The Pittsburgh Food Diaries: Franktuary.

For those of you where were not aware, yesterday was National Hot Dog Day, a frank-filled occasion celebrated all over the world, so we headed to Franktuary to join in the festivities.

Franktuary is a small, trendy hot dog joint on Butler Street in Lawrenceville that has truly cultivated a one-of-a-kind atmosphere and strives to offer diners the highest quality ingredients. None of their processed products contain high fructose corn syrup, and their to-die-for French fries are cut from locally-grown potatoes. They even garden on site during growing season because they value “fresh, transportation-free food.” I mean, seriously. How cool is this place? (For more information on Franktuary’s food values, check out their website!)When we arrived, we were seated at a pew-turned-bench. We quickly browsed through the menu, ordered drinks (Old Chubb for me, mojito for him) and decided on what we wanted to eat. (I should note my favorite thing about the menu at Franktuary: Each hot dog option is named after a place and some of their most well-known flavors.)So, we first opted for two New Zealand grass-fed beef franks: one New Yorker and one PA Dutch. The New Yorker arrived topped with house kraut, onion sauce and brown mustard. The PA Dutch frank, true to its name, came piled high with apple onion jam, sharp cheddar and scallions. The perfect sweet and salty combination for our tastebuds.

I ordered two New York style all-beef franks: the Pittsburgh and the Oahu. I must admit, I order the Pittsburgh frank every time we come here. It’s a simple hot dog, topped with a smooshed pierogie and slaw. The creamy texture of the pierogie perfectly balances the acidity of the slaw. And it’s amazing. The Oahu frank came buried under a pile of bacon, teriyaki, scallions and grilled pineapple. Like the PA Dutch hot dog, the grilled pineapple input just the right amount of sweetness into my dinner. And besides, who doesn’t love bacon?

We went home full of franks, and talking about life.