Albany/Troy Hot Dog Trip

Just thought I'd write up a report on my trip last weekend to the Albany/Troy area. Actually it was a one day trip from NJ to there and then a 2nd day over to Cooperstown to take care of the little boy in me and spend a day at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Anyway, I got to Watervliet NY (just north of Albany) in a Mapquest-perfect 2 hours and 50 minutes, just in time for a 4 hot dog lunch at Gus's Hot Dog stand. They feature the small hot dogs that this area is known for. (Do these dogs have a name? Everyone just seems to refer to them as "little hot dogs"). Gus's is a great old stand in an old neighborhood, the 4 dogs with sauce (sort of a liquidy chili sauce) and a soda ran me about $3. The dogs were 54 cents each. A unique experience. There is no indoor seating, just some picnic tables outside, I'm not sure what anyone does when it's like 12 below zero.

Then over to Troy and Famous Lunch. The little dogs here were 65 cents each (must be the cost of being downtown). I liked Gus's somewhat better, the Famous Lunch sauce was very salty. But I bought a quart of Famous Lunch sauce to bring home, I liked the name: Zippy Sauce.

My next stop was to be Charlie's Hot Dogs, but Mapquest let me down, I couldn't find the place. It was only later in the day when I fell into a conversation with a guy at the Albany Pump Station Brewpub that I found out that River Rd in Troy BECOMES 2nd Avenue(where Charlie's is located). Mapquest made no mention of this, it appeared from the mapquest map that these were 2 diferent roads.

I wasn't that dissapointed, I had already had 8 hot dogs in about 20 minutes, and even tho they were small, with all the chili sauce I was quite full anyway.

So, my next 2 stops were to buy some "little dogs" at the sources. I bought a pound at Troy Pork store (which came with a free quart of thier own sauce). This is the brand served at Famous Lunch, which is nearby. I took a walk in the area to walk off some of the food, I love old small downtowns that are still very intact. Then over to Helmbold's (Mapquest was perfect on this 7 mile cicuitous route from Troy Pork store) for a pound of thier own brand, which is what Gus's serves.


After that it was Brewpub time (Troy and Albany). Then another walk on the Albany river walk (very nice but downtown is dead on a weekend) and a walk around the Capital. Finally a stop at Orchard Tavern, which has great rectangle shaped pizza that comes to go in a ravioli-like box. Very unusual. Had a nice feast in my motel room.

The next morning it was over to Cooperstown. I did plan a hot dog stop there, at Dimaggio's Hot Dogs, south of town (thanks for the tip, Seafarer John) but they were closed for the season.

I made some stops on the way home, including a stop at the site of Woodstock, which i had forgooten has now been turned into a perfomring arts center. I'm not too sure I'm thrilled about that, but it appears to be good for the desolate local economy. Whatever. I put a homemade Crosby Stills Nash and Young CD in the car deck and headed home.

As a PS, we had a taste test at home yesterday with my family and a couple of friends. Six of us shared about 35 hot dogs and the Famous Lunch and Troy Pork Store sauces. We were split down the middle, 3 of us liked Troy Pork Store sauce better and 3 of us liked Famous Lunch. Same with the dogs, 3 liked Troy Pork store, 3 liked Helmbolds.

--Ken

I don't think Albany, GA or Troy, AL have any decent hot dog places.

Oneiron339....very funny...but Ken did mention Cooperstown....so we all knew...well us NY'rs knew he meant NY....Ken, wish I knew you were coming to my neck of the woods...I live a couple of miles from Gus's....you were so close to a Hot Dog Charlies only about a mile or so from Gus's....Hot Dog Charlie's also serves Hembold's ...and they actually can be bought along with Charlie's sauce right in the local supermarkets...along with the little rolls....next time you are up here...though you can't get them ready to eat...go further north to Clifton Park to Fred the Butcher (on rte 146 off of Rte 9)....you can't miss the store as it has a giant steer in the front (used to be anatomically correct..but there was some sort of outcry from the rightwing about that). Fred makes his own franks...corned beef...bologna...etc.....interesting store to say the least..and further north above Lake George is Oscar's smoke house....all sorts of smoked meats...hot dogs...etc....

Funny...but I really do prefer a Sabrett's, Nathan's or Hebrew National to the local stuff...the dogs here need the sauce for flavor...where my favorites have more than enough flavor....guess it's the Long Island still in me..

Anyway..thanks for the kudos to the area...and happy trails.

quote:

Originally posted by Oneiron339

I don't think Albany, GA or Troy, AL have any decent hot dog places.

Been 5-6 years since I've been there but it seems like I remember a good hot dog place around the east end of Dawson Ave in Albany, GA?

