Gavin in Va Beach Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 Heid's...but then I haven't tried the other places you lads are talking about. Don't listen to Mickey, he's bitter about everything...Heid's is pretty fuggin' good.
Alaska Darin Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 For the past few years for animal cruelty reasons and an aversion to factory farming issues my wife has been a vegetarian for the most part (a good hot dog can cen certainly get her to fall off the wagon. The hardest part for her of pursuing a vegetarian lifestyle is that it has meant giving up hot dogs which she loves. When I moved to Buffalo she regaled me with stories of Teds and a place in Niagara Falls called Page's which I'm not sure is still there that offered up something called The Whistle Pig which I think is a hot dog somehow bathed in cheese (Is Page's still in existence?) At any rate a great boon for my wife's vegetarian ways was to discover that a hot dog shack on the Niagara River in Tonawanda offers up a vegetarian hot dog it calls the Bunny Dog. As best I can tell the Bunny Dog is a grilled carrot. There are three keys to it: 1. It is grilled which gives it that charcoal taste and feel. 2. It has the same spices which give the taste to hot dogs (this actually isn't difficult to do since hot dogs are merely mystery meat which is spiced so quite frankly one could make an old shoe taste just like a hot dog. 3. However, the real key seems to be that they marinate the carrot in just the right amount of and combinations for just the right amount of time so that the grilled output not only has the taste of a good dog but also the consistency of a good tube steak (as we used to call them growing up in Wrigley Field in Chicago). In addition to her vegetarian ways my wife still considers herself a conniseur of the hot dog. She lives vicariously by questioning folks closely on what is their favorite dog and insists that having the right texture abd mouth feel is the true test of a quality dog. Generally she accepts no imitation (she has tried an rejected a zillion veggie hotdogs. Yet, she holds a special place in her heart for the SmartLife veggie dog which is the only model she grills at home and the Bunny Dog at Old Man River as the best hotdog shack veggie dog. My wife went to Old Man River this past weekend and reported with reget that they had trashed the hulk of a ship you could sit in near the parking lot, However, on the upside the Bunny Dog is selling well enough that they put out a sign on the steet advertising it to passers by. Its certainly good news since if one partner is a vegetarian, but like me if you are still on the meat wagon (I am getting better after years of being in the clean plate club and eating everything put in front of me whether I want it or its good for me or not), Old Man River lets you have a pretty good grilled Italian Sausage (my personal favorite tube steak) and also offers the customers who want it a Bunny Dog. Viva la difference! 333299[/snapback] Aww, admit it. You just wanted to get in a post that stated a good "tube steak" can "get your wife off the wagon."
Kelly the Dog Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 By far the winner is Ted's ... anyone from Tucson, AZ? How's the Ted's down there? 333571[/snapback] I agree. By far, the winner is Ted's because of the charcoal. By Tucson, I assume you mean Tempe, where there is a Ted's. It's still open and it still does great business, started by the original Ted Liaros himself who I believed retired in Phx and then was bored so he opened up the same thing that is in Buffalo. They import all of the exact same ingredients (Sahlen's, etc) and have loganberry and everything else. It looks and smells and tastes just like a Ted's. They even used to have the Buffalo Evening News mailed there and may still.
VABills Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 Used to be a hot dog stand in Irving/Silver Creek. Thought it was Teds. Place was great, dogs and curley fries.
Rayzer32 Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 Nick Tahou's, of course. Mmm. Hot sauce & onions! Mmmmm! 333521[/snapback] I'm with ya on this one brother. Tom Wahl's in Avon is pretty damn good too.
buckeyemike Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 Judging from all the responses here, I'm gonna have to try Ted's the next time I'm up in Buffalo. I saw one at the Walden Galleria mall and I know there are a number of other locations in and around the city. Does Ted's sell anything other than hot dogs, fries and loganberry juice? Mike
Mickey Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 Judging from all the responses here, I'm gonna have to try Ted's the next time I'm up in Buffalo. I saw one at the Walden Galleria mall and I know there are a number of other locations in and around the city. Does Ted's sell anything other than hot dogs, fries and loganberry juice? Mike 333970[/snapback] Onion rings & burgers
stuckincincy Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 Judging from all the responses here, I'm gonna have to try Ted's the next time I'm up in Buffalo. I saw one at the Walden Galleria mall and I know there are a number of other locations in and around the city. Does Ted's sell anything other than hot dogs, fries and loganberry juice? Mike 333970[/snapback] Yep. Decent enough burgers, ice cream treats, other soft drinks, pretty good onion rings etc. I don't think they sell greens, though.
Mort Hendrickson Posted May 11, 2005 Author Posted May 11, 2005 About 10-15 years ago, after the owner died and the kids took over, Heid's switched from Hoffman's to either Sahlen's or Werdinski's hot Dogs, it just didn't work. The casings on Sahlen's are way to thick. Hoffman's then opened there own place, which offers more in the condiment area other than guilden's spicy brown mustard. After Heid's switched back to Hoffman's they began to offer more condiments. It really is a toss up between the two, Red Top and Ted's if you ask me. They are all awesome in their own way. Heid's once tried to open a stand in Boston, and it didn't take, only lasted a few years. Also, who ever stated they prefer a Chicago All-Beef boiled in dirty water, you need to get re-wired, tose beef sticks have rings like a tree trunk inside. You can tell there age by counting the rings. Also, anyone ever try to grill Nathan's Hot Dog's, absolutely disgusting.
