Arbetter's Hot Dogs

It's not necessarily the hot dogs themselves that are better at Arbetter's. Rather, these all-beef or pork-and-beef franks are ideal blank canvases for the three garnish combinations that solidified Arbetter's reputation when this family-run institution opened more than a half-century ago. The basic onion/relish dog is nicely tangy, and the sauerkraut/mustard dog, loaded with beautifully buttery, cooked-all-day-tender kraut, is even better. Along with the rich and flavorful but not overly hot all-meat chili topping from an old Arbetter family recipe, a garnish of diced raw onion adds that reassuring subliminal message that you're consuming a healthful greenish vegetable that certainly counteracts the menu's cholesterol count — so, hey, have another. For a taste of the 305, try a "Miami" dog with mustard, onion, cheese, tomato, and potato sticks. Or throw caution to the wind and order the "Zelda": a hot dog with "everything" on it.