M'Dawg Haute Dogs: Condimentastic
This post is by DCist Contributor Eddie Kim
"A hotdog is a hotdog."
Audacious–if not strange–words coming from Tony Tabdili, co-investor and gourmet hotdog slinger at M’Dawg Haute Dogs in Adams Morgan. Would you walk into the Westminster Dog Show and say a shitzu is the same as a pug? A chihuahua the same as a great dane? Certainly not. And just like the many breeds of dogs in the world, there are just as many ways to produce and prepare "hotdogs." But judging from the lines inside establishments such as late-night favorite Amsterdam Falafelshop, we’ve learned that DC residents value the variety and condiments that spice up life.
M’Dawg Haute Dogs is the latest addition to the “toppings bar” genre from Scott and Arianne Bennett, who also own the Amsterdam Falafelshop directly across 18th Street, NW. Partnered with Gregory Hill, head chef at David Greggory Restaurant, the trio chose 13 gourmet wieners representing every corner of the country and several foreign locales as well. Chicagoans have their red hots ($4 or 2 for $6), rippers ($4.95) for the New Jerseyites, and the half-smoke ($4.95) for the DCists.
But according to Tabdili, man cannot survive on buns and hotdogs alone, "it’s all about the toppings." Our meal at M’Dawg was delineated into two experiences: going "downtown" or "uptown." The downtown option, free with any hotdog, provided the bare minimum of toppings: ketchup, mustard, tomato wedges, chopped onions, and relish. A $1 surcharge per hotdog allows access to the "uptown" homemade toppings bar–a reduction from the much griped about $2 charge when M’Dawg first opened.
A sampling of their hotdogs proved Tony correct. The red hots, though a Chicago standard, lacked personality and bite with the standard mustard and onions. Conspicuously, the red hots were cooked on a roller grill just behind the toppings bar–the kind you would see at a 7-11 and question the age of the dogs languishing there. On the other hand, the second red hot took on a whole new dimension when dressed with emerald relish (shipped from Chicago), mustard, onions, celery salt, tomatoes, and sport peppers–the standard ingredients for a Chicago-style dog. Take this as proof that hot dogs, expensive or not, are really all about the condiments.
If you’re used to the chili half-smoke from the Weenie Beenie or Ben’s Chili Bowl, then M’Dawg’s half-smoke will be a change of pace. On first glance, the M’Dawg half-smoke was noticeably larger than the other two’s dogs, large enough to satisfy most cravings, but greedy in taking up valuable space for toppings. Instead of topping the dog with the traditional chili, we tried the spicy dog slaw and a bit of wasabi mayo. The spice and crispness of the slaw and mayo was a perfect complement to the fat content of the half-smoke–clearly much higher than the typical hotdog, if one is judging by the fat globules hiding inside.
Our last two dogs were "The BJ" garlic sausage ($5.35) and "The Glove" ($5.35), a beef dog wrapped in black pepper bacon. A creamy frites sauce and mushrooms in garlic butter topped the garlic sausage, making sure that our breath would reek for the rest of the evening, but leave us totally satisfied. The BJ was by far our favorite . In contrast, no topping could salvage the Glove’s soggy bacon covering and plain beef frank. Our side order of cheese fries did not fare well either. Expecting the light “frites” from Amsterdam, instead we received a boat of crinkle-cut fries that may have come from the bottom of a store-bought bag. Adding an “uptown” option could be a draw for French fry aficionados.
If it seems like we gorged ourselves on too many hotdogs for one night, well, we did. Adding on the fries and a drink, our bill topped the $30 mark for two people. Unfortunately our wallets could not bear the additional pain of testing the Kobe beef hotdog, the "Kobe Bryant," which costs $20, but still manages to ensnare 50-60 adventurous diners per month, according to Tabdili.
A bit larger than its falafel counterpart across the street, M’Dawg—pronounced "mah dog" for all you readers mouthing the Hanson-esque “mmm-dog” throughout the review—still shares the same cozy eating environment. The red, yellow, and green walls are reminiscent of the three basic hotdog condiments, while donated pictures of local dogs adorn the table tops. Adding to the playful atmosphere of the restaurant, tiny tasting spoons are available if you can’t decide among their 20+ toppings or 8 different types of mustard. Although real dogs are not allowed inside, doggie treats are also available.
M’Dawg is open from noon to midnight Sunday and Monday, until 2:30 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and until 4 a.m. on the weekend.
M'Dawg Haute Dogs
2418 18th Street, NW
202 328-8284
Metro: Woodley Park/Adams Morgan Zoo or Dupont Circle rail, or the 98 and 90-92-93 bus lines