The eGullet NJ Hot Dog Run (pictures!)

[finker99]

HI,

I think it would be a great idea to go on an outing and try a bunch of local hot dog legends and some newbies. We could meet somewhere and car pool or just meet at the first place we decide on and go from there. I think mid January would be far enough away that we can pick a date that works for most and I offer up my parking lot as a meeting place. A few ideas of places to go: Rutt's, The Hot Grill, Hank's Franks, The Station (new place in hackensack), Hot Dog Heaven, and any others we can think of. I do think we should try and cap it at a 4 hour expedition and I think a weekend would be best. Well if you are interested post and please, any suggestions for more places to go are most welcome.

Fink

[Andrew Fenton]

Sounds fantastic. I've been wanting to try some of these legendary NJ hot dog spots for a while now.

[rooftop1000]

Oh come on guys

I havent fully recovered from yesterdays sushi lunch....count me in...there is Clixes too...

tracey

[Holly Moore]

Strikes me as a Saturday well spent.

[richl2214]

I heard there is a Hotdog place that sells "Peanut Butter and Jelly" dogs. I just can't rmember the name or the location. Maybe Teaneck?

[joiei]

Just know that I will be jealous. Finding a decent hot dog here is hard to do. Something that is not one of those little pathetic coney things.

[John]

This is a great idea. I've done it in New Jersey in Sept. (even got tee shirts made up) and Connecticut in October. Anywhere from 4 to 6 places would be about right, although we did 7 for Connecticut. It helps to have a variety of styles and to plan the travelling wisely.

The Jersey places I picked for our hot dog tour were Galloping Hill Inn, Union (German style beef and pork dog, grilled) Charlies Famous Italian Hot Dogs, Kenilworth, Syd's, Union (charbroiled all beef frank), Rutt's Hut, Clifton (deep fried dog with special relish), and The Hot Grill (North Jersey style Texas Weiner.

It was convenient in that the first place we met was right off the Parkway. The first 3 places were within 4 miles of each other, and the final 2 stops in Clifton were about 15 miles away. Each hot dog joint represented a different style, and , in my opinion, is the best in each style. About 30 people went, coming from N.J., N.Y., Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and one guy from Baltimore. Also attending was Steve Keiner, the last American Champion (1999) in the Nathan's hot dog eating contest.

This outing was mentioned a few months back on this site with an invitation to anyone wishing to attend. Unfortunately, no one from E-Gullet came, although one or 2 people intended to but had to cancel. I'd love for an E-Gullet hot dog outing to happen. A bunch of us did get together a couple of years ago at Rutt's Hut for dogs and beer and had a great time.

We had a vote for best hot dog, and it was a tie between Syd's and the Galloping Hill Inn. Jersey has so many great hot dog restaurants; it would be great for everyone to sample some of the finest. And you don't have to have a full hot dog at each stop, although some of us can ( and did) easily down 7 hot dogs.

[finker99]

Some great ideas John, I really only now a few around hackensack and clifton, but I definately would like to try some new places. A saturday should be good for most. I think that January 15th sounds like a good day (beware the ides of january) unless there is major conflict. As far as picking places to go to I think we could reach a consensus by new years. I would like to see us go to Karl Ehmer's in Hillsdale (actually a butcher but has a hot dog stand out front.

Fink

[tommy]

this sounds like fun. john's run (it was a roadfood thing iirc) sounded most excellent.

if we don't want to travel all that much btwn dogs, there are certainly enough places in bergen and essex alone to make a full day. off the top of my head:

clixes

johnny and hanges

hot grill

rutts

the one or two places in hackensack whose names i can't remember

hot dog house on 17 (am i the only one who goes here)?

[NJ2FLA]

OOo.. I'd love to join in. I was going to join John a few months back but wasn't around that weekend. I travel a lot and I never know much when I am going to be around. During the winter I try to spend as much time in FL as possible! I know one of the weekends in January is a 3 day weekend for some people.

[rlibkind]

Tommy suggests Bergen and Essex counties. I say, you can find as many good dogs in Union County alone as you can in Bergen and Essex together (but this Elizabeth native is just a tad biased):

Tommy's, Elizabeth

Jerry's, Elizabeth

Majestic Lunch, Elizabeth

Father and Son, Linden

Charlie's, Kenilworth

Galloping Hill Inn, Union

Syd's, Union (although it's in the Millburn Mall, it's in Union)

And it can be organized to meet at the Elizabeth NJ Transit rail station, a 26 minute ride from NYC's Penn Station. I'm in any Saturday in January except the 22nd and I'll be driving up from Phila.

