Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

The dog days of spring

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • The dog days of spring

    Lowell Sun (Lowell, MA)
    March 10, 2004 Wednesday

    The dog days of spring;
    The return of Aram Arakelian and his pushcart to downtown Lowell is a
    sure sign of warmer weather

    KATHLEEN DEELY


    http://media.mnginteractive.com

    Aram Arakelian serves customers from his sausage cart on Central
    Street in Lowell. sun/michael pigeon LOWELL New York has one on every
    corner. In Boston, The Sausage Guy is king. On the streets of Lowell,
    Aram Arakelian is the sole purveyor of America's culinary icon: the
    hot dog.

    For 10 years now Arakelian has stuffed grilled dogs, Italian sausages
    and Polish kielbasa into buns from his silver cart for streams of
    hungry denizens. Want peppers and onions? Extra hot sauce? "No
    problem," is the motto of this amiable Armenian vendor.

    As sure a sign of spring as daffodils and the red breast of a robin,
    the sight of Arakelian's silver pushcart means winter is bowing out.
    So when he popped up on Central Street last week, regulars relished
    the smell and sizzle of grilled sausage, pepper and onions in the air
    again.

    "When I got off the bus today I said 'yahoo!'," exclaimed Pauline
    Sigman, who likes to hit the cart a couple of times a week.

    "I've tried all the stuff; it's all good. The best there is.
    Sometimes I want to double up, but I've got to watch my weight," said
    the Lowell resident ,gesturing toward her stomach.

    Before there was Sal's Pizza, before The Old Court, Arakelian held
    down this stretch of Central Street in front of Banknorth. As the
    city's only outdoor food vendor, this one-man operation has become
    part of Lowell's lore.

    "I've seen things change, but I stay the same," said Arakelian,
    deftly slinging sausages hot off the boil onto the grill.

    Menu options haven't wavered much; prices have kept pace with the
    times. But at $1.25 for a grilled dog and $4 for a savory sweet
    Italian sausage stuffed with grilled peppers and onions, it's still a
    decent bite for your buck. For a dollar more, the grilled chicken
    breast sub is competitive, but is made to order with fresh meat and
    served on soft rolls from a Malden bakery. He's also strong in the
    condiment department honey mustard, teryaki and hot sauce can doctor
    up any order.

    Ten years is a lifetime in the food industry and Arakelian attributes
    his success to the Middlesex College students and elderly residents
    who populate the block. They have turned his cart into a meeting
    place and in turn he feels at home here. "I like seeing the people.
    They ask me about my kids; it feels like a family."

    Like his exuberant personality, these sandwiches overflow with
    goodness, making napkins a necessity when dining "a la cart." The
    other attraction to this portable meal is its versatility. These dogs
    are easy to eat canal-side now that the weather is here. With so many
    pluses, could Arakelian have created the signature meal of the city?

    "It's the best sandwich in town," bellowed real estate tycoon Louis
    Saab, walking by the cart this week.

    "That's good," Arakelian said, pleased by the impromptu endorsement.
    "He owns the city."

    Arakelian's cart is open every weekday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., if it's
    not raining. Follow the aroma to Central Street between Middle and
    Market.

    Kathleen Deely's e-mail address is [email protected] .
Working...
X