Posted by Michael Stern on July 24, 2009
The Little Spot presents a Roadfood reviewer with a little dilemma. What do you say about a place that is enormously charming, cheap, and true to local taste in food -- a place that regular customers adore -- and a place that has been part of the community for years -- when that place serves only mediocre food?
The hot dogs that made the Little Spot a landmark are cooked on the same sort of rolling metal dowels all movie theaters once had; and while the turnover at this drive-in is brisk enough that you run no risk of getting last week's weenies, neither does the roll-in-place style of frankfurter cookery do a lot to arouse my tastebuds.
For ten cents extra, the Little Spot will split and cook your weenie on the grill -- an excellent idea, because the otherwise flaccid franks develop snap to their skin. The grill itself, however, creates its own problem. Unlike nearby Walter's, which also grill-cooks its dogs, the Little Spot seems to have no Magic Wonder Oil they spread on the grill. So while Walter's dogs absorb a lush, buttery flavor from that establishment's secret oil, the ones at the Little Spot absorb only the character of a surface where other hot dogs, hamburgers, and onions have fried. That's not automatically a bad thing, but I did not jump for joy at a flavor that would best be described as "very old grill."
I am especially sorry not to love this place because it came with an enthusiastic rave from Roadfood correspondent Jeff. Jeff wrote that in his opinion, Little Spot hot dogs are better than Walter's. While it might be (temporarily) nice if everyone in the world shared my exact opinion about everything from hot dogs to politics, I must face the fact that different people actually have different tastes! I sincerely thank Jeff for the recommendation of the Little Spot -- it is a delightful piece of New York hot dog culture -- but when I'm in that part of Westchester County and crave a frank, I'm going to Mamaroneck to eat at Walter's.
Overall: Worth a slight detour
14 out of 14 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
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"A close up of the end of a grilled chili dog shows how it was split to be cooked on the grill. It also shows the harmony of mustard, onions, and chili."
Michael Stern
"It is possible to get a plain hot dog, but nearly all the weenies served here come with mustard, onions, and chili. Also available on the short-list menu are hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fried clams and, I quote, freedom fries."
Michael Stern
"The split, grilled hot dog and grilled onions tastes noticeably of "old grill," which was not a good thing."
MiamiDon
"The Little Spot really is a little spot, just right for al fresco wiener-eating."
Michael Stern
