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Each city/region has its strong points (and I lived 22 years in the New York area and 17 in Massachusetts). New York has much better bread and rolls (New England Italian and French bread and bulkie rolls are just different shapes of Wonder Bread!) I also never once found a decent chocolate cake in either a bakery or a restaurant there; they don't know how to make a decent milk chocolate, butter cream icing. And, in general, New York has better pizza, although Boston Pizzeria Regina is very good. Both do an equally good job with beef and good French food. Where New England excels, however, is with sea food. After 17 years in New England, I cannot eat seafood anywhere else without being disappointed! Great chowder, and in particular, fried clams.

The comments on this post have really degenerated into an all-out shetshow in just a matter of minutes. You fart-huffers need to get it figured out before you finish off what's left of the ozone layer.

Signed,

Captain Intolerant of Intolerance and Fartfunky Ass Clowns

I do have lactose intolerance, and it's a lot more painful and exhausting than just farting, believe me. If anyone read this actually does have lactose intolerance, Ganeden's Digestive Advantage for Lactose Intolerance (available just about everywhere) changed my life. I was always able to tolerate pizza, but now I can have egg creams! Sour cream! Cream cream! Oh, and by the way, you take it like a vitamin, One a day, and you're good.

Frank Pepe couldn't eat cheese OR tomatoes, and look what HE did for all pizza-kind....

Ed is right. There is no comparison here. Boston should try to compare their food to KC or some place like that. To even mention the two places in the same breath is giving Boston way too much credit.

In fact both Papaya King and Gray's serve hot dogs made by Sabrett (or rather Sabrett's parent company, Marathon). Here's the hot dog story I wrote for the New York Times. It's all there.

Neither New England, New York, or DC wins the hot dog war. North Jersey (where the so called N.Y. Giants play) is the hot dog capital of the World. While New York likes to claim the Sabrett brand as it's own, Sabrett originated in Jersey City, N.J. The company was sold a few times and is now owned by Marathon enterprises of New Jersey. The grilled Sabrett dogs served at Papaya King were predated by the ones served at Boulevard Drinks in Jersey City, N.J.

North Jersey also has much more variety in hot dogs. The Italian Hot Dog originated here. You can't get an authentic one anywhere else. Jersey also has Boardwalk style grilled beef and pork dogs. Crif Dogs in Manhattan is a blatant rip off of Rutt's Hut in Clifton. A former owner of Crif's admitted as much to me. Best Provisions out of Newark produces an all beef dog that far surpasses Sabrett, Nathan's, or anything else. Thumanns makes the best German style beef and pork dog. And they make the special dog for deep frying that is served at Rutt's Hut, Crif's, and many hot dog establishments in North Jersey.

New England has a few good brands of dogs (mostly from Connecticut) but doesn't touch North Jersey, or even New York. I would say The Hudson Valley or further north in New York State is a good area for hot dogs. I've been there and sampled the "White Hots", and Coney's. Flo's in Maine is highly overrated. A very bland steamed dog that is mediocre. They used to use a local dog called Schutz that has since gone out of business. Now they use an equally bland Old Neighborhood brand dog. To those of us in the New York/N.J. area, these dogs are bland, but New Englanders like them and consider our all beef dogs too spicy. The big draw at Flo's is their onion relish. I've never had it since I hate onions. It is mixed with mayonnaise! From what I hear, it is an aquired taste.

Kayem from Maine is a decent pork/beef dog. Rare in New England are all beef dogs, but Pearl Country Club is ok. Still milder than Best, Sabrett, Nathan's, or Hebrew National, this dog is served in a giant half pound size at a cart in Boston called Boston Speed. It is first marinated in apple juice and brown sugar and then charcoal grilled and topped with the owner's homemade barbecue sauce and other toppings. This place serves perhaps the best hot dog in all New England. Good, but for the best all beef dog anywhere, go to Jimmy Buff's in East Hanover, N.J. and ask for the footlong. This is a delicious, all beef, natural casing dog from Best Provisions that is sauteed in oil and then chargrilled. It is the same dog that was served at the recently departed Syd's, which was considered the best dog in the east, if not the whole country by many hot dog connoiseurs. Look for Jimmy Buff's to be featured on the upcoming show Hot Dog Paradises. It will be aired within the next month or two on the Travel Channel.

Um.. Massachusetts invented the chocolate chip cookie. The Chocolate. Chip. Cookie. No contest there.

dont forget the necco wafers and the fig newtons...both boston based!!

True to my screen name I must say that the food in Boston is great. To think that any area can't produce good food is ridiculous. Only New Yorkers would have the nerve to say that only they can do it right.
As for the Patriot's, they are the best football team to ever play so get over it. They will beat the Giants again, just like a few weeks ago.
By the way, didn't the Red Sox win the World Series this year?
Maybe New York's specialty should be sour grapes!

Living near Boston, I found that the food does get better the further away from the city you go. Yes, in the city itself are some great (but expensive) resturants (Fire and Ice, No-name Seafood, and Skipjacks to name a few.) However, they don't make me want to drop everything and run into the city for a good meal: Where I live, we have a few amazing (and cheap) seafood resturants, a really good greek pizza/sub place (which has the best buffalo chicken pizza I've ever tasted.) And pretty much everywhere has really good, fresh tasting seafood. (Although I never understand the hot dog roll as a bun for clam rolls or lobster rolls...)

If you like Roast Beef, then Boston and NE in general is the place to go. (Even though I never got the way to order it. To compare the way people order it, you have to think of Gino's in Philly and their guide to ordering. Cheesesteak wit, witout, ect.)

Although Boston does have the North End, which is perfect for really good, fresh cannoli...but then again, you can find that in New York.

What would we be without Boston and Chocolate chip cookies...
It is perfectly simple cookie.

strip, rare