.  As its name suggests, this dog came with everything under the sun including chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro and a generous helping of guacamole and mayonnaise.  I know the mayo topping sounds weird but it worked beautifully with the rest of the flavors, adding a creamy texture.  Although the contents of the hot dog were stupendous, the best part for me was the bun.  The bread was so great--toasted just slightly--producing a gentle crunch when you bit into it.  I'm a proponent of using really good bread in all sorts of sandwiches including hot dogs and burgers and I was glad that San Antonio shares my views.

This Completo also came with a very generous side of pebre (Chilean salsa), which enhanced its flavor and tang even more.  I couldn't believe what a generous portion it was--it came in a mini (but deep) clay pot that was filled to the top. Mmmmm...

Dessert - Even though we were full, I couldn't leave San Antonio without trying an authentic Chilean pastry.  There were so many amazing things to choose from but I finally settled on a crunchy layer cookie filled with caramel custard, enveloped further in shredded coconut. Wow! The crunchy and deliciously flaky crust was just sublime and unlike my experience with layered pastries, it didn't crumble upon contact.  The caramel custard was pure heaven and I loved that it wasn't overly sweet.  The cookie was slightly chilled, which made it even more enjoable and easier to eat--I highly recommend it to all you caramel lovers.

Service and Cost:
The service couldn't be better. We were served right away and our hot dogs came out in less than 10 minutes.  Enjoying a leisurely lunch and good conversation, we weren't rushed to leave and felt very relaxed.  It also has to be noted that the staff is very friendly to non-Spanish speakers, so if you're not a Latina (just like I'm not), know that you'll be treated with kindness and respect. 

Just as delightful as San Antonio's hot dogs and baked goods, so are their prices.  For two Completos, two waters and the pastry I describe above, we paid a total of $11.50.  If that's not a wallet-friendly offering, I don't know what is.

3 Mmmms