If summer had a scent it would totally be barbecue smoke. And if you, like me, tend to follow your nose to wherever the source of such smoke is, soon you'll be spending a lot of time on the corner of Agricola and Charles Street. Come early June, the Chapman Autobody lot (2500 Agricola Street) will be home to T-DOGS hot dog cart, Halifax's newest mobile food seller.
It's a best friends business venture that Patrick Lowe and Tony Rinaldo (along with his brother Sam, both sons of this Rinaldo) have cooked up for north end Halifax. After spending some time living in Toronto and Montreal respectively, the lifelong pals decided it was time they collaborated on something they could bring to their hometown. With Tony—who's cooked at Montreal's Nora Gray, Toronto's Parts & Labour, as well as in Europe — as the mastermind behind the menu, you'll be able to get your hands on a simple, but far from basic, lineup of handmade sausages that'll include standard hot dogs, Italian sausages, veggie dogs, his grandfather's Texas Hot sausages, with kettle chips on the side, and weekly chef-inspired specials rounding out the selection of grilled goodness.
These puppies will be gourmet quality, leaning on locally-sourced ingredients to make 'em awesome, but still served from a classic New York-style push cart, which will woo both the grab and go lunch crowd as well as late-night diners on weekends. Rinaldo's putting the dogs before the cart and already cooking up some magic in T-DOGS' north end kitchen, but you should be able to get your hands on one of his creations within the next two weeks.
