Dobbs Dawg House: Absolutely No Dogs Allowed

Two words: "Dessert Dawg."

What's on it?

Chunky peanut butter—smooth would be way too unadventurous—sliced bananas, chocolate sauce, crushed peanuts and...oh yea, a hot dog.

(There will also be veggie dawgs for the herbivores among us and turkey dawgs for the on-the-fence-ivores. All meat products are Boar's Head Brand, kosher hot dogs.)

No, I'm not making this up, and co-owner Robert (Robbie) Dubilier says it's delicious. Of the three local owners of Dobbs Dawg House—Mike Hamborsky and Jeffrey Jee are also running the show—Dubilier is the one of the triad who brings his culinary prowess to the village after serving as the executive chef at Vapiano, a modern Italian restaurant in Manhattan.

So if he says the "Dessert Dawg" is good...

Hamborsky, Jee and Dubilier are all locals; all graduated from (in 1998, 1992 and 1991 respectively) and all three are passionate about hot dogs (dawgs?).

Talk to Hamborsky about this all-American treat and his eyes practically light up; then ask him to choose his favorite among the soon-to-open eatery's 21 signature "Dawgs" and his obvious ambivalence is excruciating to watch.

First it was the "Chili N' Cheddar Dawg" with bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions, and "a drizzle of sour cream."

But five minutes into our interview he changed it to the "Slaw Dawg" with chili, coleslaw, diced onions and yellow mustard.

Jee—who keeps a lower profile than his partners-in-grilling—said he had to go with the "Trailer Park Dawg," which has melted cheese and crushed potato chips.

Here's how it will work:

The basic "Naked Dawg" will cost $2.75 and toppings that range in price from 25 cents to a a bank-breaking 50 cents can be added at your discretion. The most expensive signature Dawg is $4.

"We wanted to open up a place that was family-friendly and affordable," said Hamborsky, who insisted that the idea came equally from all three mens' (mildly twisted?) minds.

Jee, Hamborsky and Dubilier play together on a recreational softball team during the summer and after every game they grill up—you guessed it—hot dogs.

But between their day jobs, playing softball and cooking and eating hot dogs, Hamborsky said they frequently "ended up in the dog house with their wives and girlfriends."

(Hamborsky and Jee are both married; Dubilier recently got engaged.)

So how will they not dig themselves in even deeper with their wives once they're running a booming business on Cedar Street?

"Once the money starts flowing in, they'll be able to go shopping," Dubilier said, laughing. "So they're cool with it."

Before committing to a menu, the three cruised around the tri-state area visiting hot dog places ["Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives-style," Dubilier said] trying out different combinations and seeing what worked and what didn't.

"We're confident in our menu," Dubilier said. "We put our own twist on everything, and it's all really good."

I know, you're waiting to hear more about some of he signature hot dogs. Here are just a few:

• Sushi Dawg: ginger soy mayo, wasabi cream, seaweed salad, pickled ginger and sesame seeds.
• Mac Attack: mac n' cheese and crispy bacon.
• Morning Glory: bacon, fried egg, melted cheese and hot sauce. (That one will wake you up!)

Sorry, gotta wait until Wednesday to see the rest of the menu.

The small space has seating for 12 to 14 people around the perimeter of the restaurant. There's plenty of standing room in the center, giving the shop a sleek, modern look.

"But we'd definitely bring in a table for birthday parties or after Little League games," Hamborsky said. 

Though they won't deliver, they will bring the hot dogs to your car (curbside service), if you call ahead and pay with cash.

And of course they'll have lunch specials for the high school crowd, Hamborsky said. After all, he was one of them not long ago.

Dobbs Dawg House will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

So why "Dawg" and not "dog?"

[They paused for a second.]

Hamborsky said: "We're just so different; it couldn't be a 'dog.'"

Check out Dobbs Dawg House's grand opening Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 25 Cedar Street in Dobbs Ferry. Find their website here.