Gus's Hot dogs is on 25th street, Watervliet, NY. There is a Hot Dog Charlies not far up the street, turn around at Gus's back to rte 32, make a left and follow up a few miles to Cohoes, NY. The road name changes to Saratoga St. (rte 32) and they are on the right. Hot Dog Charlies sauce is much spicier than the other establishments in the area! For those familiar with the chili sauce at Father and Son in Jersey, I say they are similar.

During my discussion with the owner of Helmbolds, she mentioned that they do not supply Hot Dog Charlies and that Hot Dog Charlies sells a Sabrett dog. I did not know Sabrett had such a small dog? Possibly they are a mix of Sabrett and Troy Pork Store?

According to Helmbolds they also supply Famous Lunch. I understand through rumor though that all of the establishments in the area seem to move around among suppliers so one never knows.

I'm glad you mentioned Dimaggio's dogs being closed!

HDK

In the old days they had a special way of putting the hotdogs together, you'd have a guy with a hairy arm put a bunch of dogs together with the onion and sauce on his arm, then to the plate or bag.

Famous lunch is my favorite, but Gus's is no slacker. Charlies used to be good I have not had those in a while.

Don't foget Ted's Fish Fry in Lansingburg (North Troy) really outstanding.

LindaW and Hot Dog King, thanks for the additional commentary and tips. All duly noted for next time. I agree that the dogs are sort of bland, although I thought the Helmbolds had a little more flavor than the Troy Pork Store. I guess they really all compete on the sauce rather than the dogs.

For what it's worth the folks at Troy Pork store said they suppled Famous Lunch, not Helmbolds, but who knows, maybe it changes daily. ---Ken

I will repeat, probably not for the last time, that the Greeks invented the Texas Hot Wiener in an effort to disguise an inexpensive and inferior hotdog. And that's not bad, as Ken suggests, it's all about the sauce, you dont want to let the hot dog compete too much with the sauce. at least that's the way i like my dogs here in the Hudson Valley.

Cheers, John

John,

You are right on when you mention that you don't want the hot dog to compete with or overpower the sauce. Some people who own Texas Weiner joints have actually told me that it is why they use a milder mixed meat (pork and beef) dog to the spicier all beef. The Hot Grill in Clifton uses an even milder (Sabrett pork and beef) dog than Libby's and most of the North Jersey places that use the Thumanns deep fryer. This dog is also milder than the Grote & Weigel dog used by Manny's and those places that grill rather than deep fry their Texas Weiners. Those who run the Hot Grill have often said that the dog is but a holder for their chili sauce.

I also think that the quality of hot dogs have gone up in the last 40 or 50 years. Companies producing hot dogs now have to list the ingredients on the package. The common comments of pig lips and snouts is mostly untrue. UNLESS you see variety meats listed on the package. Down South it is common to use inferior hot dogs. Even in our area, places like 7-11 serve a cheap dog, but you can load up on the condiments.

I would classify the dogs used at hot dog joints in the Hudson Valley and the Texas Weiner joints in Jersey as definitely milder, but not neccesarily inferior. The chili dog at the Coney Island Restaurant in Middletown, New York may be my favorite. I love the meaty chili. The dog, a Tobin's brand beef and pork dog, is very mild and goes perfectly with the chili. On it's own it would be a decent dog, but not a standout. WIth the chili, it is a winner.

The Chicago Style Hot dog joints, for the most part use a Vienna brand beef dog. Although all beef, it is definitely milder than a Sabrett, Nathan's, Hebrew National, etc. This is intentional as the spicier brands would overpower the other (numerous) ingredients on a Chicago Hot Dog and throw everything out of balance.

As long as we're buying by the pound - Rolf's, 70 Lexington (just north of Central) in Albany (NY!) does their own smoking, has the best dogs we've ever had (we're displaced NYC/Long Islanders), little and "normal" - transcendent garlic sausage, bacon liverwurst and on and on. What's "oink!" in German?

Ken GUs's does have an indoors seating area. It is to the elft of the ordering window just so u know when u pass through so u cna ahve a place to sit when it is below zero

Thursday, June 26, 2008 Helmbold's bought out
Updated: 05/08/2008 02:47 PM
By: Web Staff
TROY, N.Y. -- A local hot dog company has been bought out, but it doesn't look like Hembold's hot dog fans have too much to worry about. Old World Provisions announced Thursday that it bought out the Troy company.

The partnership will help the companies sell a wider range of meat products to more customers and hopefully reach new markets. It is hoped that Hembold's current staff of 15 may grow by 20 percent over the next year.

Marilyn Widmer will stay on as the Helmbold Brand Manager and Jerry Viasner has been named Plant Manager for the Helmbold Troy operation.

Helmbold's iconic hot dogs are sold at Gus' Hot Dogs in Watervliet, Famous Lunch in Troy and at Ted's Fish Fry, just to name a few.