Highway Hot Dogs, Ringoes (permanently closed)

     Nestled in the corner of a small strip of stores along Route 202/31 S in Ringoes, this vendor, who opened their doors in 2019, specializes in Hot dogs, fries and ice cream exclusively.  They offer an all-beef Sabrett's 10:1 dog for $2 or a larger beef/pork 6:1 dog from the Union Pork Store for $4.  Both are served deep fried on Martin's potato rolls.

     The above example is the Sabrett's beef dog with their homemade chili and "jersey jerk" relish.  The chili is rather mild for my taste, though it was tomato based and was a little sweet like a Pittsburgh style chili.  The addition of the Jersey Jerk relish definitely brought the heat!!  It is a spicy pepper relish that has a nice tang of its own.  They sell this relish by the jar as well, in case you'd like to bring some home!

     My next selection was the Union Pork Store dog served "all the way" (Texas Weiner style with chili, raw onions and brown mustard).  The dog was certainly milder than the all-beef Sabrett's but was very tasty and certainly more filling!  Overall it was a positive experience, particularly since it is the 2nd closest hot dog joint to my home!!  They also offer a frequent visitor card that provides a free hot dog when you buy 10.  This was my first visit and I'm already half way to my free dog!!

*** ALERT  -  Due to the 2020 Covid pandemic, like many local businesses, Highway Hot Dogs has closed permanently.

Denville Dog & Grill, Denville

 

     What a great little stop!  They serve Sabrett all-beef 8/1 NC dogs that are grilled.  I opted for the chili cheese dog (add mustard) and a bacon cheese dog (add mustard).  I apologize for taking a bite out of the chili cheese dog before taking my picture, but it looked so good!!!

      The chili is ground fine but is not runny and does NOT have the hint of cardamom/coriander/nutmeg that many local chilis have... What it DOES have is quite a spicy kick!!  It surprised me, and DID require that I take several sips of my Stewart's root beer, but it was very good!

     The bacon cheese dog, on the other hand, was kinda underwhelming.  The bacon bits were a little too well done for my taste but definitely provided a nice smoky flavor.  The cheese sauce was a good compliment but was a bit bland.  A little more spicy kick or smoky flavor in the cheese sauce would be a welcome addition.  Still, it was a satisfying hot dog.

Bear's Hot Dog Truck, Sayreville

     Back in the late 80's when I first visited Bear's, it was only a small stainless steel cart with the blue & yellow umbrella that you can see (above) on the far right.  The new trailer has provided the necessary room to offer many more choices.  They offer either a Sabrett 8:1 NC all beef frank or a larger Sabrett 6:1 pork/beef Griller.  Many of the folks who I visited with ordered their dogs with the chili which received very high reviews!  Other options include: cheese, Sabrett onion sauce, raw onions, relish or their homemade hot pepper relish.

     I had the all beef 8:1 NC dog with cheese and added a bit of their homemade hot pepper relish.  It was absolutely delicious!  Having the relish available for the patron to apply allows for just the right amount of heat.  You can see from the picture above that I came with a large group, and whether it was the delicious dogs, the reasonable prices or the fantastic staff, everyone had a smile on their face!  I'm hoping this hot dog truck is around for at least another 45 years!!  (hint, hint: Scott K.!)

<-- Bear himself!

Their mascot -->

Little Buffalo, Cranford (permanently closed)

     Opening in November 2017, the owners grew up in Buffalo, NY and wanted to bring some of their favorite foods to NJ.  They serve Zweigle's franks (only shop in NJ that I know of) in 3 varieties.  Red pop-open dogs are beef/pork blend and come in either 6 in. or 12 in. lengths.  Interestingly, the smaller dog (not that small, weighing in at 6/1) has a spicier flavor due to a small difference in the recipe.  They also serve white pop-opens which are a veal/pork/beef blend that retain the white color since they are neither smoked nor cured.

     Once you've selected your meat, you have a choice of 4 different sauces, each of which were inspired by one of the Buffalo area hot dog restaurants.  They offer a cumin-based meat sauce that was inspired by Nick Tohue, a spicy meat sauce similar to what you'll find at Coach Tony's, a sweet red sauce like the one at Reid's and a spicy red sauce inspired by Ted's.  With so many combinations to choose from (and I personally enjoyed every one that I tried) you'll have to make several visits to try them all!!  Thanks to Mike Maggio for such a great idea!

***  Update - Little Buffalo has closed permanently, possibly due to the 2020 COVID Pandemic

Charlie's Famous Italian Hot Dogs, Union

     Charlie's has been serving Italian hot dogs to New Jerseyans in the traditional method for decades.  They moved their main operation from Kenilworth to Union a few years back but their their focus on serving authentic IHDs has not changed.  The single or double hot dog is nestled into a 1/2 round loaf of pizza bread, doused with mustard, covered with sauteed onions and peppers, then topped with thin, deep fried potato slices and ketchup.

     Though there are many shops trying to serve Italians on sub rolls, and others that offer diced potatoes (or even french fries!!) there is definite value to be found in an authentic IHD.  Charlie's is one of the best and will have my patronage for years to come!

Hot Dog Joe, Bridgewater

     While speaking with Joe it became clear that he is a passionate cook.  He prepares all of his toppings and even grows some of the ingredients in the small garden he tends behind the trailer.  He insists on serving only all beef hot dogs.  His go-to brand is Thumann's but he has been known to serve Black Bear if he runs out.  Joe adds a bit if apple cider vinegar to the water when boiling his dogs soften the natural casing.

     The hot onions (w/ peppers) were outstanding!  These are homemade and the tangy flavor held a nice amount of heat.  His chili was very good but was a bit milder than I prefer.  It had neither the strong cinnamon/coriander/nutmeg flavor that most of the texas weiner joints serve but it also didn't have a tomato base.  It is best described as a mildly seasoned ground beef.  If you're near Bridgewater around lunch time, give this stop a try!  He's open 10:30a-2:30p 6 days a week (closed Sundays).

Apple's Deli, Springfield (permanently closed)

     Apple's Deli has a long, interesting history (although it only opened in 2016!)  The owner, Matthew Applebaum, bought the old Evergreen Deli in Springfield after serving as chef at several North Jersey restaurants.  One of these was Amazing Hot Dog in Verona, now long gone.  This was an opportunity for Matt to serve what he loves under his own banner.

     The big hit at Apple's Deli has got to be the Syd's dog.  Originally served as Syd's in Newark (also long gone) this is a Best natural casing 5:1 all beef dog that is only available at the Best Provisions store, also in Newark.  It is first boiled and then given some char on the grill.  Below is a shot of mine with brown mustard.  Absolutely fantastic!

     The pic at the bottom of this post was taken during the 15th Annual NJ Hot Dog Tour where Apple's hosted an outdoor cookout for the participants.  It was a great day for an outdoor venue and everyone enjoyed their wonderful hospitality!

*** Update - Permanently closed in 2019