Hot Dog!

Today's Wall Street Journal has a story 'bout hot dog stands. 'Tis pretty interesting:

"In the present, there are essentially two alternate hot dog universes. There are the uncountable millions of indistinguishable hot dogs sold from carts or at nondescript stands and lunch counters and in supermarkets. And then there is the handful of what I'd like to call Top Dog purveyors. These are the special emporia where loyal customers line up for a fix."

I was disappointed that the author, Raymond Sokolov, didn't mention Coney Island's famous Nathan's stand. I was disappointed, but I certainly understand why he wouldn't mention something so widely known and appreciated.

I guess everybody knows how absolutely incredible a hot dog from the original Nathan's tastes - just like most folks know the Old Homestead in Manhattan serves steaks that will make your toes - and talking about it would simply be re-stating the obvious.

I have eaten hot dogs in many places all over the good ol' US of A (including at the famous Pink's in Los Angeles, which is mentioned in the WSJ article). I can honestly say, however, that the best damn hot dogs I've ever eaten in my life came from the original Nathan's in Brooklyn.

The first time I ever had a Nathan's hot dot was in 2001. I took the train from Manhattan to Brooklyn to see a Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball game. Before the baseball game started, I went over to the Nathan's stand and ordered two dogs, one with 'kraut and one with grilled onions. With each bite I became more excited. I told my traveling companion, "Those were the best ****in' hot dogs I've ever had in my life!"

When the game was over, I went back to Nathan's and ordered another dog, topped with just a little mustard. To say that I'd become a certified Fan O' Nathan's is indeed an understatement.

I've been back to NYC twice since my 2001 visit. During each visit I set aside time to go out to Brooklyn for hot dogs at Nathan's. Since that first visit, I also procured two black and white photos depicting happenings at Nathan's back in the day - in the 1940s, I think - and I hung 'em in my kitchen, where they're still hanging today.

There're a lot of hot dog stands in America, but there ain't a stand that serves a dog as good as the one you'll get at Nathan's in Brooklyn. Sorry, Raymond Sokolov ...