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| Dominick’s Hot Dogs truck is a popular borough dining destination.PHOTO BY STEPHEN GEFFON |
Dominick’s blue and silver truck has been a fixture on Woodhaven in the Rego Park-Middle Village area for 51 years, and draws customers from all five boroughs as well as the suburbs, New Jersey and Connecticut. The family business is even older than that.
Claire, a Woodhaven resident, rated the dogs “the best” and “wonderful.”
“Very good,” added Ann-Marie of Forest Hills. Debbie of Elmhurst said they were “delicious.”
Tim of Woodside, who has been eating Dominick’s dogs for 17 years, brought his family to the truck and ordered six with the works. Tim said they made a special trip just for the franks.
Munching on three with mustard, sauerkraut and onions, Don of East Elmhurst boasted that Dominick’s served “the greatest hot dog in the city.” He said that his son came with him all the way from Park Slope and was enjoying his two franks in the car.
The Daily News last month concurred with Don, naming Dominick’s the city’s top dog, beating out such staples as Nathan’s in Coney Island.
“Delish,” was how Ozone Park resident Mary-Ann rated her two hot dogs with no extras. However, she did add an orange soda to go with them. She said she was looking forward all day to eating them. “Just in the mood,” she said.
Jennifer, who teaches at Queens College and lives in Maspeth, called the hot dogs “awesome,” and said she likes her franks with mustard, ketchup, onions and sauerkraut.
Dominick’s owner Angelina D’Angelo serves the classic skinless New York Sabrett frank for $2.75, to which you can add their spicy mustard free of charge or splurge for their homemade onions or freshly steamed sauerkraut.
Angelina has even presided over an episode of Bravo TV’s “Top Chef,” challenging world-class chefs to a hot dog cook-off. No contest, as Angelina’s held their own.
The D’Angelo family also operates D’Angelo Sausages just a block south on Woodhaven. They offer the familiar Italian sausage heroes with peppers and onions for $7 in bread which is picked up from Rosamarie Italian Bakery in Ozone Park every morning.
For more than half a century, family members have used the same manual slicer for the vegetables. Gary D’Angelo, Angelina’s husband, buys his sausages from a butcher, but he declined to say more about what makes them taste so good.
D’Angelos Italian Sausage truck originated more than 70 years ago, when Gary D’Angelo’s grandfather operated a truck in Little Italy’s San Gennaro Festival. His father brought the business shortly after to Woodhaven Boulevard where it has remained ever since.
In addition to attracting long-time regulars, Sammy Hagar, former lead singer of Van Halen, has stopped by the stand.
With the success of his hot dog and sausage trucks, Gary D’Angelo said he is looking forward to putting another sausage and pepper place on the street, sometime in mid-summer.
D’Angelo also mentioned he was thinking of setting up a mobile shop selling chicken heroes and Philly cheesesteaks.
“I might try it,” he said.
