John

Libby's in Paterson is known for its Texas Weiners. They opened in 1936 0r 37. Every time I've gone, I ordered Texas Weiners and maybe fries. They do have other selections. Hamburgers, chicken nuggets, roast beef sandwiches, etc. I don't know if they have barbecue. I called and spoke with a guy (Greek, I assume) who spoke very little English. He didn't know if they serve barbecue. When I've gone, I usually ordered a few dogs to eat outside or in the car. Once I took my family and we ate at a booth. From what I remember, we were given menus that resemble what you usually get at a diner. And they serve beer! Texas Weiners were invented in the Paterson area around 1920. Many people believe they were invented by a Greek immigrant named John Patrellis. He had a cart outside of a hotel in Paterson. According to N.J. Monthly, a customer showed up with chili that he put on his dogs. Shortly after, he started serving them this way. There were many Texas Weiner joints in Paterson, but now there are few. Only 2 that I know of; Libby's and one close by that I forget the name of. Falls View moved I believe. As for the dog, they use a Thumann's for deep frying like Rutt's, Hiram's, the Goffle Grill, and others. The sauce is a thin chili sauce which is typical of the North Jersey, or Hot Texas Weiner places. In central Jersey, near Plainfield, the chili is thicker and the dogs are grilled. Libby's is a great place with a great atmosphere. The dogs are very good also. I go occassionally, but when I'm in the mood for a North Jersey Texas Weiner, I usually head to the Hot Grill in nearby Clifton. Similar dogs, but I like the chili sauce better. Not quite the atmosphere as Libby's, but great dogs and super fast service.

I deliver mail on Raritan Rd. in Clark, and while I don't go to most of these places, I know of many people who do. I have been to Tarantellas and I would recommend having lunch there. Good Italian food at reasonable prices. Very good thin crust pizza. Aliperti's is a few doors down and has a great reputation. My parents used to go there weekly until they raised their prices. I always hear good things about Lana's. Even though it is a chain, many people on my route go to Steak and Ale. I plan on going soon. I'm in there to deliver mail. Nice atmosphere, quality Certified Angus beef, and I'm told, an excellent salad bar. Molly McGuire's is also popular. Good beer selection and a great burger.

Light Beer. Or rather "lite" beer. Coors Light is the the one that comes to mind when I think of this style because it is what my inlaws and family drink. To me, this is the type of beer people drink who really don't like beer. People think I'm tacky when I bring my own beer to family gatherings, but too bad. I refuse to drink that swill. I think Heineken is a light beer. Coors Light and others are bland with no flavor. If you want a lighter beer, let me suggest you try a German style wheat beer like Franziskaner Hefe-Weizen. Light, but with taste and character. People say Coors Light is a good beer for when you're cutting the lawn. I'd rather have water.

A great summer beer that I just sampled for the first time is Samuel Adams Summer Beer. A great spice mix. Light and refreshing like a good warm weather beer should be. Similar in style to a Belgian Wit.

Will Holly be allowed to take a picture of the fried mac & cheese?

