Dash Dogs   

How many different ways can you skin a dog? Apparently, to the chagrin of Gray's Papaya, there are many. Capitalizing on what appears to be a resurgent hot dog craze in New York, Dash Dogs does to the wiener what many politicians spend a lifetime perfecting: keeping it simple. The Lower East Side location is designed with a cult following in mind, the kind that sneak out at 3AM to a small modern shack with scribbled menu items for a few frankfurters. The hot dogs in question are minority-pleasing: some are Empire Kosher, others are vegetarian, and all can include toppings like sauerkraut, chipotle or bacon. There is no alcohol, and it's unlikely New Yorkers will be weaned off of late-night pizza, but the price is cheap, and it gets cheaper the more you buy. They're not yet as pedigreed or large as Nathan's Famous in Coney Island -- a good thing, because the hot-dog-eating champ Kobayashi could put them out of business with one inhale.