Rutt's Hut, Clifton, NJ

     This establishment has been a staple in New Jersey Hot Dog lore for many years.  Although I was not privy to the product of Rutt's Hut ministrations, I have heard this eatery extolled as a purveyor of quality frank fare for many years.  I was very excited to visit this hot dog Mecca and had great expectations upon entering its doors.

     Let me start by pointing out that Rutt's Hut offers a selection of frosty brews to accompany your food order.  Such ability is never to be underestimated!  A nice cold Bud washes anything down quite effectively...

     Secondly, the relish provided is without a doubt, one of the highlights of this culinary experience.  I could clearly detect mustard, cabbage, onions & finely chopped carrots.  This mixture was able to transform (almost) any menu item into a juicy, palatable treat!!

     The dogs here are deep fried until the skin rips and crinkles.  This provides the name of Rutt's most famous hot dog, the "Ripper".  The crevices resulting from those welts are very effective at cradling the relish.  To eat one plain is a little unnerving in my opinion,,, the texture simply wasn't aesthetically pleasing.

     For those who like their dogs crispy, you may want to try the "Weller" (for well done).  My son was pleased with this choice, but I have a feeling that his liberal use of relish and the accompanying Bud were instrumental in that assessment.

     Finally, number 1 son talked his little brother into trying the "Cremator".  The name says it all!!  This tube steak was left in that vat of oil until it was stiffer than the tongs used to remove it.  There was no trace of moisture left in this dog.  It literally went into the trash after one bite!

     I didn't find out about the option of an "In & Outer" until later.  If I find myself in Clifton with a hankering for weenies, I would give Rutt's another try.  Anyplace that has developed such a strong following as Rutt's Hut is worthy of a second chance.  But for this hot dog tour, it has not landed near the top of my list.

Hiram's, Fort Lee

     Upon entering this eatery, it was clear that they had a well-established local clientele who were intimately familiar with the preferences of the staff.  There was little tolerance displayed towards the out-of-towners who entered the dining area prior to ordering and receiving their fare at the front counter...  I'm not sure if the chaotic manner of the serving staff was a result of the challenge presented by serving "the unfamiliar" or if chaos is a daily part of the atmosphere.  One saving grace was that those not driving were able to wash down their dogs with a frosty beer.  The suds also helped to distract you from the seediness of the dining area.  The tiny tables were squished together in a dark room lit by Budweiser lamps.

     It was a long drive to get here from Union and we were hungry!  The boys had plain dogs and were satisfied, but felt like they could rival the quality by using the grill on our own patio.  My chili cheese dog (chased with a Coke) was literally saved by the chili... I think the cheese was a slice of yellow american!!  The little lady was likewise unimpressed with the chili dogs, venue & service.  We were happy to finish our brewskies and head out of town!!

Galloping Hill Inn, Union, NJ

The Galloping Hill Inn in Union, NJ has provided their community with a fast-moving quick-fix meal since 1925.  I, personally, have a history with the Galloping Hill Inn having attended several repasts at the catering hall. Nonetheless, my experience on this day was that the HUGE bun over-powered the hot dog. My son's fried onion & BBQ dog found the dog over-powered by the onions.  Wife's hot dog w/ sauerkraut & onions couldn't taste the dog under the accouterments. Only my youngest son, who got a double hot dog with mustard found a good balance (but even that mustard was kinda runny!) All in all we found the Galloping Hill Inn a good place to go for a hot dog after a day well spent, but not a place to go to find that hot dog that you were longing for above all others.  Two stars are generous.  Be thankful!!

Nathan's Famous, Bridgewater

     The second destination of our tour took us to Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs.  No, we did NOT travel to the original stand on the Coney Island boardwalk.  That would have been well outside the boundaries of this tour (though it may have improved the experience!)  It was only an 8 minute drive from our last stop....  hardly enough time to swallow, much less digest!!  Fortunately, the walk from car to counter was quite long, as this stand resides inside the food court of Bridgewater Commons Shopping Mall.

     The overall consensus was that the regular dogs were overcooked and too crunchy, the corn dogs would have been miserable if not for the cornbread coating, and no matter what you ordered, the service was lousy!  More than one customer praised the mustard as the "saving grace" of the meal.

     Being a native New Yorker, this review did sting a little.  Growing up on the Island (ok, Staten not Coney!) there was a certain reverence held for Nathan's Famous.  Perhaps in the rush for geographical expansion Nathan allowed the quality control to slip... I'm not sure why I'm making excuses. After all, I was the main critic!!  Oh well, I'm afraid this stop gets very low marks.  Now off to number 3!

