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When I went to impresario Dion Antic’s new hot dog stand Rockstar Dogs on Saturday afternoon I brought along a devotee of recreational pole dancing to help out (all the professionals I know were still in bed). While I have strong, defensible opinions about hot dogs, and pretty firm views on rock ‘n’ roll, I know little about what makes a fine stripper pole. At the very least, I knew readers would need a semiqualified judgment on the matter before deciding whether it’s worth attempting a pole dance for a free hot dog after 10 PM, or just coughing up $6 or $7 for a tube steak, fries, soda, and temporary tattoo and getting it over with.
As for the dogs, Rockstar is using Vienna beef franks with natural casing—a fine product. But are they worth $6 or $7 dollars? Hell no. They’re just hot dogs. Granted, the toppings on these sausages, named for various artists and groups, are somewhat above par—Merkt’s cheese on the J. Timberlake, nicely charred jalapenos on the bacon-wrapped Los Lobos. But you can’t put lipstick on a pig, no matter how delicious (unless you’re Doug Sohn, to whom RD will invite inevitable misguided comparisons).
