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I'm not a fan of "meat on meat", unless it's a little bit of chili without beans. If the hot dog in the picture was set before me, my first instinct would be to ask for 2 pieces of rye bread for the pastrami.

There was a very popular place in Jersey called Amazing Hot Dog. While I'm not a toppings guy, this place had the widest variety of toppings and combinations I've seen at a hot dog establishment. Most I didn't care for, but some were ok. I usually had just mustard on mine because they served a high quality beef dog that tasted fine this way. But one of my favorite combinations here was the Reuben Dog. It was a deep fried quarter pound natural casing all beef dog (at times they used Sabrett, Best, or Pearl) with Swiss cheese, Sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and Caraway Seeds topped with paper thin Hot Dog shavings. No corned beef.

Katz's has perhaps the best pastrami on the planet and one of the best hot dogs. When I've gone, I've sampled both, but not together. To do so in my opinion would lessen each.

Katz's hot dogs (Sabrett natural casing 9 to a lb) are perfect with just their deli mustard. When I went with a newspaper panel to judge hot dogs in New York, I was the only one (out of 8) to sample my dog with just mustard. Everyone else had chili on theirs. All 7 said it was the worst chili they ever had.

I was at F&B about 7 years ago. I had 2 dogs there; the Top Dog, and the Polser. The Top Dog was a Usinger's beef/pork dog that was quickly flash fried. Ok, but the Usinger's beef dog is much better. This one would have been better grilled. I actually like the Polser better. It had a bright red color (food dye) and a spicier taste than what you normally find in a dog containing pork. Unique and good. Also quickly flash fried. Don't know if either dog is the same 7 years later.

I wouldn't really consider what is served at Father & Son a Texas Weiner. More like a chili dog. A Texas Weiner is a beef/pork dog, not an all beef one. At Father & Son the dog is definitely not bland. Though made in Connecticut, it is a typical eastern New York/New Jersey style spicy beef dog. Not the milder Thumann's for deep frying used at the majority of the Passaic area Texas Weiner joints or the Grote & Weigle griddle frank (beef & pork) served at the Plainfield area establishments that grill rather than deep fry their dogs.

I don't think I'd like the Philly Combo, but the pepper hash dog sounds good. I want to hit Philly soon and will check this out. I would go with the hot dog; I don't like spicy sausage. Do you know if the hot dog is all beef or beef and pork? The picture on Holly's site looks like a beef and pork dog (lighter in color), but the dogs pictured here, especially those on top, look to be all beef. The top ones are skinless, while the hot dog on the bottom left looks like it might have a casing. Does hot dog have a casing?

The Papaya King in Philly closed down a few years ago.

Speed's originally used a dog from Pearl. The new owner switched to Grote & Weigel. Both dogs are good; the Pearl being a little spicier. The all beef dogs sold loose behind the counter at Stop & Shop are Pearl's. I have access to them in New Jersey. Grote & Weigel beef dogs are available at their N.J. distributor and at Father & Son Luncheonette in Linden, N.J.

The dog is the same recipe beef dog that you can get at the above mentioned places. It is only custom made in that Speed's is perhaps the only customer using a half pound beef dog from G&W.

In my opinion basting and marinating takes away from the flavor of the dog. Unless you like the flavor of the marinade, or the apple cider and brown sugar. A place in Newburgh, N.Y. marinated some of their Sabrett dogs before grilling. I had one marinated and one plain. I preferred the plain dog with mustard.

While Speed's serves a quality beef dog, I wouldn't consider it the "best". There are other brands of beef dogs that I consider superior to Grote & Weigel or Pearl. Namely Best Provisions (N.J.), Usinger's (Milwaukee), Sabrett (N.Y./N.J.), Boars Head (now made in Florida but a N.Y. dog originally), and the fairly new Hatfield's New York style dog (Pennsylvania).

@simon: hot dogs are hardly bourgeois dining. Besides, North Jersey beats both cities when it comes to hot dogs. Sabrett originated in Jersey City, N.J. and was usurped by New York. We also have Best's, Thumann's, Schickhaus, and others.

