Japadog

Noriki Tamura is a man who dreams of "making the world happy and alive through hotdogs!" (so declaimed on japadog.com). The Japan-born street vendor began his mission in Vancouver, Canada, in 2005 with a single stand, eventually expanding to several more stands and a brick-and-mortar location before making the leap to the City in 2012 with an eatery on St. Marks Place, one of the busiest streets in the East Village. Japadog is brightly colored and casual, making it a popular hangout for students. The signature dog is the Terimayo, all beef with teriyaki sauce, Japanese mayo and seaweed. Other varieties of dogs include pork sausage, bratwurst and Kobe beef, which can be topped with Japanese-style condiments or more orthodox ketchup and mustard. Combo orders include soda and skinny fries, best doused with butter and shoyu.