On this episode of Legacy on a Plate, we# visit Americana in the heart of Wester.

Hi, I'm Michelle Bernstein and welcome to# Legacy on a Plate.

Join me as I visit the iconic restaurants that have# shaped South Florida history, one plate at [music] a time.

Let's dig in.

Southwest 40th Street, better known as Bird Road, is not only an east to west connecting vein# that stretches the distance of a half marathon, it's also home to the place that for# [music] over 65 years has turned a quintessential American delight into a# serious culinary sport, our Better Hot Dogs.

I'm excited.

Hey, Dave.

Hey, Michelle.

How you doing?

Good to# see you.

Come on in.

You got a seat.

I'm excited about this.

Oh my gosh.

Great to see you.

What do# you It's good to see you.

What do you want today?

Um, entice me.

What do you think?

Well, you got# to have the Mendoza dog.

You have to have the sausage dog with the fresh grilled onions on it,# the mustard on top, and the [music] uh and the sport pepper.

But I All right, let's do that.

So,# let's do the men dosa.

And then I'm going to take my my usual, which I know is very boring.

Yeah.# But just a regular hot dog with ketchup, mustard, and sauerkraut.

Okay.

Okay.

The original.

You# want the original?

Yes.

Or the s bread?

No, the bread.

The sret.

Okay.

Okay.

So, mustard,# ketchup, and kraut.

Got it.

That's a good one.

And then the mooza.

Yes.

Let me get on# it.

Let me get on it right now.

Thank you.

My name is Dave Arbet and I am the owner# of Arbet's Hot Dogs [music] in Miami, Florida.

We've been in business since 1958 and# we've been in this location since 1970.

It's a familyrun restaurant.

It's always been [music] a# familyun place.

I'm second generation.

My mom's from Italy.

Moved over here [music] when she was# little.

My dad was from Boston, Mass.

My dad came down after the Korean War.

came down here, went# to University of Miami on the GI bill, and that's where he met my mom.

My dad's dream when he was# young, his dad was a doctor, but his dream was to open up a hot dog place, and eventually he did# after he graduated from University of Miami.

So, let me ask you something.

Yeah.

Did you change# anything since your dad brought this to you?

I've added I've added the sret dog.

We added# the sret dog about 15 years ago.

the sausage dog.

We've added corn dogs were added in the# uh in the 80s.

When my dad first started, he was simplicity personified and his thing# was KISS.

[music] Keep it simple, stupid.

So, how does it feel to your son to work# here and just for it to be, you know, this multigenerational business?

I mean, how amazing.# We could talk about hot dogs all day.

That's all we do.

We really just talk about this business.

It# is so much entrenched in how we think and how we [music] feel.

And then we talk about our friends,# our people who come in and and you know, people that we love.

We've grown to love these people,# you know.

So, well, they're family.

They're family.

Surely a place that has been serving the# best dog [music] since 1959 has amassed a legion of devoted fans.

Today we're meeting one of them.# The best.

There you go, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Tell me what it is you're ordering.

I was# about to say I didn't even know you worked here, but I don't.

[laughter] Only today.

Only today.# Well, these are the cheese fries.

I used to work at Lurrias across the street from here and I would# come on my lunch break 30 minutes you know you run over here grab something to eat go back I would# eat cheese fries later on when I discovered the chili I moved on to the chili cheese fries but I# just did this as a little nostalgic but how long have you been coming here early '8s 82 so I would# have been seven or eight years old what does it feel to you to have a restaurant like this with# so much history in your own little town I I I don't think I really appreciate it until I got# older right you just couldn't you visit family in another city and they don't have that.

Then# you come here and it's not only you know our betters it's just this strip on bird road is very# nostalgic you know there's bird bowl even the dry cleaning place has been here I grew up at bird# this is my area as well you know I mean I'm not from here I'm from a little bit further north but# everybody I feel that [clears throat] was part of the original the OG Miami gang we would come here# for something you know definitely the hot dog was a big part of it here at our vet but everything# [music] around here just feels so historic for To us, it's a gourmet experience.

Okay.

Now, a# hot dog is loved so much because [music] it's been around before the hamburger even.

You know, they# always say, "What's America?

Hot dog, apple pie, and Chevrolet."

Okay.

But the hot dog is the first# one there.

And and the hot dog, people don't know if it's a sandwich.

They don't know if it's a# meal, but they know it's fun.

And I always say here, if you can't have fun in this business,# probably you should get out of this business.

It sounds like you have your father's enthusiasm# cuz I heard that your dad was like one of the most enthusiastic people on the face of the earth.# My dad built this place with just my mom and dad both really by being nice to people.# You could come in, order a dog one time, not come back for a year.

You walk in the place# and my dad would know the dog.

He would just call, "Oh, you got I remember you had he had a# photographic memory when it came to hot dogs."

I honestly feel like I'm the luckiest guy# in the world.

And I mean that.

There's no other place in the world I'd rather be than right here# every single day in my neighborhood I grew up in.

What I love about our betters is [music]# the fact that we don't have burgers.

I had a guy come in one day and he's like,# "You're doing a great job, buddy, but you should add grouper sandwich."

And I'm# like, "Are you kidding me?"

That's like the most insane [music] thing I've ever heard.

We keep# it simple, even though we have so many different combinations.

[music] That's the genius of our# betters.

But to me, that's how you have to be.

You have to care more [music] about your business# almost than anything.

But what happens is the business ends up giving you everything in# the world back.

Everything you need.

All you have to do is [music] give it everything it# needs first.

I hope our bids is around for 100 years.

That's my goal.

It is a real family affair# [music] here.

To us, it's a gourmet experience.

I'm Michelle Bernstein and# this is Legacy on a Plate.

[singing and music]