Daily News Hot Dog Article

[John]

Interesting article in the Daily News on hot dog restaurants. The link is http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/876...88p-79833c.html. I think the dogs at Gray's Papaya and Katz's are better than Nathan's. Provided of course that they are cooked enough. Which isn't always the case at Katz's.

[Holly Moore]

No Papaya King? What's with that?

[menton1]

No Papaya King?  What's with that?

I second the vote for Papaya King as the very BEST hot dog in NY- the best rolls, too, hot & slightly crispy!

[Fat Guy]

Another clueless hot dog roundup from our trusty New York food media.

No mention of Papaya King -- ridiculous. (Not to mention the story of how Papaya King, Gray's Papaya, and Katz's are all serving the same manufacturer's hot dogs still has never been told.)

Nathan's is the best? This conclusion can only be attributed to nostalgia.

Regarding F&B's veggie dog: "If I wasn't told it was vegetarian, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference."

You get the idea.

Note that the opinions in the article are those of Charles Hardy, a corrections officer (referred to in the article as a "correction officer") who participates in hot-dog-eating contests.

[jess mebane]

Nathan's is the best? This conclusion can only be attributed to nostalgia.

Riiight? It's so sad to be on one of the Fla. turnpikes, exit for a pitstop and see all the senior ex-NYC natives coming out of a Nathan's with some sort of bathtub-wrinkled toe on a bun in their hands. You can practically see their childhood memory banks explode. Give me Gray's Papaya or give me death!

[Superflytritone]

Nathan's is the best? This conclusion can only be attributed to nostalgia.

Note that the opinions in the article are those of Charles Hardy, a corrections officer (referred to in the article as a "correction officer") who participates in hot-dog-eating contests.

I've had a Gray's, A Katz, and a coney island Nathan's in the last 2 weeks, and the Nathan's by FAR was the best. This does not mean that it's the norm, but it is what I've experienced.

Also, the spelling of Correction Officer may be correct, as the official name of the department is the NYC Dept. Of Correction, not corrections.

[Jason Perlow]

I actually think at least in NJ, Nathans still does a pretty good job and their dogs are very good -- I guess that its expected in NJ that if you are gonna specialize in hot dogs, you'd better at least make more than a token effort. The one in the food court of the Paramus Park mall comes to mind, because it is so highly trafficked and has very quick turnover -- you know those dogs havent been sitting there very long. I also think as fast food burgers go, Nathans has one of the best -- its simple, it really is grilled and has that charcoal grilled taste.

I havent been to the Coney Island one recently (the last time has to be 10 years ago) or eaten at any of the Nathans locations in NYC for a while, though.

Nathans in Florida is another matter... I havent had a good dog or a good batch of french fries at any of those.

[Fat Guy]

Also, the spelling of Correction Officer may be correct, as the official name of the department is the NYC Dept. Of Correction, not corrections.

Thanks for the correction!

[Holly Moore]

Also, the spelling of Correction Officer may be correct, as the official name of the department is the NYC Dept. Of Correction, not corrections.

Thanks for the correction!

Yet one more segment of my vast expertise. It's either correctional officer or corrections officer. Usually C.O. I sell to them joints and have never heard the term correction officer. And if he is a C.O. who dines in, he's just delighted to come across a hot dog that isn't green.

Jason wrote:

I actually think at least in NJ, Nathans still does a pretty good job and their dogs are very good -- I guess that its expected in NJ that if you are gonna specialize in hot dogs, you'd better at least make more than a token effort.

They may do a better job that close to New York, but it's been my experience that the franchisees typically undergrill the dog and serve it on a cold, day old bun.

[Holly Moore]

Incidently, Papaya King opened up on 40th Street, across from the UPENN campus. A major bomb. Closed now. I was there a few times, nowhere near the NYC place. A bad sign - they covered the grill used for hot dogs with tin foil so it would be easier to clean.

[John]

Union, N.J., where I live, is a mecca for hot dogs. We have a Texas Weiner joint, an Italian Hot Dog restaurant, Syd's, which has one of the best dogs anywhere (I prefer it to any all beef dog sold at a hot dog restaurant) the Galloping Hill Inn (which makes a Conn. style beef and pork dog) 2 Nathan's, and a few more less well known places that sell hot dogs. The 2 Nathan's in town serve the same natural casing all beef frank that is made for all the Nathan's restaurants by a company called SMG in Chicago. It is also available with the casing in at least one local supermarket. A quality, kosher style all beef dog. But both Nathan's in town do not cook it enough. This has been my experience at other Nathan's. It tastes much better when I buy the natural casing ones at the store and cook them on my own griddle. I prefer Sabrett's (a little more spice and flavor) and Best's (a great blend of spices) so I usually buy these along with Usinger's for when I want an all beef dog.

Nathan's would be better off cooking the dogs longer like Gray's and Papaya King. The one closest to me just throws a dog on and rolls it around a few times. Once I bought a dog from Syd's (Best's charbroiled) Father & Son (Grote & Weigel all beef ) and Nathan's. The other 2 were so much better mainly because they were cooked better. I've never been to the Nathan's in Coney Island, but I've heard that they at least grill the dogs for a sufficient time. That said, I think the places that use the sabrett dog have slightly more flavor and spice.