Grandma's (formerly: Genie's Weenies), Somerville

     The first stop on our tour brought us to a small, bright green building with ample parking and additional outdoor seating. The ordering area might get a little congested on a busy day, but the service was cheerful and kept the line moving nicely. We were greeted by none other than Genie herself who suggested we choose an outdoor table on this beautiful day and she would bring our order out shortly.  Following a brief pause we received our order with an additional plate of free fries to share!  Genie was very interested in our tour and told us about her origins in the hot dog business.  She's a very pleasant lady!

     My Chicago dog had a nice spicy kick and was very tasty.  The basic dog with kraut & mustard came with A LOT of kraut and a pickle on the side.  The Texas dog offering sweet onions and BBQ sauce was "delish!" and our Italian hot dog lover was pleasantly surprised to enjoy his hot dogs cut in pieces and mixed with the fried potatoes!

     This was an awesome way to kick off a hot dog tour...  Genie's will be hard to beat!  If you're cruising Route 22 through Somerville, make sure you stop in for a bite!  They close early (at 3pm) 6 days a week but are open until 9pm on Wednesday's for Cruise Night!!

UPDATE:  Sadly, as of late Fall 2012, Genie's Weenies sustained a fire that has closed down the business. As of this update (Jan, 2013) there are no signs of renovation or re-opening. However, I am keeping my fingers crossed!!

UPDATE 2:  Happily, this hot dog haven has reopened as of May 2013.  Genie is back at the helm and the dogs are just as awesome as ever!  Welcome back, Genie!!

UPDATE 3:  After many years, Genie has decided to retire!  But fear not, as her kitchen staff are keeping the business going with the exact same menu and quality!  Only the name has changed.

Northern NJ Hot Dog Tour is scheduled!!

The tour is on!!  We're starting our trip on Monday, August 22nd, 2011 at 11am.  The starting point is located at Genie's Weenies on Route 22 East in Somerville.  Even though we're hitting (8) of the best hot dog stands in NJ, I'm planning on limiting myself to 1 dog per stand. It's all about the adventure and the surprise, not gaining 10 pounds! Besides, I figure a few bucks left at each stand will add up so, I say: S-A-V-O-R !!

We're going a little low budget on the T-shirts... I picked up some plain cotton tees @ WalMart for a couple bucks and got Iron-On Transfer paper for my printer.  After a couple of hours in PrintShop, I now have event T-shirts for about $20-$25 for the whole family!

We're each taking responsibility for a certain style of hot dog.  My oldest son likes them naked so I'm counting on his opinion for the base comparison.  My wife is a fan of Italian hot dogs, but not every stand serves that variety.  I'm trying to talk my younger son into sampling the chili dogs, and I plan on selecting the "specialty" dog at each stop; the owner's favorite, the big seller, whatever it might be!

Look for my feedback a few days after the Tour....  I'll need at least a day or two to recover before recording my thoughts!  Pray for sunny skies on the 22nd!!!

Primary Post

To my fellow Jerseyans and welcome guests,

     My aim for this blog is to share my experiences and opinions in regard to the many purveyors of America's favorite fast food, the hot dog.  I'm not talking about the neighborhood diner who serves 124 different menu items, of which one happens to be the hot dog... I am talking about those fast food "stands" whose menu revolves around this iconic delicacy!

     I want to report my thoughts based on current visits, so I am very excited to begin my first "hot dog tour" later this month which will hit 8 of the biggest names in hot dogs that New Jersey has to offer.  At this time I will be restricting the scope of my travels to the borders of Jersey but who knows what the future will hold?  I realize that 8 locations is a little aggressive, especially for my first tour, but my excitement and my desire to have a solid base of experience from which to report is fueling this goal.  I will cover 150 miles during 3 1/2 hours of travel.  Expecting to spend at least a 1/2 hour at each stand, we're talking about a good 8 hour investment.  I can't wait!!

     The 2011 Northern NJ Hot Dog Tour (as I have affectionately called it) will include the following 8 destinations:

                       □  Genie’s Weenies, Somerville, NJ

                       □  Nathan’s Famous, Bridgewater, NJ

                       □  Galloping Hill Inn, Union, NJ

                       □  Hiram’s, Fort Lee, NJ

                       □  Rutt’s Hut, Clifton, NJ

                       □  Jimmy Buff’s, East Hanover, NJ

                       □  Hot Dog Johnny’s, Buttzville, NJ

                       □  Charlie’s Pool Room, Alpha, NJ

       More information about the actual tour will be posted as it approaches and details become more reliable.  I am considering having T-shirts printed for the event listing each destination, but this is one of the aforementioned unreliable details!  With the blog created and my intentions stated, I need to get back to planning so that this tour comes off without a hitch.  More to come!!