Palmvy Hot Dogs by Chef Boug Cali opens in SF Ferry Building

Tiffany Carter, best known for her Louisiana-style Boug Cali cuisine, opens Palmvy Hot Dogs in the Ferry Building.

Tiffany Carter, best known for her Louisiana-style Boug Cali cuisine, opens Palmvy Hot Dogs in the Ferry Building.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

The steady influx of new culinary tenants at the San Francisco Ferry Building—which now includes Bernal Cutlery and the famous restaurant Nopa—continues, and next week a new vendor is preparing to offer hot hot dogs and snacks.

Palmvy Hot Dogs will open September 4 with a menu of hot dogs and sausages inspired by Reuben sandwiches, Caprese salads and the pepper-and-onion-topped hot dogs of California street vendors.

The kiosk is the latest from Tiffany Carter, who operated her Louisiana restaurant Boug Cali in the now-closed La Cocina Municipal Marketplace in the Tenderloin and Chase Center as part of a pop-up. Carter said Boug Cali, which offered gumbo and po'boys, will live on as a catering business.

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The new project is meant to be a fun nod to street food, she said. The idea is partly influenced by celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, who was an avowed fan of New York City's hot dog mecca Gray's Papaya.

“(Bourdain) traveled the world, but at the end of the day, his favorite food was simply a hot dog in his hometown,” she said. “Every great city needs a great hot dog.”

Tiffany Carter poses for a portrait at her new business, Palmvy Hot Dogs.

Tiffany Carter poses for a portrait at her new business, Palmvy Hot Dogs.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Customers at the new stand in the Ferry Building can choose from the New Yorker, inspired by the city's Reuben sandwiches and topped with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing, among other options. The Caprese consists of a vegetarian sausage with slices of mozzarella, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. There's also a California-style hot dog, topped with pickled red onions and peppers, shredded cheddar and habaneros.

Seth Muir (front right), Miriam Lavender (front left), Steve Meyers (center back) and Teresa Hodges (right back) sit at the communal table drinking beer at the Magnolia Pub in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, July 24, 2008. Photo by Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle
The Blue Course at Merchant Roots in San Francisco consists of a soufflé made from blue semolina, a "Butter Blue" Sauce, blue crab and caviar.

Carter plans to offer monthly specials featuring special artisan sauces, such as her popular Boug Cali hot sauce. There will also be plain hot dogs, and customers can customize their order at a condiment counter with whatever sides they like, such as diced onions, relish and sauces.

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Ingredients like tomatoes and herbs come from vendors at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, while Palmvy's buns come from Acme Bread, located just a few feet from the stand. Sausages include chicken and Niman Ranch beef sausages, as well as plant-based Beyond Meat options. Prices range from $10 to $13.

The signature hot dog at Palmvy Hot Dogs, opening September 4th.

The signature hot dog at Palmvy Hot Dogs, opening September 4th.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Once it opens, Palmvy won't be the only hot dog vendor in the Ferry Building. The kiosk, owned by Fort Point Beer Co., specializes in unusual hot dogs in addition to its beers.

The operation will be very compact. Carter plans to prepare for the day in La Cocina's cafeteria kitchen on Hyde Street and bring her ingredients to the Ferry Building. Sausages will be kept warm in a temperature-controlled freezer under the counter. She will prepare orders on a small counter next to a refrigerated display of soft drinks and a shelf of canned fish, potato chips and pasta.

Finding the location after food hall La Cocina, part of the nonprofit's incubator program for women- and immigrant-owned food businesses, closed, was a long process, Carter said. Ultimately, the agreement came about through contacts Carter made over the years, including Foodwise CEO Christine Farren, whose group organizes the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. La Cocina also helped with the process. Palmvy will join nearby Cambodian restaurant Lunette, also participating in the La Cocina incubator, Nite Yun.

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Several restaurants have recently opened in the Ferry Building.

Several restaurants have recently opened in the Ferry Building.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Carter hopes her new business will appeal to area office workers, ferry commuters and tourists. Plans for a new Embarcadero park and an upcoming extension of the Ferry Building's hours are good opportunities, she said.

Securing a spot in the Ferry Building is a full-circle move for the longtime Bayview resident. Carter used to work at a nearby law firm and often ate lunch at the now-closed Golden Gate Meat Company premises in the Ferry Building. Her usual order: a hot dog with mustard.

“It's every feeling you can imagine; just crazy as hell,” she said excitedly about the opening. “It's absolutely a dream come true.”

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Palmvy Hot Dogs. Opening September 4th. Monday through Saturday from 11am to 5pm. 1 Ferry Building, Suite 5, San Francisco

Reach Mario Cortez: [email protected]

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