Franktuary

Having a tiny widget like db` has caused us to re-evaluate our social agenda.  Specifically, the fact that our time is no longer our time, but rather it's a byproduct of what db` allows us to have.  Rather than become homebound hermits, DB~ came up with an interesting idea -- go to interesting places for lunch, rather than dinner.  This allows us to feel "normal" while still preserving the all-important nighttime routine for db`.

Our choice this Saturday was Franktuary in Lawrenceville.  With the unfortunate closing of Station Street Hot Dogs, Franktuary is the premier place for gourmet, creative hot dogs.  We had not been to the "new" place in Lawrenceville, so we were thinking it would just be a small place with a counter.

Instead, it's a full sit-down place with a decor that is old-timey with some church elements, such as pews for booth seating.  It also features a full bar with a barman mixing up Prohibition-era cocktails.  Ten years ago, you couldn't find a place in Pittsburgh making such cocktails.  Now you can have one with a hot dog.

Franktuary's menu is robust.  Your hot dog can be a "standard" hot dog or different types of sausages or tofu, if you're a weirdo.  After that, there are different condiments you can get (some free, others for a charge) and up to 13 styles of hot dogs.

DB~ selected the PA Dutch Dog, with a side order of Garbanzo Fries, purely out of curiosity.  Her hot dog was topped with apple jam, cheddar cheese sauce, and scallions.  Of the three hot dogs between us, hers was my favorite.  The Garbanzo Fries were plainish, but excellent.  The garbanzo beans were pureed together, formed into rectangles, then (presumably) fried.  They were light and served with a delightful ranch sauce infused with dill.

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My two selections were the Bangkok and the Memphis.  The Bangkok was a Thai-inspired hot dog with peanut sauce, carrot shreds, and cilantro.  I'm not typically a fan of peanut sauces -- maybe a teriyaki sauce? -- but this worked well here, as peanut sauce are a key Thai cornerstone.  The Memphis had barbeque sauce, cole slaw, and potato straws.  It was good, not great, but certainly didn't detract from our overall love of Franktuary.

We'll definitely be back, with db` in tow.  Long live the infant-infused lunch.