For several years I was lucky enough to work at the MetLife Building in New York. Mind you, this was not the former Pan Am Building that Godzilla wrecked, but the actual MetLife Tower that sits at the entrance of Madison Square Park. At lunch time I would take the elevator down the 22 floors from my office to the street, cross into the park and then make my way over to my favorite dirty water dog cart at the far corner near Broadway and 26th street.
With two dogs (Sabrett's topped with mustard, kraut and onions in sauce, wrapped in napkins) in one hand and soda in the other, I would head back to 23rd street to find a bench near the statue of James Madison where I could enjoy my lunch, take in the views of the Flatiron Building and watch folks making their way to the subway for places other.
The idea of the hot dog cart is one that is close to my heart. I love the idea of setting up shop where foot traffic is best and carving out a space that the locals expect you to be. As a drummer I'm intrigued by the internal rhythm that the best vendors seem to have as they construct a dog - the tap of a set of stainless steel tongs against the cart before grabbing up a bun and depositing it on a napkin. Tap again and then dip quickly into the cart to grab a dog. The tap of a the mustard bottle before a quick line is drawn onto the dog. Continue for other toppings (no ketchup - please) until the dog is handed over and you are on your way.
While I no longer work in the city, I still love the idea of the park hot dog cart and I was very excited to see the familiar shape of a cart near the wading pool in Tower Grove Park. As I made my way over to the cart I thought about how I had had this idea since moving into the neighborhood but could never get my wife to agree to investing in my vision. From the farmers market to the massive kickball games that dominate the park year around, the right cart could make a killing, especially if it focused on quality ingredients and developed a friendly rapport with the locals.
Operating under the name "The Park Place 1868", the cart pays tribute to the year Henry Shaw donated the park to the city of St. Louis. Customers are greeted warmly by the carts owners, who recently invested in the cart and license to operate in the park after being laid off from work.
Again, I have to stress, this is the very idea I've discussed with my wife - take the severance from being laid off and investing part of it in a hot dog cart - but I digress.
After discussing their new business venture for a moment, I asked the owners what their specialty was after looking over the menu of dogs and burgers. They replied that they were still getting organized but suggested that I try one of their dogs topped with a home made salsa. I asked if the dog was only dressed in salsa and the man behind the grill said that is how he would have it, which is good enough for a hot dog guy like me.
The gentleman moved to the attached grill, an accoutrement that I've seen on other carts, but usually as a supplement to a flat top griddle or water bath for the dogs. As they were just starting up and were also serving burgers, it makes sense to have the grill as a heat source. The set up is not how I would do things, but my cart would have homemade mustard and kraut as well, so its not really fair to make the comparison between an actual cart and the one I think about on my commute home on bad days.
In short order a thick red dog was deposited on a bun with some salsa riding shotgun on the side. I paid the couple and headed into the park to contemplate this park dog, adding salsa as I walked. Stopping to take a bite, I was immediately taken aback by the mix of dog and bun, which had quickly become soggy from the salsa.
However, that was not the most pressing issue with this dog, that honor is reserved for the dog itself, which was barely warm and was totally devoid of the required snap that a hot dog casing should make when bitten. Mostly I was worried about the temperature of the dog, which would seem to indicate this meal would be better off divested of the salsa and bun, then cut up and placed on a paper plate for a child to eat.
Next to adorning a hot dog with ketchup, serving it cold is the greatest crime that can be perpetrated on this hot dog customer.
I returned to my family with a joyless look on my face and a half eaten hot dog in one hand. Having waited years for this moment, I knew that the Tower Grove hot dog cart was a bust in its current incarnation.
I take no pride in presenting my issues with this dog. Instead I feel that I'm doing the owners a favor with my review as they work out the kinks of starting up their cart business. The negatives are what they are, so I will instead focus on what can be improved, and I hope some of these ideas are considered.
- Simplify your menu. You are a hod dog cart - lose the burgers. Besides the issues of keeping raw meat at a safe temperature, I can't imagine that they will be good after sitting on a grill for extended periods.
- Grilled hot dogs should have grill marks. It appears my dog was kept warm, or close to warm, on the upper rack of the grill up to the point that it ended on the bun. If you are going to hold product here, move it over the flame, give it some char and then serve it.
- Providing a home made salsa is not a bad idea. I know its hard to judge the heat tolerance of most people, but the salsa could use a little more bite to complement the dog. Also, think about the extra liquid your salsa sits in and how you are serving it because when it is applied to the dog, its turning the bun into a soggy mess.
- Develop your shtick. By this I am not encouraging you to delve into hucksterism - I am suggesting that you develop that rhythm I was discussing at the beginning of this review. As much as you are providing a service to folks looking for a quick snack on the go, you are also tapping into a sense of nostalgia. Both of you seemed taken aback when I suggested you look into the Hot Dog University, but I was not kidding or making small talk. To sell dogs you have to hustle, its a good idea to learn from folks who have already figured that out.
