Mr. Mac's Canteen

838 Main St., Monroe, CT - (203) 459-9595

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Posted By Michael Stern on March 23, 2004 4:13 PM

Operated by the sons of the man who started the estimable Merritt Canteen in Bridgeport, Mr. Mac's Canteen serves hot dogs the exact same way. Place your order for a dog, a cheese dog, or a chili dog, and as soon as it is pulled up out of the hot oil and rolled around on the grill to get a crisp crust, it is bunned and placed in a cradle for the final dressing with your choice of mustard, relish, onions, bacon bits, or sauerkraut. It is then wrapped and/or put on a paper plate. Customers carry their own to a table in the spacious dining room.

Mr. Mac's chili topping puts these hot dogs over the top. The girls behind the counter usually warn first-timers who order chili dogs that Mr. Mac's chili is very, very hot; and indeed it is. Incendiary red, thick, and delicious, it is a glorious topping for the good dogs, also just right on (or on the side of) French fies.

The signature chili dogs lead a broad fast-food menu that includes hamburgers and double hamburgers, fried clams and fish & chips, deli sandwiches, and morning egg sandwiches. We find it hard to resist the hot dogs, but one day soon, we aim to return for a grinder selected from a list that includes pepper & egg, Philly cheese steaks, and -- the only time we've seen it on a menu -- liver, bacon & onions.

(Mr. Mac's is no longer affiliated with the Merritt Canteen, which uses the same chili recipe, but turns out a distinctively different version of the original served here. A second Mr. Mac's is located at 2004 Bridgeport Ave., in Milford, CT [203-874-1515].)

Overall Rating

Chili Dog

Hot Dog

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