Manouch's Hot Dog Cart, GWU - Owner Manouchehr Mokhtarinava on 21st and H Street - Closed For Now

[shogun]

Manouche. Sporadic schedule, typically late at night towards the end of the week. The Man is trying to keep him down. Not sure what kind of dogs (But he does grill them, and toast buns if you want) he uses, but he makes his own chili, and cooks up this "GW Sauce" composed of various veggies (Mostly squash and onions with spices) to go on the dog. Really cool guy, too. Very friendly and conversational.

Located at 21st between H and I streets, in front of Tower Records.

Edited October 10, 2013 by DonRocks

[Jacques Gastreaux]

I suspect that shogun's hot dog guy uses a griddle, not a grill.

[shogun]

Well...he doesn't use ANYTHING, really...has splits the dog and puts it onto the grate of a Coleman stove. Cart Lady outside the law school has a little oven in her cart.

[DanielK]

Manouche also has a nearly photographic memory. Most of his audience is late-nite GW students pouring out of bars and parties. If you went to his cart more than a few times, he'd remember your name and exactly how you liked your dog.

I was downtown, years ago, a couple of years AFTER I had graduated from GW, and he still remembered me and my toppings...

[DonRocks]

My apologies for not catching this in a timely manner... click!

[monsterriffs]

I was just thinking about Manouche today. His pretzels with the onion topping was a late night favorite of mine. Also, the urban legend was that "extra relish" was the code for him to sell you weed.

[mbucher]

I was just thinking about Manouche today. His pretzels with the onion topping was a late night favorite of mine. Also, the urban legend was that "extra relish" was the code for him to sell you weed.

What memories, we used to trek all the way over to Manouche from AU. I hadnt been in years, but at lest 5 years had passed, and I strolled back and indeed he remembered my order. A DC institution. To bad Tower Records closed, ruined the vibe a bit. I never heard about the "extra relish" credo, boy had I known then, what I know now!!!

[DinerGirl]

Back in Nineteen-Eighty-shmombleflomble when I was a GW undergrad, Manouche used to call out my name when I walked by at 3 a.m., coming home from the Black Rooster, "Caaaarrrrooollll, my frriiieeeennnddd!!!!" -- which went over REALLY WELL when he also did it as I walked by his cart on a Sunday afternoon with my parents after brunch.

"Uh, why does the hot dog cart man know your name," asks my mom.

"I don't want to know the answer to that, so let's just drop it right now," says my dad.

Good times.......

[PigglyWiggly]

Back in Nineteen-Eighty-shmombleflomble when I was a GW undergrad, Manouche used to call out my name when I walked by at 3 a.m., coming home from the Black Rooster, "Caaaarrrrooollll, my frriiieeeennnddd!!!!" -- which went over REALLY WELL when he also did it as I walked by his cart on a Sunday afternoon with my parents after brunch.

"Uh, why does the hot dog cart man know your name," asks my mom.

"I don't want to know the answer to that, so let's just drop it right now," says my dad.

Good times.......

Ach, Carol, same here...I can't believe that I'm surfing Don Rockwell for good restaurants, and I see....MANOUCHE. Ayyy, I always wondered what happened to him.

[chaofun]

He's still doing what he does! I went within the last year for I don't remember what, but he and the dogs were the same as ever.... which is somehow comforting. He still forgot my order 3 times while chatting about something, but the end result was a pretty good dog.

Ach, Carol, same here...I can't believe that I'm surfing Don Rockwell for good restaurants, and I see....MANOUCHE. Ayyy, I always wondered what happened to him.

[cheezepowder]

Washington City Paper "GW Hot Dog Vendor Manouch Shuts Down After Abuse Allegation:

[saf]

Wow, that's sad.

I hope that both sides have over-reacted. However, I bet that he overstepped and is now reacting out of shame.

(GW alum, 198um, depends on how you count it. Let's count when I finished, not when I walked, and make it 1987.)

[DonRocks]

Washington City Paper "GW Hot Dog Vendor Manouch Shuts Down After Abuse Allegation:

Wow, that's sad.

I hope that both sides have over-reacted. However, I bet that he overstepped and is now reacting out of shame.

(GW alum, 198um, depends on how you count it. Let's count when I finished, not when I walked, and make it 1987.)

Please DO. NOT. ASSUME. THAT. HE. OVERSTEPPED.

Speaking as someone who has endured slander, I'm telling you with 100% confidence that there are whackos out there who will spend their entire, pathetic lives trying to bring an innocent person down, even if that person is the most minor of public figures and hasn't done a damned thing wrong.

This man is INNOCENT until proven guilty.

---

ETA: Okay, I read the backstory, and this does sound more substantiated than I first thought. I hope and pray for the well-being of both parties.

[saf]

Please DO. NOT. ASSUME.

I've met the man, many times. He's generally very nice. He's also a man of a certain age and culture who would see nothing wrong about hugging and kissing a young woman without making certain it was ok with her.

So, I agree, I hope that both parties come through ok.