[hillbill]

I'd also really like to join the posse if I'm available!

[Holly Moore]

A day of North Jersey dog eating, especially for the uninitiated, is incomplete without a Rutt's Ripper.

[hillbill]

A day of North Jersey dog eating, especially for the uninitiated, is incomplete without a Rutt's Ripper.

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That place really stands out as a must in my mind from all I've read in this and other forums about NJ Dogs.

[rlibkind]

I may be an Elizabeth boy at heart, but, hey, I'll renew my passport to try a ripper!

[NJ2FLA]

Rutts Hut & The Hot Grill are a must.

[John]

In addition to the places mentioned in Union County by rlibkind, there is Frank & Fries in Rahway, the Windmill in Westfield, Jimmy Buff's in Scotch Plains, and others. New Jersey is a great state for hot dogs and Union County is probably the County with the best, or the greatest concentration of hot dog joints. Pete Genovese of the Star Ledger told me that when he asks readers for hot dog recommendations, 75% of them are for places in Union County. But the better places are close to each other and only about 15 miles away (a short ride up the Parkway) from Rutt's and the Hot Grill, which are minutes from each other.

There's a couple of ways of looking at the selection of places. I, myself have been to most of the ones named many times and never tire of them. It would be nice to visit a new place. But for most people, it would be better to go to some of the tried and true places that give Jersey it's reputation for a great place to have a variety of different styles of hot dogs. I would agree with Holly that Rutt's is a place that must be experienced. They serve a unique dog cooked a different way (deep fried) than most people are used to. I would say Syd's also shouldn't be missed. A different type of dog (kosher style all beef) than Rutt's, it is, in my opinion, the best all beef dog in this section of the country. And this includes Nathan's, Papaya King, and Katz's in New York. Galloping Hill Inn serves a great German style beef and pork dog that they griddle and put in a harder, better quality bun. This place drew raves from people on the last tour. I would suggest though, that if you come here, that you try the dog with just mustard. I don't like the chili or other toppings.

Other styles worth sampling are the Italian Hot Dog and the Texas Weiner. Charlies Famous, Tommy's, and Jimmy Buff's make excellent Italian Hot Dogs. The Hot Grill, Libby's, Johnny and Hanges, Texas Weiner ll, and others make great Texas Weiners.

I'm up for anything. These trips are a lot of fun, and for me, a lot of the enjoyment comes from hearing people's opinions about the different dogs sampled. I would just ask for us to agree on a date soon because I work Saturdays, and would need time to arrange for a day off.

[Chris Amirault]

Though I can't quite justify driving down to NJ for a day of hot dogs, being a weiner-fiend I considered it (see my post on Pink's in LA recently). So I will be very happy if you report back, with pix if possible; slanderous arguments concerning both the quality of the dogs' "snap" and eaters' application of proper condiments would be particularly appreciated.

If successful, perhaps your jaunt can produce other similar tours around the U.S. I've always felt that a definitive NY system weiner review was in order for these parts....

[richl2214]

Cool discussion on Roadfood.com. May give some ideas:

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=40

Edited December 5, 2004 by richl2214 (log)

[Curlz]

I must sheepishly admit that although I probably live 1.5 miles from Rutt's, I've never been there! If my schedule allows, I could be convinced to go along on this one...sure is a novel idea!

[waves2ya]

I must sheepishly admit that although I probably live 1.5 miles from Rutt's

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... then their relish, alone, makes a trip worth it!

[finker99]

So Rutt's seems like a choice we all agree on, and I definately think that we should hit a some in Union County. I think that we can pull off a couple in each county(Bergen, Passaic, and Union) in an afternoon. John's galloping grill description sound's really good. How does Syd's do their dogs?

Fink

[John]

Syd's takes a special long (5 to a lb) natural casing all beef dog and simmers in water, then charbroils on a gas grill. You have a choice of getting it this way (95% do) or boiled. The only beef dog that comes close to Syd's is one from Usinger's, which, unfortunately is not available around here.

[rlibkind]

The only beef dog that comes close to Syd's is one from Usinger's, which, unfortunately is not available around here.

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Usingers can be mail-ordered. And I think Best Provision (purveyor to Syd's) will sell you a box (10 pounds, I think) of the 5 to a pound dog if you show up at their door in Newark; I think they'll even ship to you.

[menton1]

How come nobody has mentioned Boulevard Drinks, Journal Square, Jersey City. Great place, something like Papaya King in NYC.