Papaya King vs. Gray's Papaya

[kpurvis]

On my long list of things to do, I realized I've never hit one of these. On a trip in March, I'm hoping to correct that mistake. So: Is there any appreciable difference between them? I'm staying on West 44th near 6th, but I roam around a lot.

[tryska]

i'm a gray's papaya fan, myself. only because it's where i've always gone.

[rstarobi]

On my long list of things to do, I realized I've never hit one of these. On a trip in March, I'm hoping to correct that mistake. So: Is there any appreciable difference between them? I'm staying on West 44th near 6th, but I roam around a lot.

The atmosphere will be the same in either one - non-existant :).

Most of the non-king Papaya's are roughly $2 for 2 dogs and a drink. Papaya King is a bit more pricey - McDonald's price, roughly. Either way, you can't really go wrong - the papaya, mango and coconut drinks are all excellent compliments to the dogs.

[Varmint]

If I recall correctly, Gray's is less expensive than Papaya King. I truly think you should try both, Kathi.

[Holly Moore]

Gray's is ok. It's the difference between shopping at K-Mart and Bergdorf's. Do both, but I'm betting you'll prefer Papaya King. A class act and a better and far fresher dog.

[wicked]

I personally prefer Papaya King. Their hot dogs are nicely grilled until the skin is crisp and the bun is toasted brown. The combination is not only tasty but you can further enhance it by adding a number of toppings, including sauerkraut, onions, and relish ... And don't forget to wash it down with a frothy papaya drink.

Gray's Papaya may cost a little less and they too grill their hot dogs on a flat grill, but they are just not as flavorful as Papaya King's.

[Varmint]

Gray's is ok. It's the difference between shopping at K-Mart and Bergdorf's.

Hmm, I think the more appropriate analogy would be K-Mart and Target.

Let me put it this way: if Gray's were in my neighborhood, I'd eat there twice a week. Papaya King is better, but compared to what we can get down here, Gray's is excellent.

[kpurvis]

If I recall correctly, Gray's is less expensive than Papaya King. I truly think you should try both, Kathi.

Gee, Dean, I would, but you know how much trouble I've had finding a willing lunch companion in the Big City. . .

Among those who voted a preference, it looks like Papaya King gets two votes and Gray's gets one. This is so much more interesting than the whole hanging-chad thing.

[sandra]

Another vote for Papaya King...

[Holly Moore]

Let me put it this way: if Gray's were in my neighborhood, I'd eat there twice a week. Papaya King is better, but compared to what we can get down here, Gray's is excellent.

No slaw dogs at Gray's

[kurl]

Same here -- Gray's Papaya is noteworthy for its ludicrous inexpensiveness. Papaya King won't break anyone's bank and is significantly better.

[Varmint]

Papaya King is of better quality, Kathi. You'll get most reasonable people to agree with that. But again, Gray's price is so damned incredible. As Fat Guy once said (before anyone called him Fat Guy), they don't have a "working man's" special at Gray's, it's an "out of work" special.

[Daniel]

How about Mandlers Sausage Co. ? Is this place any good.

[Rachel Perlow]

Where's John (aka John, the Hot Dog Guy) when you need him?

[kpurvis]

Let me put it this way: if Gray's were in my neighborhood, I'd eat there twice a week.  Papaya King is better, but compared to what we can get down here, Gray's is excellent.

No slaw dogs at Gray's

Aw, Holly -- we Carolinians don't HAVE to have slaw on everything. Just on our barbecue sandwiches. And our chili burgers. And, well, OK, we like it on our hot dogs, too. But I'm open-minded.

It's that papaya part that has me curious. I remember papaya -- or the smell of papaya -- from when I lived in South Florida and our Cuban neighbors made papaya shakes.

[juuceman]

Papaya King is of better quality, Kathi. You'll get most reasonable people to agree with that. But again, Gray's price is so damned incredible. As Fat Guy once said (before anyone called him Fat Guy), they don't have a "working man's" special at Gray's, it's an "out of work" special.

it's the same dog.. all in the cooking.. same with Katz's, although they buy the 6 or 8 to a pound, instead of the 10 or 12 to a pound that the papaya guys use..

[sandra]

It's that papaya part that has me curious. I remember papaya -- or the smell of papaya -- from when I lived in South Florida and our Cuban neighbors made papaya shakes.

They do both make excellent papaya juices - this is where tha papaya name comes from... even so, not only are the dogs better at Papay King, but the papaya is better at Papaya King....

