Best of New York 2012 • Eating

• The Cannibal

  113 E. 29th St., nr. Park Ave. S.; 212-686-5480

  It’s fighting words to call one hot dog the best in town, but if anybody’s going to serve it, the meat-specialist offshoot of a Belgian restaurant seems a likely candidate. Butcher–cum–beer emporium the Cannibal went in next to Resto last year, and while its designer charcuterie and dreamy lardo toast are worth a repeat visit, the best thing on the menu may be the simplest: the juicy, chili-topped Cannibal Dogs. The pair of tube steaks ($14 for two) is inspired by the Greek diners, a.k.a. Coney Islands, found in and around Detroit. Adhering to that style, succulent all-beef franks are ladled with a cumin-laced beef-heart chili, plus raw onions and yellow mustard, and served on a squishy bun. It’s a dish so deliciously fatty and balanced in flavor, you’ll want another order for dessert.

From the 2012 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine