A year ago, finding a good frank was possible, but you had to know where to look – Kala’s Hot Dog in Wudaokou, or for a dog with a side of something special, the supposedly top notch stand at Maggie’s (I dare not venture). Yet with five new hot dog-centered establishments opened in recent months, it’s clear that Beijing has gone weiner crazy.

The new dogs in town range from simple stands like the misleadingly named No More Bunz on Xindong Lu, Wudaokou’s Crazy Dogs and Bar Uno Hot Dog, to restaurants like Cosmo Gourmet Hot Dog Lounge and Stadium Dog, which aim to take the humble weiner to new heights. Blane Spencer Gray, top-dog owner of Cosmo, has been waiting to open a hot dog spot for over 10 years. “I had the idea, but there wasn’t the market or acceptance of the product. Now, there’s a general consensus that the time is right. After everything, it’s really the perfect American food.” Cosmo will take advantage of its prime Sanlitun location by staying open late and offering two hot dogs and a Tsingtao for RMB25 – a deal poised to snag passersby away from the ubiquitous chuan’r stands lining the lane.

Nearby, Workers Stadium is home to recently launched Stadium Dog, featuring 14 free topping choices and a “hidden” back bar named Fubar. For a former patron of Crif Dogs/PDT in New York’s East Village, where a secret door in the hot dog shack’s phone booth lead to a swanky lounge, this combination of hot dogs and cocktails is a welcome and familiar one, and it’s sure to create a buzz among the Mix and Vics crowd.

For traditionalists, Bar Uno Hot Dog on Nanluoguxiang serves a tasty RMB15 boiled dog with conventional toppings options including Cheez Wiz, Chicago-style fixin’s and chili. American college student Elly Henriksen is spending the summer manning the stand, which may soon morph into more of a sit-down establishment called the Grotto Grill. For now, though, they’re keeping things fun and simple. “It’s entertaining – we don’t take it too seriously. We just have a really great time selling hot dogs.”

Emma Starks