[Jason Perlow]

Which begs the question, why the hell didnt the Daily News consult John for this peice?

[Superflytritone]

Also, the spelling of Correction Officer may be correct, as the official name of the department is the NYC Dept. Of Correction, not corrections.

Thanks for the correction!

Yet one more segment of my vast expertise. It's either correctional officer or corrections officer. Usually C.O. I sell to them joints and have never heard the term correction officer. And if he is a C.O. who dines in, he's just delighted to come across a hot dog that isn't green.

Most Correctional departments usually have the name "corrections" in them, but the NYC Dept Of Correction is an exception. They are also known as "correction officers". State officers are known as "correctional officers" How do I know? I work for the department! I direct you to the official website

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doc/home.html

..also, if you look quickly, it seems that you sell marijuana to them ("I sell to them joints"), but after careful reading, I see youy mean you sell to the departments.

[menton1]

Incidently, Papaya King opened up on 40th Street, across from the UPENN campus.  A major bomb.  Closed now.  I was there a few times, nowhere near the NYC place.  A bad sign - they covered the grill used for hot dogs with tin foil so it would be easier to clean.

Holly, was it the same ownership as Papaya King on 86th & 3rd? Because Papaya King used to have a sign, "Our Only Location", and it's hard to believe if they did branch out they would break their formula.

FG, I also thought Papaya King had an exclusive manufacturer and formula for their hot dogs; now you tell me it's the same one as Gray's? Tastes completely different to me.

[Fat Guy]

FG, I also thought Papaya King had an exclusive manufacturer and formula for their hot dogs; now you tell me it's the same one as Gray's? Tastes completely different to me.

John can fill you in on the details -- he has done all the research.

[Holly Moore]

Holly, was it the same ownership as Papaya King on 86th & 3rd?  Because Papaya King used to have a sign, "Our Only Location", and it's hard to believe if they did branch out they would break their formula. 

The story was in the paper a couple of years ago, but as I remember it Papaya King decided it wanted to expand and figured college campuses (campi?) were a good approach. I also remember that someone from Papaya King may have attended UPENN. I think it was company owned, but in any event it was company sanctioned.

[baruch]

crif dogs "eat me" on st marks place bet 2nd & 1st @ 2am is pretty darn good

[tommy]

John can fill you in on the details -- he has done all the research.

yes. hot dog john knows *everything* about hot dogs. i just like saying that.

[John]

Menton 1,

A while back I wrote a few in depth posts about how Papaya King, Gray's, and Katz's all use the same basic dog. You can find the whole story in one of the previous hot dog posts (Maybe Battle of the Fort Lee Dogs, Rutt's Hut, or the Quintessential New York Dog).

To summarize real quick, I found out from a Sabrett distributor and the person in charge of private label at Marathon that Sabrett has only 2 recipes; an all beef and a beef and pork blend. These dogs come either skinless or with casing. They also come in different sizes. But the dogs used at both Papaya places are the exact same. 10 to a lb sabrett w/casing. They have the same product # or code. Katz's are a little bigger; maybe 7 or 8 to a lb. We spoke in depth about this. Any differences perceived are either imaginary, or more likely have to do with how long they are cooked; what temperature, maybe if the griddle is sprayed with something, the use of foil, etc.

Just this weekend I happenned to come across a post on another forum where the poster said that his father worked for Sabrett for 41 years. I e-mailed this guy and found out that his father delivered to the New York places mentioned, and others not mentioned from 1960 to 1982. He also confirmed that these places use the same recipe dog. He also gave me other information. The beef/pork dog produced by Sabrett is considered by them at least to be a cheaper grade. It is called "Country Girl" and is served at the Hot Grill, Callahan's, and the Windmill; all in Jersey. This man also said that it was a sad day for them when Sabrett was taken over by Marathon some years back. According to him, the original owners never used fillers or cut corners.

[John]

According to their website, Papaya King has locations at West 43rd st, 121 West 125th St (Harlem, I think), at the 125th St Staion between the 2 and 3 lines, and at the 85th st station near lexington Ave. between 4,5, and 6 lines.

[tommy]

According to their website, Papaya King has locations at West 43rd st, 121 West 125th St (Harlem, I think), at the 125th St Staion between the 2 and 3 lines, and at the 85th st station near lexington Ave. between 4,5, and 6 lines.

i believe the west 43rd street store closed.

[dave88]

The "critic" participates in hot-dog eating contests. Nathan's sponsors the biggest hot-dog eating contest in the USA.

Draw your own conclusions.

[ZenFoodist]

My vote goes to Empire Meats in College Point, Queens. As a matter of fact my husband should be there right now picking up three pounds of the foot longers that I've put on hold. Nitrate free, 90% beef and 10% pork, they have the best snap around! Slathered with Kosciusko mustard on a potato bun and I'm in heaven :)

We've gone on hot dog frenzies in Chicago, Germany, and whatever nabe we happen to be exploring and still think Empire is best. It's a really old place and they take their dogs very serioulsy. If you go, try the nitrate-free apple smoked thick slab bacon.

Yum.