By Eileen Moon
ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – In the vast culinary universe, there is fine dining, and there is dining fine. One style lends itself to crisp linens, fine crystal and candlelight; the other, paper plates, paper napkins and a picnic table.
At Dogs on First, the hot dog cart in the Atlantic Highlands marina, the emphasis is definitely on dining fine.
Beginning April 1 each year and winding down at the end of November, Dogs on First owner Marissa Ober and her mother Kathy prepare their paper-plated feasts and fixin’s for dozens of hot dog lovers each day. On the busiest of summer days, the mother and daughter team may sell as many as 300 hot dogs, Marissa said.
In the fifth year of operation near the harbor, the Obers’ clientele includes fishermen, boaters, tourists and locals who enjoy a walkabout in town and a casual lunch near the water. Many of their clients are regulars, some of whom drive for miles to enjoy an Italian or Chicago dog made just the way they like it.
“They’re the best hot dogs in town,” said Ed Burbank as he walked away with his double dogs on a recent Sunday.
The Obers use only Sabrett hot dogs, the wiener of choice for the culinary delight known colloquially as “dirty water dogs.” The water in which the hot dogs are boiled, of course, isn’t dirty, noted Kathy Ober. Instead, it contains a special ingredient that adds a little extra deliciousness to the traditional all-beef dog. “It gives it a nice snap,” Kathy explained.
During the week, Kathy gets an early morning start at the hot dog cart, setting the water to boil and preparing the homemade chili, hot dog toppings and sides in time for the cart’s 11 a.m. opening. Kathy grew up in the restaurant business, honing the skills that allow her to run a busy kitchen from a space no bigger than a closet.
Marissa, who works full-time at Beacon Hill Country Club, works with her mother at the cart on weekends and for special events like the Fourth of July and the Firemen’s Fair.
“We do quite a few events here in town, and just being known here helps,” Kathy said.
It’s a busy schedule, but it’s the price of a dream come true for Marissa. When she was a little girl living in Brick, her grandfather used to take her out for hot dogs.
“We went to Frankie’s Franks when I was a kid,” Marissa recalled. But her grandparents mixed it up a little, too, taking Marissa and her brother on hot dog-driven adventures in many parts of New Jersey. During those journeys, Marissa’s dream took shape. “I always wanted to have a hot dog cart,” she said.
She leases their spot on First Avenue, just past the skateboard park, from the Borough of Atlantic Highlands.
While the pandemic devastated many restaurants, the hot dog cart was one of the few places already set up for open-air dining. It was a beacon for many people who needed a change of scene and a tasty meal at the height of the lockdown. Because it is an outdoor business, “We were allowed to serve,” Kathy said. “We helped a lot of people during that time.”
In the five years since then, Dogs on First has remained a popular spot for a summertime snack. Locals keep an eye out for the hot dog cart’s arrival each year, as sure a sign of summer as the first bloomed rose or firefly.
“They’re wonderful people. They’re loving and they have good service, and they serve good food,” said Kevin Clancy, who stopped by with friend Michael Zlata last weekend. “He loves our mustard and cooked onion (hot dog),” Kathy said. Zlata prefers the chili dog.
The Obers have also earned a special place in the hearts of the canine community; their four-footed customers are treated to one free hot dog each (no bun).
“There’s one dog, Brutus, who starts barking at the beginning of the block,” Kathy said. “That’s when I take a hot dog out of the boiling water so it will be cool when he gets here.”
For Memorial Day weekend, the Obers will be adding a special to the menu: Sausage and peppers. “That’ll be served every other weekend throughout the season, Kathy said.
The Obers said business is brisk when the weather is good, but the downside of the hot dog cart trade is that it all depends on the weather. Dogs on First is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, “weather permitting,” Kathy noted. “(Bad) weather really kills a lot of business.”
But on sunny summer days, the dining is always fine.
The article originally appeared in the May 23 – 29, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
