This year, South Street’s got a new home dog, and to be frank, you’ve got to check it out. Hot Diggity was opened two–and–a–half months ago by four childhood friends who dreamed bigger than Oscar Mayer, and it was just what we needed for our post–NSO detox. With 10 designer dogs ($5-$6), one monthly special and hand–cut fries with twelve dipping sauces, it’s no wonder co–owner Keith Garabedian ditched a PhD in musicology to get behind the grill.
The dogs — Sabrett’s all natural beef or Worthington Linkette’s vegetarian — are dressed to match the locales for which they’re named. The “Bronx Bomber” ($5) comes buried in sauerkraut, New York Onion Sauce and spicy brown mustard. The “Cincinnati Skyline” ($6) is clad in homemade chili, nacho cheese, chopped white onion and scallions.
But these sausages suit more than the domestic. Big Banh Mi fan? Try the “Saigon Fusion” ($5); this dog is topped with house–pickled cucumber, cilantro, red onion, carrots, jalapeño, Thai chili vinaigrette and hot Sriracha sauce. Do you frequent the neighboring Percy Street BBQ? Hot Diggity’s got the “Texas Hold–Em” ($6), smeared in Percy’s sauce plus shredded cheese, hot sauce, bacon, onion and scallions.
Unlike its flattened friend, the hot dog is not the easiest to dress up with different toppings. So, if after all this, you still prefer your frank straight up, we won’t judge you, and neither will the boys at Hot Diggity. For $3, they’ll serve up a “Plain Old Dog” and your choice of ketchup, mustard, relish or onion.
Make sure that you leave plenty of room for fries ($3.50 regular/$4.50 large). Brought out hot in paper cones, these Belgian babies are thick and crispy. We ordered all twelve sauces, but for now we’ll plug the pesto mayo, honey mustard and chimichurri; we went bottoms up on those. BTW, did we mention it’s BYO? Hot diggity, hot damn.
Hot Diggity 630 South St. (267) 886–9253 $ Don’t miss: The fries Skip: Chipotle Vinegar Dipping Sauce
