A Dallas Lawyer Is on a Mission to Create the Perfect Texas Hot Dog

Matthew Toback is a lawyer by trade, but he's on a mission to create the perfect hot dog. But not just any dog: a Texas-style frank with all the proper trimmings that represent the bold flavors of the Lone Star State.

"The number one consumer of hot dogs in the United States is Los Angeles," Toback says, "followed by New York, and third is Dallas, Texas; Chicago is number four. And that is per capita. Los Angeles has Pink's. New York has hundreds of push carts located on every corner. Chicago has numerous hot dog restaurants throughout the city. Dallas, however, has no hot dog restaurant to recreate it."

Some have tried, like Luscher's and Wild About Harry's, but nothing has stuck. There's Angry Dog, which certainly has a great hot dog on the menu, but that is a sports bar with a lot of food, not just franks. And while we love the hot dog roller grill at Mike's Gemini Twin, that's more of a quirky accouterment (although they do use Meat by Linz premium dogs).

"I realized two things: First, Dallas needed more places selling hot dogs. Second, I realized Dallas needed its own hot dog to compete with these other dogs," he says. "Portillo's from Chicago realized the same thing and went public specifically to get into Texas – there are at least eight locations in the Metroplex."

That was why Toback started Cowtown Dogs. Originally, he dreamed of setting up a stand near the courthouse in downtown Dallas, but changed his business model to events and catering, reducing costs and allowing him to concentrate on menu development, which has been a decade in the making and is constantly being tweaked and improved.

"If you look at the various cities, each has its own style. Among these, Detroit has the Coney Dog, Atlanta has the Southern dog, West Virginia has its own style, New Jersey has several types, including the Italian dog and a deep-fried hot dog. Of course, the Chicago-style hot dog is well known throughout the country. I want a Texas-style hot dog," Toback says.

He looked far and wide for the perfect frank and landed on a proprietary premium beef option from Hummel Brothers in New Haven, Connecticut. The bun is a EuroClassic brioche, stout enough to handle the premium toppings, yet still soft and squishy.

From that base, he's focused on Texas flavors, often spending months and, in some cases, years perfecting recipes. "In fact," he says, "I wanted to Texasify all our menu so CowTown Dogs would offer a true taste of Texas."

Toback spent a year perfecting the chili, which is less watery and more substantial than what mom or dad might make on a cold Sunday. It makes for a less messy experience, which is appreciated.

More recently, Toback dove into a Texas relish. He started with a traditional Southern chow-chow and "Texasified it," as he says. His Fort Worth Rodeo Relish has a big tang, sweet and savory flavors, punctuated with a nice bit of heat.

As Toback says, his catering was a more economical choice. If you need a food truck for your next party, you'll discover an abundance of Texas flavors, including a Rodeo Western Burger with cheese, relish and a fried egg. And absolutely make sure you get extra servings of Cowtown's macaroni and cheese, which is reason enough to throw a party. If you're feeling really indulgent, then get it topped with chili.

While the entire menu is impeccably conceived and prepared, his more specific mission is to put a Texas-style hot dog on the map.