A Chicago-style dog

When we heard that Snap, a new hotdog-centric food truck promising Chicago-style dogs was setting up shop here in New York, we must admit we were a bit skeptical. Both cities take their dogs very seriously—Chicagoans preferring all-beef sausages (typically Vienna) loaded into a poppyseed bun, topped with mustard, onions, tomato, a pickle spear, sweet relish, sport peppers and celery salt; and New Yorkers holding a deep and abiding love for Gray's Papaya-style dogs (usually Sabrett's) with kraut, mustard and onions.

But Snap co-owner Liz Schroeter Courtney promises that her truck, debuting this weekend at a Flavorpill event, will convert the non-believers. Courtney, a Chicago native, is making her dogs with high-quality meat from local sausage maker Karl Ehmer, buns from Amy's Bread, and homemade condiments including multiple kinds of mustard. Courtney and her husband/ co-owner Zeph are also offering burgers made from organic grass-fed beef from Dickson's Farmstand Meats, beer-battered onion rings and panko-crusted avocado fries. "I actually think the Chicago dog gains a little je ne sais quoi here in New York," Courtney wrote to us. "In Chicago it's just a hot dog with the works. You can get them everywhere. Here in New York, it's something rare and unique." (They'll also be offering New York-style dogs for purists.)

Due to the difficulties in securing a vending permit, Snap won't actually be on the streets for a while—they're focusing instead on outdoor events, and possibly a location in an unnamed bar's backyard. "Our truck is getting converted into a custom, bio-fueled kitchen on wheels over the next few months and then we'll hit the road with our full operation," Courtney told us, so check their website for updates.