Battle of the Currywursts: Wechsler's vs. Currywurst Bros.

Lauren Shockey

Currywurst Bros. on the left, Wechler's on the right

Yes, franks and ketchup have been bedfellows since the dawn of hot-dog invention, but the Germanic staple of currywurst really takes things to the next level. For those who haven't sampled the dish, sausages or hot dogs are chopped into bite-sized pieces, then doused in ketchup and sprinkled with curry powder. While ubiquitous in Berlin, the dish hasn't really caught on here. Maybe New Yorkers can't get beyond the true matchmaking that couples hot dogs and tropical fruity drinks (thanks, Gray's Papaya). There aren't many places to sample the dish, but you can find it at both Currywurst Bros. in Greenwich Village and at Wechsler's in the East Village. Which only meant one thing: We'd have to battle for the best of the wurst.

Lauren Shockey

Currywurst from Currywurst Bros.

We started off at newcomer Currywurst Bros., whose gimmick is that you can choose from several different types of curry powder, ranging from mild and aromatic to spicy and sharp. The interior is bright and airy, though possesses a bit of a fast-food-franchise feel. We opted for the traditional bratwurst ($7), which came with a warm roll. The portion size was rather large, and contained big chunks of juicy sausage. The ketchup was somewhat acidic but not overly gloppy, though we couldn't really taste the nuances of the curry powder. But all in all, a decent dog.