Thanks everyone for your help. I was planning on going to Philly tomorrow, so I spent a lot of time this morning reading everything I could online about the various cheesesteak places. From Holly's reviews to Citysearch and everything else I could find through Google. Amazing the number of opinions. Similar to hot dog joints. One person's favorite was trashed by the next person. It seems the consensus of a sizable numer of people is that Pat's and Geno's are tourist traps and not representative of the best that Philly has to offer. Many people, including Holly mentioned Steve's Prince of Steaks as the best, or one of the best in the city. I was going to try Pat's and Geno's first, but against the advice of fellow E-Gulleteers, and on a whim, I decided to run down to Steve's. After reading so much about them, I wanted to jump right in and try one of the best, if not THE best. After a rough night out last night, I really didn't feel like walking around the Italian Market when I would better enjoy it another time. So I grabbed my wife and set out for Steve's. First off, let me say that my comments and opinions should be taken with a grain of salt. I am a cheesesteak neophyte. Never had one in Philly. And I was kind of overwhelmed reading all the comments about cheesesteaks online. People analyzing the moistness of the meat, the thickness, the way it is sliced, the type of bread, the water used in the dough. Wow. Plus I don't have much to compare it to. Some years ago I had a steak in Wildwood that was supposed to be one of the best. I don't even remember the experience except to say I enjoyed it. I have been hearing a lot about a place near me on Galloping Hill Rd in Elizabeth called Philadelphia Grille. I went earlier this year and can say that it was the best cheesesteak I've had since I began really paying attention to what I've been eating with a mind to make it to Philly for a comparison. I spoke with one of the owners who told me that the connection is with Jim's and not Pat's as I had previously heard. I forget whether his family has ownership or part ownership or what the connection is. He told me that there are differences with Jim's, and that his product is better. He uses a better meat (I don't know if it's a better type or grade or what). The steak is chopped like Jim's rather than sliced. He said that since he doesn't sell the quantity that Jim's does, he can use better meat. Also, he uses different bread. A harder bread than Jim's. He told me where he gets it from, but I don't remember. I'll have to ask more questions next time I'm in. As I said, I had nothing from Philly to compare this steak to, but it was the best I've had, and there is a Philly connection. On to Steve's. Nice little place located on Bustleton Ave. in the north part of Philly. Ordered one Wiz without (hate onions). My wife had American with, and added mushrooms and peppers. We were lucky enough to grab the last 2 seats available. Let me add that for me, travelling somewhere to try something new (in my case usually hot dogs) I find that the anticipation is at least half the fun. To try something and judge for yourself after reading so many differring opinions from other people. Everything was good. The bread was chewy and soft (compared to what I usually have in a cheesesteak from a Jersey sub shop). The meat was tasty and sliced a little thicker than I anticipated. Again, I don't know if this is the norm. I liked the wiz. At home I started using it instead of American or provolone, and I do prefer it. I think I remember the guy from Philadelphia Grille/Jims saying that they prefer the bread softer in Philly than what he serves here (Jersey). All in all everything was very good. I wasn't blown away, though. Probably from having very high expectations. When we were finished eating between 3:30 and 4, the place had cleared out a bit, so I had time to chat with one of the employees. By the way, the guy behind me in line told me he lived in south Philly real close to Pat's and Geno's, but travels the 15 or 20 minutes to Steve's. The employee told me that I should have tried Pat's and Geno's first as suggested so that then I would be able to see how much better Steve's is. He told me that one of the other 2 (I forget which) is known for being fatty while the other is known for being oily. He also said that people from other states that don't know what a good cheesesteak is wind up at Pat's or Geno's when they're in town and rave about them only because they haven't had any from other places. Also, since the big 3 (Jim's being the other) sell around 2000 or so sandwiches a day, they can't maintain the quality that Steve's does. I don't remember if he said that they have lesser quality ingredients or that they are rushed or both. I asked this guy where they get the bread from (Amoroso, Sarcone's?) and he said that he couldn't tell me. All employees are required to sign some kind of confidentiality agreement. Can anyone tell me the difference between Amoroso and Sarcone's? On the way home my wife and I agreed that Steve's is at the top of the list (short though it may be) of the places we've been to. But we couldn't determine whether it was better than the one we had at the Philadelphia Grille earlier this year. One way to find out. We headed directly to the Philadelphia Grille against my wife's mild objections. I had to make a comparison. Plus I wanted to speak with the owner and clarify what he told me regarding their bread and meat. Unfortunately, he wasn't in. But I'll ask him soon enough. I got the sandwich Wiz without just like Steve's and ate it in the car. The sandwich was smaller, but cheaper at $4.75. Steve's was closer to $6.00 if I remember correctly. The bread was harder, sort of like the bread at Calandra's. It is probably not authentic Philly style, but I like it better. The meat was chopped. And I was surprised to discover that I like it considerably better than Steve's. Moister without being oily. And slightly (very slightly) spicier. I'd say it is better quality. I thought the meat at Steve's, while tasty, was a little dry. But again, I don't know if this is how it's supposed to be. The wiz was the same at both places. Tangy and good. This may border on blasphemy, but I preferred the steak at Philadlephia Grille to Steve's. I can't say that it's better simply because I don't think I'm qualified to judge cheesteaks. My area of experience is hot dogs. But I enjoyed it more. So did my wife. And for all I know; I'm liable to go to Pat's and Genos and like them better than what I had today. What I'd really like is to have Holly, Rich, Katie, or anyone else who has sampled a lot of cheesteaks to come on down and try one from the Philadelphia Grille. And if one of you give it high marks, then I'll know it's really good and not just something I like because I'm not sure what to look for. It's funny, but I was wearing a Charlies Italian Hot Dog tee shirt, and the guys at Steve's had no idea what one is. I explained and told them about how Jimmy Buff's and Dickee Dees are the originals, and to many people the "tourist" places. Others such as Charlies and Tommy's are highly regarded by people who eat a lot of them like Steve's and Dalessandro's are regarded by many Philadelphians as better than Pat's and Geno's. I went on to tell them that hot dogs in North Jersey are big like Steaks in Philly, and that many owners of North Jersey hot dog joints won't allow their employees to divulge their suppliers like Steve's can't reveal where they get their bread. The guy said,"Oh, I can tell you that we use Dietz and Watson for our hot dogs. We don't have to keep that secret." Somehow, I don't think he got my point. It was great to get to Philly and try an authentic Philly Cheesesteak. I can't wait to go back. Next stop Pat's and Geno's. And maybe as soon as tomorrow. If I can drag my wife or one of the kids. Holly, I'll be sure and let you know this time. I'd love to meet you. And anyone else from E-Gullet that wants to meet for a cheesesteak.

