Jacob Hunter is hot dogging it. As executive chef of Capitol Hill’s unique hot dog restaurant, DC-3, Hunter has scoured the nation seeking traditional franks or hot dog recipes. His task: Transform these into contemporary renditions of old-time faves. And that’s where the restaurant’s curious name comes in: DC-3 refers to the 1940s Douglass Commercial airplane, which apparently flew to all the destinations referred to on the menu, from Chicago to Maine to Tucson, Ariz., to San Francisco. “It’s a map of where the best hot dogs come from,” says Hunter, pointing to an illustration covering one of the restaurant walls. “It shows the spirit of American hot dogs.”
Except, of course, Korea. The Q’s Seoul Bulgogi and Kimchi frank — “We make the bulgogi in-house,” says Hunter — ranks on the listing as a nod to one of the owners of DC-3 and its sister restaurants, matchbox and Ted’s Bulletin.
| If you go |
| DC-3 |
| Where: 423 Eighth St. SE |
| Info: 202-546-1935 |
| Hours: Mon-Thu, Sun., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
Believing that almost everybody loves a good hot dog, Hunter has taken a very serious look at the hot dog concept: How does the half smoke differ from, say, how folks eat dogs from a New York City sidewalk hot dog vendor. “Everybody loves them, even if they won’t admit it,” says Hunter. “Everyone has a different hot dog favorite, and people live and die by their favorite dogs,” adding that his goal is to stay true to the spirit of a region’s particular frank favorite.
But that has also led him onto curious offbeat pathways: a Thanksgiving turkey dog with mashed potatoes and gravy? A peanut butter and bacon hot dog topped with Cheetos and mac ‘n’ cheese. “A hot dog is not just a hot dog,” he points out.
Like many of his colleagues, Hunter grew up in a food-loving family.”My dad was always cooking and grilling, making gumbo in the kitchen,” he says. “My mom was in a wheelchair, so I’d cook, and she would direct me.” Then after high school, Atlanta-raised Hunter looked around for what he wanted to do. His solution: Go to culinary school. “When I enrolled in culinary school [Art Institute of Atlanta’s culinary arts program], I wasn’t sure that cooking was what I wanted to do,” he says. “Now it’s all I want to do, all I know how to do.”
Working first for a restaurant group that had contracts to cater at various ballparks and other entertainment venues, Hunter eventually ended up in D.C. and at the Matchbox Company. “I’ve done a lot with them, like opening restaurants,” he says. “That is really exciting, and I need that adrenalin rush. … I put things together like a puzzle.”
How does a chef trained at a culinary school focus on the frank? Perhaps Hunter’s tattoo of a pig copied from Thomas Keller’s book, “Ad Hoc,” underscores how serious this guy is about cooking, even something as commonplace as the hot dog. “I never thought I’d be helping to open a hot dog restaurant,” he says. “I’ve gained about 20 pounds since I started working here. … At the tastings, I ate so many hot dogs it was insane, probably 75 hot dogs. I’d wake up with puffy fingers.”
Now about 100,000 franks later, Hunter can readily concede that he has come to understand the frank, or hot dog, and is glad when foreign visitors come in and ask about DC-3’s hot dogs. “People take them seriously, and feel passionate,” he says. “Hot dogs are a childhood food from long ago.”
What is your comfort food?
Oh, man, what isn’t? Barbecue, fried chicken, any sandwich, and I like making them up. Pork sandwich and ribs, and I am a happy guy.
What is your favorite ingredient?
I don’t think I have one. It changes with what I’m cooking. … I fall in love with a new ingredients every day.
Which is your favorite restaurant?
I really love Zaytinya, because it is good solid food. Sushi-Ko, Central, because they execute the dishes so well. Then Bistro du Coin.
Which is your favorite cuisine?
Sushi I could eat every day. Tacos and Vietnamese food, which are also a comfort food.
What’s in your fridge?
Sambal, sriracha, pinot noir, yogurt, pickles, lot of condiments.
Cincinnati Chili
Great for entertaining friends and family.
Makes 2 quarts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 ? pounds ground beef (80/20 meat/fat ratio preferred)
2 cups minced onions
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste
? cup cocoa powder
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 ? teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add ground beef, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Add onion and chili powder and cook till beef is almost cooked through. Add the remaining ingredients plus 2 ? cups water. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 1 ? hours, stirring to keep chili from burning. Chili should have a thick consistency but not be chunky. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately over hot dogs or spaghetti.
