Gail's Dog House, Martinsville

     This was a surprising find.  I was on a lunchtime errand during the workday and saw the sign below.  This little wagon is just the right size for a one person operation.  There were cooking facilities inside so the dogs weren't sitting in "dirty water" for hours (a frequent disappointment when dealing with hot dog carts!)  Gail (in the van) is often found in the parking lot of Chimney Rock Park, right on Chimney Rock Rd. in Martinsville, NJ.

     I sampled a chili dog and one with brown mustard & sauerkraut.  The texture and consistency of the chili was wonderful.  It could have been a bit more flavorful but it was a thoroughly enjoyable condiment.  Gail uses Sabrett hot dogs on a nice fresh roll that stood up to the chili without getting soggy and falling apart (I hate that!!)  The kraut & mustard dog was equally tasty.  I was very satisfied with this unexpected find!  I think Gail has found a successful niche for this start up!

Manny's Texas Weiners, Union

     This was an unexpected stop on the way back from New Jersey's first Meadery, only a few blocks away.  I opted to try the staple Texas Weiner which was a long (approx. 9") dog grilled nicely on a flat griddle.  It had a strong "beefy" flavor that was not overpowered by condiments.  The 6" roll allowed for the ends to be exposed providing 2 tasty treats!  The accompanying krinkle kut fries were also cooked to a krispy golden brown and were equally delicious.

     My wife opted to sample the double Italian hot dog which was tasty but there was not enough peppers or onions, even condiments.  It was drowned in thick chunks that fell off the sandwich at every bite.  The bread used was a 1/2 of a hoagie roll instead of the expected pita-style bread.  It broke apart halfway through eating the sandwich and the remainder needed to be eaten with a fork.

     Overall Manny's was a decent place to enjoy a meal.  The service was helpful & friendly and the food was a good value.

SeaPlex Dog House, Bayonne, NJ

Technically speaking, this hot dog stand is only in New Jersey for about 9 hours every 10 days...  The SeaPlex Dog House is aboard Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas.  This venue had a superior selection of wursts and were served on fresh baked rolls.  Aside from your typical grilled hot dogs, they offered knockwurst, Texas wieners and German apple sausage.  All were exceptional and the array of condiments were both complimentary and complete.  This quickly became a viable alternative to the many other cost-free lunch venues aboard ship.  Truly a surprising (and welcome) find!

Mike's Dog House, Oakland, NJ

     I came across this stand on my way back from Albany, NY and decided to take a quick stop.  The one alluring factor was their rental of a hot dog wagon with all necessary elements (hot dogs, buns, sauerkraut, onions, mustard, etc.)  That is a very attractive feature for any hot dog stand, but let's focus on the quality of the dogs served at home base...

     I ordered the '2 hot dogs & a soda' special.  I asked for one with sauerkraut & mustard and one with red onion sauce.  Although the dogs were well-flavored by their respective accouterments, the Sabrett dogs were boiled and kept in hot water resulting in bland dogs left to be flavored by their condiments.  As readers of my blog may have come to understand, I am not a fan of boiled dogs unless they are strongly flavorful in their own right  Sabrett's do not fall into that category...  I cannot give this stand very high marks but I would stop here for another dog IF I were in the area & hungry...

Toby's Cup, Phillipsburg

     When first deciding to schedule a Hot Dog tour, I received some positive recommendations to include Toby's in my itinerary.  As I had passed by the location on several occasions, I opted to exclude this establishment based on outward appearance alone.  It doesn't look like there has been any exterior work done since the 1970's!!

     It took me awhile to work up the nerve to visit Toby's.  I was happy to see that the inside appears to be better kept than the outside.  The small 8'x10' foyer from where you place your order & wait for it to be filled is raised about 1-2' higher than the kitchen situated on the other side of the small order window.  Your order is presented in a brown paper bag with the individual hot dogs rolled in aluminum foil.

     There were no fancy choices so I ordered one chili dog and one with mustard and onions.  They were fresh & tasty, served on a steamed bun...  Good dogs that were reasonably priced.  Bottom line: I was glad I finally made the time to visit and can see why the locals have developed an attachment.  I would still recommend a serious facelift and some seating would also be nice!!

Tido's Junkyard Dogs, New Brunswick

     While requesting my smartphone find me a nearby hot dog vendor after a tiring day of geocaching, we were led to Tito's.  What luck!!  There was a huge variety of specialty dogs to choose from.  The addition of their pickled "spicy sport" peppers was particularly satisfying, especially when coupled with their delicious fries!

     The toppings in my Chicago dog were on the large side but provided for a very flavorful alternative.  The unique "Reuben" dog was really spectacular: a hot dog with russian dressing and sauerkraut sounds a bit "iffy", but was absolutely delicious!!  I can't wait to return and try some of the other unusual varieties offered at Tido's.

***  UPDATE:  Much to my disappointment, Tido's closed its doors in 2016.  It will be sorely missed.

Hot Rod's Hot Dogs, Glen Gardner

     This location has been a staple of the small town of Glen Gardner for many years.  My only guess is that these folks have never ventured outside of their community to sample a quality hot dog!

     The catchy name is the only redeeming quality I could find here.  The hot dogs are boiled and remain in the water until they are placed on a bun.  My experienced evaluation was that these dogs are some of the blandest tube steaks I have ever tasted.  If it weren't for the simple selection of condiments to adorn these franks, they would hardly have any taste at all.

     I apologize to the residents of Glen Gardner who swear by Hot Rod's, but this establishment gets the lowest rank of all hot dog stands I have sampled thus far.  This stand deserves a drive-by, nothing more.