It would be unfair for you to test cheesesteaks and not visit Pat's and Geno's first (they are across the street from one another), and then sample others after that; not because they are superior, but because they are part of the history (well, at least Pat's) and cache of the cheesesteak. Just my opinion. Well, after putting it off for sometime, I will finally be going to Philadelphia to try an authentic cheesesteak. As suggested, I will be sampling Pat's and Geno's first. In the future, I will be working my way up to Dalessandro's and Steve's. Does anyone know the easiest way to get to Pat's and Geno's from North Jersey? How's the parking situation? Thanks for your help. Eager to see how these places compare to what I've had in North Jersey.

Ther's a place that opened on Inman Ave. in Colonia about a year ago called the Country Cow Creamery. It's a combination Ice Cream store and Craft Shop. Ice Cream is the best I've had. Munchmobile gave it their best rating this past summer.

On a street right near my mail route, there is a McDonald's and Burger King literally right next to each other. Right across the street is a Wendy's. I like Wendy's 99 cent menu (especially their chili) plus they are very good to postal workers. McDonalds has the best fries, and I like the burgers at Burger King. It is not uncommon to see people go to Burger King for burgers and McDonald's for fries. I've done it myself. Nice to have that choice. Why does Burger King have such lousy fries? I think the new sourdough bacon cheeseburger is very good. Any opinions on this burger? I like it better than the Whopper. A bit expensive at $3.49 plus tax.

From what I remember reading, the first Texas Weiner was made and sold in Paterson, N.J. in the early 1920's by a Greek immigrant. I've heard that it was a streetcart and I also heard that it was outside the Paterson Hotel. Someone wrote a paper on the subject. I tried to send the link one time, but it wouldn't work when typed in. Go to Google and type in "Paterson's Hot Texas Weiner tradition." The Texas Weiner ll on rt 22 in Greenbrook opened in 1924. And there was one in Plainfield before them. From what I've heard, this type of hot dog originated in Paterson. It was invented by Greeks who introduced the chili or "all the way sauce". It spread to Philly, and then westward to Detroit. I've heard that it was taken to these places by Greeks who were related to or otherwise knew the Greeks in Paterson. There really is no way of verifying this, but this is what I've been told from people who work in and own these restaurants in the Paterson/Clifton area.

The hot dogs, or Coney's in Detroit are basically a knockoff of the Jersey Texas Weiner. A beef/pork frank with mustard, onions, and chili (usually beanless). Whereas the North Jersey or Hot Texas Weiner is deep fried, and the Plainfield area Texas Weiner is grilled; the Detroit version is either grilled or steamed. And many of the places serve much smaller dogs that can be eaten in about 3 bites. In upstate N.Y., the dog that is called a coney is actually a white hot dog. Very similar to a bratwurst; the only difference being that it is smaller than a bratwurst. In other words, a bratwurst shaped like a small hot dog with Texas Weiner ingredients.

About a month or so ago, I read an obituary of an elderly doctor. In the obituary it mentioned that one of his favorite things to do was go to Millman's for a hot dog. Was this a hot dog cart in the park? Does anyone remember what kind of hot dog they served? If it was a cart or wagon I'm assuming they served boiled Sabrett's. Anyone know? I've also heard that Syd's was on Chancellor Ave. and Summit in Newark prior to 1967. Is that where the church building is now? I take Chancellor Ave. to Bergen St. to Avon Ave. to get to Best Provisions where I buy the same franks that they serve at Syd's. The best beef franks in the eastern U.S.

