Ditch Plains’ Mac & Cheese-Covered “Ditch Dog” Disappoints
September 23, 2011
It may look enticing, but at Ditch Plains on the Upper West Side, mac and cheese on a hot dog tastes like exactly that. I wanted to love it, really. But nothing is done to elevate the stoner-enticing “Ditch Dog” (2 for $14 with fries). It’s just a heap of bland white cheddar macaroni on top of a griddled hot dog. How about a trip under the broiler to add some burnt cheese charm? What about a handful of crispy frizzled onion strings for texture? Maybe some chopped jalapeno mixed into the macaroni would spice things up? Sadly, there was no redemption with the “Sloppy Dog” (2 for $14 with fries) either, just ground beef in overly sweetened tomato sauce. An off-the-menu special gets you one Ditch Dog and one Sloppy Dog ($14 with fries), but even alternating bites, adding drops of Cholula hot sauce and stuffing French fries into the hot dog buns couldn’t assuage my disappointment. I wonder if my college roommate still has those rolling papers?
Ditch Plains 100 West 82nd Street near Columbus Avenue New York, NY 10024 (212) 362-4815 Delivery: (646) 613-2490 Open 11am-2am Mon-Fri, 9am-2am Sat-Sun, Breakfast and Lunch served until 4pm daily 29 Bedford Street at Downing Street New York, NY 10014 (212) 633.0202 Delivery: (212) 219-2126 Open Daily 11am-2am
Posted in Ditch Plains, UPPER WEST SIDE
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September 23rd, 2011 at 7:18 am
You gotta have them mix the chili and the macaroni before they put it on, then put the chili mac concoction on both. I agree with your assessment if you didn’t do that.
September 23rd, 2011 at 8:06 am
I don’t have them Larry
September 23rd, 2011 at 8:21 am
@Hagan,
It’s comments like that which remind me why I respect you.
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:05 am
I had the mac n cheese dogs at the ditch plains in the village.. i remember enjoying my experience. i was also on a bad date, so i wonder if the intriguing food pairings made up for the lack of good company.
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:01 pm
It looks like undercooked cookie dough in macaroni and cheese form atop a slightly overcooked beef sausage.
Yum?
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:10 pm
First, let me establish that I’m a fan of the simple dog, which is to say, grilled and then finished with a strip of hot mustard and a forkful of sauerkraut. That said, I will, on occasion, when visiting a State Fair, be tempted by a corn dog on a stick, and when in Los Angeles, a chili dog. Beyond that, I find attempts to elevate the hot dog silly at best and fetishistic at worse. It’s as if a pan au chocolate was insufficient and so you decided to add cream cheese and grape jam.
I’m glad Ditch Plains dog disappointed. Two comfort foods need not be combined, the sum of the whole can be expected to disappoint. Sometimes, purity is preferable to elaborations. It should be noted that this is a high-margin dish, which adds insult to injury. I believe something conceived with such cynicism deserves to fail.
September 24th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Wow, that looked incredibly decadent and rich. Too bad it was so bland, especially with that many calories involved. It should taste better than good.
September 25th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
those hot dogs don’t look too appealing. are you a pothead lawrence?
October 3rd, 2011 at 1:27 pm
This is the type of dish that has so much potential, it’s even more disappointing when it’s not done right. It might have to be the type of thing I try to make for myself (amen to the “burnt cheese charm”).
October 3rd, 2011 at 2:00 pm
Do it Helena! And send us a photo. I bet you can make a better version.