My sister recently shared a TikTok video with me featuring comedian Matt Bellassai and his quest to find the last Dairy Queen on Staten Island, only to discover that it was closed. This reminded me of my own recent experience searching for Skippy’s Hot Dog Truck, a local legend that has been stationed on Hylan Boulevard for over six decades. Unfortunately, after circling the block for 30 minutes and speaking with some locals, I had to admit defeat.
But I wasn’t ready to give up. Determined to find the city’s most elusive hot dog, I reached out to a Staten Island food reporter who had extensively covered Skippy’s. I scoured Instagram posts, delved into Google searches, and sifted through Reddit threads, but to no avail. My heart yearned for a hot dog, and so I sought solace in other options until I could track down Skippy’s.
One such option led me to Dickson’s Farmstand Meats in the lower level of Chelsea Market. Their hot dog, made with beef and pork and smoked with hickory and apple wood, received high praise. The sausage was longer than the bun, which I considered a positive sign. Despite the bun needing improvement, the hot dog itself was flavorful and satisfying, especially with raw onions, jalapeños, and Kewpie mayo.
The following day, while working on Staten Island, I stumbled upon an email about the priciest pigs in a blanket in NYC. The Bar Room, an offshoot of the Modern at the Museum of Modern Art, served two bite-size Wagyu hot dogs on crispy potato rolls, topped with caviar, dill oil, and fried egg mustard sauce. At $32, surpassing even the renowned $29 hot dog at Mischa, it was a gimmick worth indulging in, particularly for pig-in-a-blanket enthusiasts.
Though these options temporarily satisfied my cravings, my mind was still fixated on Skippy’s. Imagine my excitement when I received a response from Pamela Silvestri, the food editor of The Staten Island Advance. It led me to sit in the driver’s seat of Skippy’s Hot Dog Truck on a Saturday afternoon, casually chatting with Dawn LaVigne, its third-generation owner and operator, who had been working in the truck since she was 11.
Skippy’s serves floppy Sabrett hot dogs, customary for food trucks, but it’s the toppings that have always drawn crowds: homemade chili and onions, recipes passed down from Ms. LaVigne’s grandmother. A combination of both with brown mustard is the perfect choice. It was heartwarming to witness locals, many of whom have been frequenting the truck since childhood, engaging with Ms. LaVigne, sharing stories about their families and teasing her about accepting card payments (which she firmly does not). Additionally, she has a no-rain, no-extreme-heat policy, a practice I find admirable. Unfortunately, my career doesn’t involve eating hot dogs all day like hers does.
In other news, Pete Wells reviews Potluck Club on the Lower East Side, a restaurant that offers a fresh take on Chinatown cuisine by incorporating flavors from outside the traditional neighborhood dishes. Blue Bird, a new bar and bistro, has opened on Third Avenue and 13th Street, featuring unique concoctions like an heirloom tomato cocktail. J.J. Johnson’s fast-casual eatery Field Trip has expanded to Morningside Heights. Shake Shack is also offering well-stocked picnic baskets this weekend, featuring their popular veggie burgers at $60.
Christina Morales paints a vibrant picture of Toñita’s, one of the few remaining Puerto Rican social clubs in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and its incredible 83-year-old owner, Maria Antonia Cay. Priya Krishna explores the growing trend of lightly sweetened New Zealand-style ice cream made with real fruit, with Americans adding a variety of sugary toppings to the mix.
In an Instagram post on Monday, Claud, a fine dining establishment in the East Village, announced that it would temporarily transform into a daytime bakery due to the loss of its liquor license. (Pete Wells awarded the restaurant three stars in 2022.) However, late Tuesday, Claud shared another Instagram post revealing that its temporary liquor license has been restored, and the restaurant plans to reopen on Sunday.
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