Juuceman and Fat Guy are right on this one. Somewhere on E-Gullet I explained in detail how I found out that Gray's Papaya and Papaya King use the exact same Sabrett dogs (code # is identical) while Katz's uses a bigger version of the same dog. This was confirmed to me by 2 independant Sabrett distributors, the son of a long time Sabrett employee who delivered to the above places for many years, and also the current person in charge of private label who I contacted about buying franks similar to Papaya King. He told me that I could have the exact same ones, and then went into detail. Sabrett makes franks according to 2 recipes. All beef and beef and pork. They come in different sizes; and with a casing or skinless. The beef franks are served at the above mentioned places as well as the many pushcarts in the city and N.J. Boulevard Drinks in Jersey City serves a frank that is just like Papaya King. The owner there also told me that his distributor told him that they were using the same dogs. Places that I know of that use the 50% beef 50% pork frank are the Hot Grill, Callahan's, and the Windmill. A few years ago, I went to N.Y. to sample dogs from Katz's, Papaya King, and Gray's. At the time, I didn't know the origin of these franks. I noticed that they all were very similar, but like many here, I preferred Papaya King even though all 3 use the same dog. Katz's I liked least, only because the dog that I had there was undercooked and not hot. Differrences in taste have to do with how they're cooked, and maybe how the dogs are stored (frozen or not?) as well as certain factors that have to do with the individual locations. I guess it's like the many Chicago Hot Dogs. Most use a Vienna frank, but people swear that they taste better at one place or another. Same with Guiness Stout. Same beer, but people like it at one particular location. Last year I was in Manhatten and tried a few dogs at Gray's. I went down to Papaya King's location around 44th st and found out that they've been gone for a few years, so I didn't get to make the comparison again.

I haven't been to either place yet, but what are your opinions regarding Cathay 22 on rt 22 in Springfield as compared to China 46? I live near Cathay 22 and have been meaning to go. Someone somewhere said it is one of the best Chinese restaurants around, as good or better than China 46.

Well said, Ellen. The Lord also told us that even though he permits certain things, that if doing so (such as eating meat sacrificed to idols) violates one's conscience, he should abstain.

Karen, You stated that you don't believe that we have dominion over all living things. Well, I do, and it's not just because it happens to be my opinion, but because it is stated in the Bible, which I accept as the revealed Word of God. Does it become o.k. to eat a cow if a Christian tells a Hindu that it is o.k.? No, it becomes o.k. when man's creator permits it. If you can accept the idea of a Creator, then it's only logical that he might have a plan for our lives. I believe that it is contained in Scripture. Markovitch, you say that you have a hard time believing that we humans should have dominion over the earth because a human is retelling the story of creation. The story is in the Bible, which claims for itself that everything in scripture is written by men as they were INSPIRED by God. Either you accept this or you don't. And if you do, as I do, then it's not very hard to deduce that 2 contradicting points cannot be true at the same time. Either it's ok to eat meat today, or it's not. And another important thing. Truth is sometimes narrow, and not all inclusive. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father, except through me." Now I know that there are different religions and belief systems, and we all have a right to our own religion (or lack of). And I respect people's belief's who disagree with me. But if you claim to be a Christian, how can you claim that eating meat is a sin when the founder of your religion advocated it and never called it a sin?

Anxious for the welfare of all living beings? Including gnats, rats, cockroaches? Sorry, I'll trust the Lord who gave us dominion over the earth and the animal population. Maybe if more people in third world countries would eat meat from animals, there would be less problems with people going hungry.

If God didn't want us eating animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat.

Also, in the King James Version in Luke 8:55, Jesus healed a sick girl and commanded the people there to give her meat to eat.

Hotdogs

Not familiar with the Sabrett brand, is it kosher? Hebrew National would not advertise hind quarters -- that's not kosher. That's why observant Jews must learn to cook a brisket instead of noshing on a nice fillet. Sabrett is all beef, kosher style. Not kosher.

Some years back when the Pope came to Denver, a Colorado brewpub made two beers for the occasion. I forget the one name (Popeus visitus or something like that) but they named another beer Ale Mary.

I can think of 2 places; Bear's and Mr. Dees. Both hot dog places. Only eating establishments I've been to in Sayreville. And a good alternative to White Castle, which I'm sure you've been to many times. Bear's is a hot dog cart on Jernee Mill Rd. and rt. 615. Open Mon thru Fri 10:30 to 3:30. Mr Dees is a restaurant open every day. Bon Apetit!

It is right next to Philipsburg and Lopatcong.

Brains, lips, hoofs, etc. are only found in cheaper hot dogs. If you buy quality beef hot dogs like Sabrett, Usinger, Best, Nathan's, or Hebrew National, you are getting quality beef. Even muscle meat. I know that Usinger's even uses Certified Angus Beef. Best uses choice beef. I think the others do also. I believe either Sabrett or Hebrew National advertises that the beef used is from the hind quarters (which supposedly is better.) Most beef hot dogs on the market use decent beef. Look at the ingredients listed. Stay away from any hot dog that uses the term "variety meats". These are the ones that may contain lips, hoofs, etc. Better yet, just by quality beef hot dogs.