Crif Dogs
Crif Dogs has been wrapping its franks in bacon on St Marks Place since 2001, and the one to order is the Spicy Redneck: chili, coleslaw and pickled jalapenos piled over the top, $8.95. The house frank is pork and beef. The burger runs on a Pat LaFrieda short rib patty for $9.95.
Why go
The build-your-own is the clearest way to see what the shop is: $4.75 for the Crif dog, $4.75 for an all-beef New Yorker, $5.95 to have the Crif wrapped in bacon.1 Everything else on the list is that dog under something. The Chihuahua puts sour cream and avocado on it for $7.95, the Good Morning adds a fried egg and American cheese for $8.25, and the Lil Ma goes for pickles, peanut butter and potato chips. There is a vegetarian frank and an Impossible burger, so a table does not have to split up.
Order this / avoid
- Order: the Spicy Redneck, and East Village tots at $5.95, which come under cheese sauce and pickled jalapenos. If you want the fried potato done properly, the Truffle Shuffle at $7.95 is parmesan, truffle oil and herbs.
- Avoid: ordering the plain frank. The bacon wrap costs $1.20 more and most of the signature list is built on it.
Good to know
- Price: a combo with tots and a soft drink adds $5.95. Bottled and frozen cocktails are on the drinks list.
- Format: counter service in the East Village, with online ordering if you would rather carry it out.
Verdict
could-visit — Eat it on the way somewhere. Nothing on the dog list clears $9, which on this block is the whole argument for it. Twenty-two toppings are priced one by one, so decide before you order.