Saturday, May 21, 2011

New York Dawg Pound: 7702 Shawnee Mission Parkway

Saturday, May 21, 2011
It has only been a few short months since the New York Dawg Pound popped up on Shawnee Mission Parkway like a beacon, shining through the darkness of the economic downturn.

Exterior

There are a few places around town to get a good hotdog: Dog Nuvo, Pizza Man, Clay's Curbside Grill and some other joints that dish out a serviceable sausage of one kind or another. This places focuses on hot dogs; with the variety of specialty restaurants that seem to pop up daily around town, this was no surprise. In fact I'm surprised in didn't happen sooner.

Actually it did happen sooner at a little joint called Relish that closed before I could eat there. If specialty hot dogs can't survive in Westport, can they make it in a nondescript shack on a busy suburban thoroughfare?

Yes they can.

Stop by the Dawg Pound at noon on a weekday and see if you don't find the joint hopping. It's not exactly Oklahoma Joe's but it's clear that these guys are doing a very good business these days. And why not? They offer a varied but manageable menu of fancified hot dogs and a few sides for very reasonable prices.

Exterior

This place is hard to see from the street, even if you are looking for it. It lies is a free-standing building just east of Sobahn Korean restaurant and sort of across from Parkway Liquors.

Interior

The counter operation works well. You order from one person who compiles your dog, placing it on either a plain or poppy seed bun and topping it with anything from cheese sauce to peanut butter. A second employee asks about your choice of sides: fries, cole slaw, onion straws or sweet potato fries make up the heart of the choices.

By the time you get to the end of counter and pay for your lunch, a tray of deliciousness is delivered. Drinks, straws, napkins, utensils are all a self-service operation. They even have dispensers for the plasticware. Be sure to grab plenty of napkins because this food is seriously messy.

Utencil dispenser

The "Bulldog," topped with chili, cheese sauce, mustard and onion proved to be one of the most frustrating things I have ever eaten, as the bottom of the bun disintegrated, causing the dog to slide around like a greased pig.

Dog w/ Chili, Cheese, Mustard & Onion

But I conquered that greased pig and while I found the cheese to be somewhat overwhelming, I enjoyed it a great deal.

Dog w/ Chili, Cheese, Mustard & Onion

I don't recommend the onion straws as a side dish. They are simply too insubstantial to eat effectively, and the greasiness lent by a mouthful of the things can be unpleasant. The onion straws work much better as a judiciously applied topping, such as on the "Ol' Blue," accompanied by BBQ sauce and a dill pickle spear.

Ol' Blue

I also enjoyed this dog, but wish that they would use Gates sauce rather than the run of the mill, generic tasting sauce. It would be a nice local tie-in and would taste even better.

The "Spike" is probably my favorite specialty dog on the menu. It features sauerkraut, spicy mustard and "onions in sauce" which are slightly sweet sauteed onions in a mysterious reddish liquid.

The "Spike"

The Dawg Pound also offers bratwurst, Italian sausages and a veggie dogs which cab be prepared with any of the toppings. I tried the brat with the "Spike" preparation and found it just as good as before, though the sausage itself was a little mild in flavor for my taste.

Brat

The fries here are solid, likely a higher quality frozen product. For 2 bucks you'll get a cute little paper bag full of the things. I opted for the Asian-style cole slaw one day and found it a little under-flavored, but still a respectable accompaniment to a good hot dog.

The interior is bright but no frills, simply a sea of tables occupied by smiling, hungry suburbanites. The floor has been stripped and treated in a weird way, causing it to be a little sticky. A minor complaint I know, but it always feels like somewhat spilled Coke underfoot.

Interior

Generally this place has good vibes, I think because the owners enjoy themselves. They are both friendly guys and it comes through in the oeuvre of the restaurant. One day during lunch a customer led the entire restaurant in singing "Happy Birthday" to his wife. At another joint this may have been an annoyance, but at the New York Dawg Pound it's just par for the course.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Good review, Dave. I agree with everything you said. It's also a good alternative to fast food for kids. All four of us ate for $20.

Chimpotle said...

No mention of Big City Hot Dogs in the lead-in? There's also Cirque d'Alex.

I like Dawg Pound, and the owners are definitely great, but this place has some issues. One, they get a little overboard with their toppings on a lot of the dogs. I had one with Boston baked beans on it that was just sugary-nasty. Two, their normal bun is gross. You should be glad the chili soaked through, because eating that thing dry feels like punishment.

Apricot said...

I tried it a couple of weeks ago and liked it, too. Very friendly staff.

Although I had seen it driving past (which is why I wanted to try it), the day I wanted to go there for lunch, I missed it driving by. Of course, I turned around.

It was busy at about 2:15 or so. Apparently, some local TV stations have covered it; I don't know if that was why they were busy, but the cashier asked me if I'd seen it on TV.

pom. said...

This is super close to our house and I pass it on my way to work so def a place we prob need to try. We've both passed it by and kind of shrugged like eh, we might try it. I still need to hit up Werner's on a day they're grillin'. It's just a walk down a couple blocks from our house so I can't believe I haven't done that yet. We purchased a bunch for a family get together and they were delicious!! I'm straying..still talkin' weiners though!

kate sweeten said...

The Ol' Blue? Dreamiest hot dog EVER, but you're probably right. Throwing on some Gates or Bryant's sauce would probably spice it up a little bit and make it a more local dog.

Kozmo's Movie Blog said...

Been there twice and had the Bulldawg and the Buttercup. Fianlly this town has a joint where you can get a decent hot dog. Plus if you get can get lunch for under 7 bucks!

Unknown said...

I'm always looking for new places to eat at in town. Thanks for this post. Cool blog!

-Nicole Alicia
http://nicolealiciaonline.blogspot.com

gak said...

Love this place but I had to laugh when I read what you said about the floor. SO incredibly sticky! Especially in front of the soda machine it was like a glue trap.

Olentangy said...

I stopped by this past Saturday, they have a good Chicago dog, but why call it the "Buttercup"? I hate having to order something by a cutesy name, especially if it is already known as something else, Come on NYDP, just call it a Chicago hot dog. All of these hot dog places are a bit expensive for what you get, to truly be full for lunch, I would need two dogs, and two Chicago dogs will run you almost $10 with a beverage. The dog was good, I just feel hot dogs should not be an expensive lunch option.

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