I would always prefer a dog with natural casing to a skinless one. As mentioned in the article, New York (and New Jersey) features a smaller, natural casing beef dog with a spicier flavor profile. Sabrett is the most common, but you will also find Hebrew National and Golden D brands. In New Jersey it's Sabrett, Best's, and ironically a special dog made by Hatfield's called the New York style dog. I was told that this dog was made to compete with Best and Sabrett, and was distributed mostly in North Jersey because it wouldn't be popular in PA, where the preference is milder dogs.

Dietz and Watson is a quality dog that I buy on occasion. In fact it is the same exact dog and recipe that is sold under the Black Bear label at Shop Rite. I don't like the Hatfield beef dog available in Philly. Or their beef/pork and beef/pork/turkey dogs. Just a weird spicing and flavor. But the Hatfield New York style dog is very good and may now be available in Philly. Seek it out. Natural casing with a beefy, smokey flavor. A place on the New Jersey Hot Dog Tour was the favorite out of all but 3 or 4 in a show of hands. And there were over 50 attending. This particular place served the Hatfield New York style. Because of regional differences in taste, those living in or near Philly may not like it. But one of the guys on the Tour is a writer for the Philadelphia Daily News, and he proclaimed it the best he's had.

The dog in the picture reminds me of the dirty water dogs served at Costco. Similar in size and roll used. Skinless as well.

Although Sabrett has a reputation as a New York dirty water dog, it is actually owned by a New Jersey Company called Marathon Enterprises. Sabrett started out in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was produced there. The owners also were from Jersey. While it became a popular dirty water dog, many places such as Boulevard Drinks prepared the dogs on a hot griddle. I believe Boulevard Drinks was the forerunner of Papaya King.

Katz's, Papaya King, Gray's, and the other Papaya knockoffs also grill Sabrett's. It's great grilled or in water.

Nick,

Again no hot dog? Danny's is another Connecticut restaurant known for their hot dogs. They are natural casing Hummel's beef and pork franks that are griddled first, then deep fried. They serve an extremely spicy chili called Kuhn's (made by a Mr. Kuhn and sold to a few select places) that is put on dogs and burgers. Many places in Connecticut such as Mac's Canteen, Swanky Frank's, and Rawley's deep fry their dogs first, then finish them off on a griddle for added crunch.

I see you mentioned Kuhn's chili. It's way too spicy for me, but many swear by it.

I can believe that shrimp goes well with a potato salad, but not on a hot dog! I'll have that stuff on the side please.

Geez! Just goes to show that Sweden is just as nuts and over the top with distracting crap as some places here. Mashed potatoes and shrimp salad?!! And I thought ketchup was bad enough! Seems like the sausages are mostly wursts rather than traditional frankfurters.

Hey Roger,

Does the 25 kinds of hot dogs include a traditional beef/pork frank? How about a Polser? I know that Polser is Danish, but still counts as Scandinavian. I've had one in New York and it was very good. However I left off the cucumbers, remoulade, frizzled onions, and whatever other distractions came with it.

Nick,

How can you go to the Glenwood and not get a hot dog? That's like going to Peter Luger's and ordering fish! I've been to about a dozen hot dog stands in Connecticut and now that Rosco's is gone, I would have to rate the Glenwood top dog. A natural casing 5 to a lb charbroiled Hummel brand beef and pork dog. Self serve condiments, but I had mine with just musytard. Delicious.

The Windmill was a stop on last year's Annual New Jersey Hot Dog Tour. They serve a long 1/4 lb natural casing Sabrett beef/pork dog that is prepared on a hot griddle. A very good dog; similar to Max's about a mile down the road in Long Branch. Do it yourself fixings bar with basic hot dog toppings. Chili is extra. Their chili took 2nd place in the comprehensive Star Ledger Hot Dog Tasting in 2006. 87 hot dog establishments were reviewed.