[mikeyrad]

Katz's

[Fat Guy]

As juuceman says, and as our hot dog correspondent John (would somebody please PM and e-mail him and alert him to this thread's existence?) has painstakingly investigated, the frankfurters for both Papaya King and Gray's Papaya (Mr. Gray is a former Papaya King employee, I believe) are manufactured by Marathon Enterprises in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This is the same company that makes Sabrett frankfurters, and to the best of the collective knowledge of eGulleters there is no difference between a Sabrett natural casing frankfurter and the frankfurters served at Papaya King and Gray's Papaya. Though many of us would like to be proven wrong on this point (it goes against what so many want to believe), so far the evidence has not been forthcoming.

Both Papaya King and Gray's Papaya prepare their frankfurters the same way -- slowly griddled until the casing is crisp -- and they seem to use identical Sabrett buns, and similar if not identical sauerkraut and deli mustard. The main difference on the frankfurter front seems to be that Papaya King is more expensive.

Where you will notice a dramatic difference is in the drinks. The bizarrely enjoyable (it really is one of the best accompaniments imaginable for hot dogs) papaya drink at Papaya King is about a thousand times better than the chalky one they peddle at Gray's.

There are a number of other items on the menus at all these places, but the classic order is "two with; papaya" which means two frankfurters with sauerkraut (you add your own mustard) and a medium sized papaya drink. Onions are an acceptable addition as well. Beyond that, I make no guarantees.

I'm sorry I'm in the Carolinas at the time you're planning to be in New York, otherwise I'd love to take you around to a hot dog place or ten.

[rlibkind]

I'm definitely dating myself with the next comment...

Although the hot dog and bun are completely different, and it was orange drink rather than papaya, don't the two Papaya doggie huts resemble the old Nedick's? Could I be mistaken in observing that a couple even occupy the same real estate.

[Fat Guy]

Papaya King dates to 1931, so it has plenty of historical stature of its own -- though Nedick's predates even Papaya King (1910, I believe). I just barely remember Nedick's stores from the 1970s, but I think Papaya King has a different feel. Gray's, for its part, has pretty much no feel at all.

Incidentally I believe at least one Nedick's store opened last year, in Penn Station.

[rlibkind]

Papaya King dates to 1931, so it has plenty of historical stature of its own -- though Nedick's predates even Papaya King (1910, I believe). I just barely remember Nedick's stores from the 1970s, but I think Papaya King has a different feel. Gray's, for its part, has pretty much no feel at all.

Incidentally I believe at least one Nedick's store opened last year, in Penn Station.

Thanks for the history, Fat Guy. Didn't realize Papaya King was that ancient. The stores definitely had a different feel.

I always used to indulge at the Penn Station Nedicks before taking the train home to NJ in the early '60s. I'll have to indulge again on my next trip up from Phila.

[Fat Guy]

There's a brief history of Papaya King on the Papaya King Web site:

http://www.papayaking.com/html/history.htm

Looks like I was a year off: the business started in 1932 as a tropical fruit stand. Frankfurters apparently got added to the menu in 1939. The site claims FDR and the Beatles ate/drank there.

[wesza]

There's a brief history of Papaya King on the Papaya King Web site:

http://www.papayaking.com/html/history.htm

Looks like I was a year off: the business started in 1932 as a tropical fruit stand. Frankfurters apparently got added to the menu in 1939. The site claims FDR and the Beatles ate/drank there.

I don't know how many eGulleters remember all the corner locations all over the "Times Square" area that served Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice, Lemonade, Coffee, Hot Dogs, Knishes as well as Coconut , Pina Colada and Papaya Drinks from early in the morning until after the Bars closed at 4:00 AM.

They all had open windows to serve directly to the sidewalk as well as inside counters.

Gus had opened these places under his "Hawaiian Tropical Drinks" with very low rent leases toward the end of the depression.

When the second war began these spots became everyones favorite, especially all the military who were attracted to Times Square.

I remember as a kid going to Radio City or the Roxy Theaters was a big deal, but I was almost as excited by the fact that I'd be getting one of the Tropical Drinks both coming and going to the 7th Avenue Subway.

When I worked on 47th Street in Steuben's Tavern I continued to enjoy the drinks from his shop on 47th Street and 7th Avenue. There were still several places open in 1965 when I moved to Hong Kong.

Gus was a very astute businessman since he operated these locations on a partnership basis subject to the lease.

The original store on 86th Street always thrived on it's own.

I helped set up the only Papaya King that operated with the name, drinks and everything the opened in the Ala Moana Center in Honolulu. What was surprising was that the Tropical Drinks that we all expected to be very popular since they weren't available in Honolulu never seemed to become popular probably due to the Landlord [Foodland] not giving the place enough time to succeed.

Irwin

[kpurvis]

Looks like a Papaya King field trip is definitely in order, so conveniently located near Best Cellars and KAL. I'll try to report back.

Other meals already lined up this time: Amma (how could I miss paying my respects to Suvir?) and Hearth, also possibly the Grocery in Brooklyn.

So many meals . . . so little shame.