quote:Originally posted by waltpiii quote:Originally posted by Luvthemdogs
I have to disagree with the Woody's comments and share my own (also posted this in the Rosco's thread). I travel with a group of other hot dog fanatics every Friday. We go all over Hartford and surrounding suburbs for a hot dog lunch. We keep spreadsheets on each location. We'll do Woody's at least twice a year. We all prefer Rosco's over Woody's. For us, we look at the dog by itself, then the condiments, preparation of all items including the dog, bun and condiments, and one guy adds cleanliness to his list. We don't care about price or ambiance. Though we all have different top fives, Rosco's is on all of them and Woody's is not on a single one (in the top 5 that is). You'll see Ranch House rated higher, which serves the Bogner skinny foot long all beef skinless. Also usually highly rated are The Glenwood in Hamden (for those that travel out of the immediate suburbs), The Dawg House in N.B., Capitol Lunch (not on mine), Augie and Rays and Berlin Pizza to name a few. Hot Dogs are very subjective. There will never be a "best" because of that, just one person's preference.
I would love to see a list of everyones top five. Could you post it?
Thanks,
Walt
In Connecticut, I've been to Rosco's, Glenwood Drive In, Super Duper Weenie (2 locations), Swanky Franks, Mr. Mac's Canteen, Danny's, Rawley's, Capitol Lunch (2 locations), and Blackies. Since I've gone, Rawley's switched from Rosseler's franks (which are no longer made) to Mucke's I believe. Correct me if I'm wrong. Super Duper Weenie now uses Hummel's since their original supplier, Miller's Provisions closed.
I know that there are many other good places in Connecticut that I haven't been to that I suspect would rate higher in my opinion than most of the places I've gone to and would probably fill spots 3 to 5. I like Mucke's brand of frankfurters, so I might like a place that serves them like Rawley's. I also like all beef dogs. The Chez Lenard (sp?) cart that serves a Hebrew National with casing might make my list. As would a restaurant in Cos Cob I've heard about that grills a natural casing Sabrett. I think it's called Top Dog.
My top 5.
1) Rosco's. There is no better place in my opinion for a German style beef and pork dog. And this includes New Jersey. Rosco's dog is a Thumann's griller which is prepared on a griddle. It has a tender casing and the meat is loosely packed, so this particular frank is better suited for a griddle than a grill. This is not the same dog as the Thumann's deep frier which is the dog used at Rutt's Hut and many other North Jersey hot dog establishments. Although made in Jersey, very few places here use this particular dog. I have no idea why this is, given the taste and quality of it. Out of 2 currently that I know of, one deep fries it (even though it is the griller) and the other prepares it poorly, not leaving it on the griddle for a sufficient amount of time. Believe it or not, our local Little League field served this dog years ago and did a great job grilling it. And a 6 to a lb dog sold for only $1.50. People used to come to the field just to buy hot dogs! Then the league decided it was easier to just boil the dogs, so they switched to an all beef dog that is boiled.
Rosco's serves the regular 6 to a lb frank and a bigger quarter pounder. Prepared perfectly, this dog is fine with just mustard. But it also goes well with toppings given it's milder spicing compared to a more well seasoned beef dog. The toppings/condiments are homemade and as good or better than any hot dog joint. I sampled most of them on the side. Their coleslaw is one of the best I've had anywhere.
I would rate Rosco's in my top five for hot dogs in any state; certainly my number one choice overall for a mixed meat (beef and pork) dog.
2) The Glenwood Drive In. A five to a lb natural casing Hummels brand dog is charcoal grilled. A fantastic dog. Also beef and pork, what sets Glenwood apart from the many places that use Hummels dogs is the preparation and size. I love the long, thin shape of this dog. It looks just like the 5 to a lb dog from Best Provisions in New Jersey that was served at Syd's for many years. Hummels dogs are spicier than most beef/pork dogs and have a unique tartness/tanginess. Add to this the flavor that charcoal broiling imparts and you have an excellent hot dog. Again, one of my favorites anywhere. I am in agreement with Luvthemdogs that Rosco's and the Glenwood are the 2 best by far.
3) Super Duper Weenie. There is a bit of a drop off here. When I went here a few years ago, Miller's was the dog used. A fine German style dog similar to what is served at the Galloping Hill Inn in Union, N.J. Most of the time I got my dog with mustard. Their mustard is very good; one of the best. It's B&G brand. The New Englander with sauerkraut, bacon, mustard, sweet relish, and raw onion (which I omitted) was a standout and one of the finest combinations of toppings I've had on a hot dog. I usually just have mustard on my dogs. SDW splits and griddles the dogs. As I mentioned, they have since switched to Hummel's. It seems that most places in Conn. that use the Hummel dog either deep fry it or deep fry, then grill it for a minute or 2 for added crunch. I like dogs deep fried as well as grilled. Most of the time I prefer grilled, which is why SDW is rated above my final 2 choices.
4) Mr. Mac's Canteen. Tough picking an order for Mr. Mac's, Swanky Frank's, or Danny's. All use Hummel's and are similar in taste. Mr. Mac's deep fries, then rolls the dog around on the grill for added crunch. A tasty, well prepared dog. I think their chili might be the hottest anywhere. Too hot for me.
5) Swanky Franks and Danny's. Similar. Swanky's uses the Hummel's and deep fries it. For a quarter more you can get it split and grilled. Danny's puts the dog on a griddle first, then deep fries it. Again, from what I remember, this dog is very similar to Swanky Franks and Mr. Mac's. Very hot chili (Kuhn's) although not as hot as Mr. Mac's. I didn't sample the chili at Swanky Franks although I hear that it is milder than the other 2 and I'm sure more to my liking.
One day a few years ago I went to seven places with longdog. My comments are towards the bottom of the first page.
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