New Way Lunch hot dogs are great in bread
Walking up to a takeout window and ordering a late night snack hot dog with "the works" never crossed my mind when stepping out for a Friday night on the town in Glens Falls, but doggone it, I'm glad to have discovered a hot dog joint that gives new meaning to the phrase, "sun's out, buns out," because I went at night, and the buns were most definitely still out in all their glory.
I grew up on hot dogs from Broadway Lunch, Newest Lunch, and Mike's in Schenectady, and have snacked my way through the Troy and Waterveilet hot dog scene, so I know a thing or two about Capital Region first prize frank tradition, but New Way Lunch blew me away and definitely stacks up against the other local legendary joints.
A savvy couple I was with insisted on ordering four New Way Lunch dogs, and I'm glad they did. "World Famous since 1919," and served with mustard, diced onions and of course, their special meat sauce ($1.80/each), these guys are affectionately referred to as "dirt dogs" by locals and those in the know (now us, holla), but don't be fooled by the nickname; they're incredibly delicious, and I consider myself lucky to have had one all to myself.
Now, I'm not sure if I'd recommend a pitstop here en route to a Tinder date, but I was out with friends, so more than okay with having onion breath for the rest of the night. It seemed the special meat sauce had a hint of something sweet; perhaps cinnamon or brown sugar? Whatever it was, it complemented the other secret sauce ingredients, raw onions and tangy mustard perfectly, so bravo for a recipe that transports the eater to another level of yum.
Fun fact: There's a National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, a part of the American Meat Institute, and they have an official etiquette guide for hot dog-eating. (Who knew?!) Part of said etiquette takes a cue from the Tootsie Roll Pop owl, stating that you should take no more than five bites to finish your frank (although seven is acceptable for foot-longs). This also means eating every part of the hot dog, including any leftover parts of the bun. I can't say for sure how many bites it took me, but challenge accepted: I'm willing to return in the name of market research and hot dog eating etiquette.
There's a great "Our Story" section on their website, beginning in 1916 when the original owner, John Floro, traveled from Greece to New York City to work a fruit stand in Brooklyn owned by his brothers. It took him three years to to eventually make it upstate to Glens Falls with his young family, and the shop has been open and continuously run as a family business since 1919! (Floro's grandson, Peter, runs New Way with his family today!) Bonus points for that; who doesn't appreciate a good American Dream story?
So give this little place a visit if you're ever in the 'hood; there are two other North Country locations in Queensbury and Warrensburg, and while I haven't been, I hope to stop in for a dog or some breakfast one of the next times I'm adventuring in the ADK. And I really hope they have walk-up takeout windows, because *frankly* I think that was my favorite part of the entire experience! read more