Healthful Bites

When I mention summer dining, what dishes come to mind? Perhaps ice cream, watermelon, corn on the cob or a burger or dog hot off the grill? Living in a studio apartment that lacks a Weber (or any place to keep that useful cooking tool), nearly all of my grilled eats are sourced from restaurants.

Earlier this week, I was feeling in the mood for something new for dinner, craving something grilled and had been considering stopping by Dogmatic for days. The perfect storm to direct me toward the New York City shop for a meal!

Originally started as a food cart, the brand became a restaurant in 2008. Their menu includes sausages made from varying organic and grass-fed meats (beef, lamb, pork, turkey, chicken), as well as a vegetarian option (asparagus); all of which come loaded in a “bread tube” with your sauce of choice. Dogmatic also offers tasty sides and handmade sodas flavored with fruit.

After stepping up to the counter, I placed my order: an asparagus dog with horseradish mustard and “non-fried fries.” I’m not typically a mustard fan or a horseradish fan, but going with the trend of trying something new, I asked for the horseradish mustard sauce on the side (so I could dip at my discretion ;) ) The chef tossed a handful of asparagus, which I believe were lightly coated in olive oil, on the grill and took a baguette off one of the “warming spikes.” And A + B = dinner!

The bread was crunchy on the outside and the asparagus was grilled to perfection. My objections to horseradish and mustard must cancel each other out, because the sauce was actually pretty good! The waffle fries were quite tasty and not greasy at all. They only would have been better if they were slightly warmer.

Dogmatic is certainly more pricey than a street hot dog stand, but you can rest assured that the ingredients are higher quality and the conditions are cleaner (you can see the grilling from the dining area—no hot dog water)! After that delicious dinner, I plan to be back.

If you want to see Dogmatic, rather than just read about it, check out this feature that aired on Food Network’s Unwrapped! And you can find more of my NYC restaurant picks here.

Have you dined out at any new places recently? Tell me about it in the comments!