Eating Around: Haute Dogs Are Not a Cheap Eat

| Print Post This | Like (0) | Comments (4)

THE 18TH STREET NW strip in Adams Morgan has been slowly acclimating to the new kid on the block, M'Dawg Haute Dog. The gourmet hot dog joint was brought to the neighborhood by the folks from Amsterdam Falafel Shop, which sits across the street. On a strip that's been long dominated by jumbo slice pizza as the de rigueur late-night snack, the introduction of Amsterdam Falafel in 2004 provided a much-needed hand-held munchable alternative to greasy, low-grade pizza.

This writer will admit that Amsterdam Falafel's fixins bar and Dutch mayo generated much personal eating excitement when it first opened. At first, we even overlooked the price tag, overwhelmed as we were with joy that we'd found a place that encouraged the pairing of mayo and fried potatoes. Within the last year, though, our excitement has diminished — especially since the price of falafel, fries and a drink usually requires handing over a $10 bill. That money could be better used for bus fare or a cab ride.

The falafel shop's hot-dog cousin isn't a cheap eat either. Local blogger Brunch Bird recently took M'Dawg to task for the price of its veggie dog. But it's no deal for carnivores, either.

Last night, a $5.23 Wisconsin-style Wunderdog with unlimited access to the $1 Uptown fixins bar (at left, you see bacon, sauteed mushrooms and onions, pickles, creamy slaw and deli mustard) plus large drink cost a pricey $9. Want fries? Factor in another couple bucks. So it's easy to understand M'Dawg's prices might water down a patron's snacking excitement.

Granted, M'Dawg is selling a specialty, high-quality, handcrafted dog (last night, it took about 10 minutes for the Wunderdog to be delivered), but Adams Morgan — and so many other D.C. neighborhoods — need a cheaper non-pizza late-night snacking option. The market is ripe for a crafty entrepreneur to undermine the market by selling a high-quality products at rock-bottom prices.

Who will start to notice this? (And better question: Who will give our city cheap, quick, late-night Doner kebab? We're patiently waiting ...)

But after that fifth Jack and Coke at the Angry Inch, maybe it doesn't matter where that $10 bill disappeared to. It's just too bad so many places in this city depend on the clouded judgment of drunken partygoers to turn a profit.

» "Finally, M'Dawg Haute Dogs Opens" [Free Ride/Express]
» "What the Hells? An Investigation Into Why Your M'Dawg Hot Dog Just Cost $8" [Brunch Bird]

Photo by Michael Grass/Express