Mickey Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 About 10-15 years ago, after the owner died and the kids took over, Heid's switched from Hoffman's to either Sahlen's or Werdinski's hot Dogs, it just didn't work. The casings on Sahlen's are way to thick. Hoffman's then opened there own place, which offers more in the condiment area other than guilden's spicy brown mustard. After Heid's switched back to Hoffman's they began to offer more condiments. It really is a toss up between the two, Red Top and Ted's if you ask me. They are all awesome in their own way. Heid's once tried to open a stand in Boston, and it didn't take, only lasted a few years. Also, who ever stated they prefer a Chicago All-Beef boiled in dirty water, you need to get re-wired, tose beef sticks have rings like a tree trunk inside. You can tell there age by counting the rings. Also, anyone ever try to grill Nathan's Hot Dog's, absolutely disgusting. 333986[/snapback] Where is Red Top? I'd like to try them. The thing that got me about Ted's is I don't even like hot dogs and I like theirs, alot.
Sound_n_Fury Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 Page's is still there on the corner of Military and Packard Rd. The whistle pigs are good but you can feel your arteries hardening as you eat one even more so than with a normal dog. The "whistle pigs" are wrapped in bacon, and smothered in a cheese-whiz-like substance, served in a steamed bun, and come in red or white (presumably beef or pork?) 333412[/snapback] Yep, that's my choice too. They boil the dogs rather than grill them. The white hots are incredible. I'm not sure if they're going to open up this year. The property appears to be for sale: http://www.huntcommercial.com/Property_Lis...st_forlease.htm Anybody from the Town of Niagara know if they're still around?
theNose76 Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 TEDS! I used to work at the one on Niagara Falls Blvd in Amherst while in high school. Man did the job suck - but I got 50% off on food. The ONLY good incentive to work there. My best meal I had there while working was a double cheeseburger (must try for anyone who hasnt), jumbo hot dog (also very tasty), chicken sandwich, and cheese fries (the hot cheddar is awesome - also goes well on the dogs). Total with my discount and free drink was around $6 - and about 15 minutes after my break ended I had to take another break in the restroom It's one of the things I will miss the most when I move away from WNY. I've also been to the one in Tempe - as Kelly said, it's the exact same as the Blo ones. For anyone former WNY's out west, if you're nearby Phoenix, it's definitely worth the stop.
PromoTheRobot Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 Anyone mention Schaller's in Rochester, just west of Charlotte Beach? Damn good dogs. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/homes/...ce/story01.html PTR
erynthered Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 Because of this thread I went and had two dogs at Chicago Deli for lunch, Damn I miss Red Tops. They are the best. Plus they have the best Milkshakes, fries too.
coloradobillsfan Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 throw in another vote for ted's here. top 2 reasons: charcoal grilling and that hot sauce. the first time i saw someone drop a hot dog in boiling water i almost had a conniption
Bob in SC Posted May 12, 2005 Posted May 12, 2005 Yes, definitely a vote for Ted's. No one has mentioned Ja Fa fa's on Delevan, so (sigh) I assume that they are no longer around. Amazing how things change over 40 years!
Greybeard Posted May 12, 2005 Posted May 12, 2005 The Texas Hot in Wellsville- 3 hots, an order of fries with gravy and a Cream Ale "Pounder" to make sure none of it hangs out in your system long enough to do permanent damage. MMMmmmmmm....................... 333603[/snapback] I never realized that Genny Cream had medicinal value!
Kelly the Dog Posted May 12, 2005 Posted May 12, 2005 Yes, definitely a vote for Ted's. No one has mentioned Ja Fa fa's on Delevan, so (sigh) I assume that they are no longer around. Amazing how things change over 40 years! 334143[/snapback] Ja Fa Fa is still around. Amazingly, I had my first one last winter. It was pretty darn good. But my vote is still for Ted's.
Kelly the Dog Posted May 12, 2005 Posted May 12, 2005 1-Pat's on Sheridan drive in Tonawanda 2-Louie's at the foot of Sheridan 3-Ted's 333401[/snapback] Funny story about Pat's, which used to be very good but hasn't been there in a long time. Pat's was a staple in the Ken-Ton area for years and rivaled Ted's, which was about a mile or so down the road. Then suddenly a third place opened up, Scime's, right across the street from Pat's. I could never figure that out, even though Scime's never really caught on though it was basically the same thing as Pat's, right across the street. Years later, I found out that "Pat", of Pat's, was named Pat Scime, and he had lost "Pat's" in a poker game. Ooops. So he opened one up across the street thinking he could steal his old customers back but it never worked.
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