Hot Dogs on Cape Cod

*This review was by Gregg, who has yet to set up a blogger account*

The Dog House
189 Lower County Rd
Dennisport, MA 02639

In venturing down the cape recently, I tried two hot dogs. One was from The Dog House, a cape cod classic that, well, didn't quite do it for me. I tried the split dog with bacon. The concept is simple enough. Cut a hot dog lengthwise and put bacon in the middle. Now that should be the perfect recipe for deliciousness but it just didn't pan out. The dog was burnt where it was cut in half and the returned to the grill (or griddle) and this concoction took 15 friggen minutes. 15 minutes for a hot dog? They're pre-cooked people. All I got was one dog to go and it took 15 minutes. I do have to say, though, that I have heard great things about this establishment so I may have just caught it on an off-day.

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LIL' Caboose Ice Cream
1279 Route 28
South Yarmouth, MA 02664

Another sampling was the pullman dog with chili and cheese from the Lil Caboose up the road in Yarmouth on route 28. I used to go to this place as a child for their ice cream, but now that i'm older and less of a sweet tooth (and more of a meat tooth), I went for a hot dog. This dog was the most delicious dog I'd had in weeks. From the snap of the natural casing to the mounds of chili and cheese I was hooked. If I didn't have dinner plans I would have stayed there until they kicked me off the property. The price was very reasonable too so I award this place the highest honours. The only points off were for the meaty meaty chili that wasn't bubbling hot, merely tepid, but if the chili was properly heated I would've burnt my mouth as that dog wasn't gettin a chance to cool.

Hometowne Hotdogs

*The following review is by Gregg, the other contributor, who has yet to set up a blogger account*

Hometowne Hotdogs
1 Nicholas Rd
Framingham, MA 01701

LOU MERLONI WAS WRONG!!!!

I don't know if anyone has ever uttered these words. Well, maybe someone has in jest or while intoxicated, but even thinking such a phrase about a hometowne hero bothers me. This brings us to hometowne hotdogs, a local establishment celebrating and celebrated by Mr. Merloni. Now I love Framingham and I love hot dogs probably more than the next guy, but C'Mon! Are we even trying? Steamed hotdogs are not the way to go, but if covered in enough delicious toppings, they're acceptable. However, Hometowne decides to put most of the toppings under the dog and to me that's just not American. To make matters worse, the toppings can occasionally be scarce and they're just not up to the standards of most places that specialize in hotdogs. If this were an establishment that sold hotdogs on the side I wouldn't be so frustrated, but hot dog is right in the title. Unfortunately, Hometowne is the only true hot dog joint I know of in the Framingham / Sudbury / Marlboro / Hudson area so it has a corner on the market and when I need my hot dog fix, I have no other legitimate choice. Thus, I send out a plea to all local restaurateurs, "Save me from this plight!" If you don't want to do it for me, that's fine, but think of Lou Merloni. Please, think of Lou.

Alliger's House of Wings

Alliger's House of Wings
201 Spring Street
Sayre PA 18840
(570) 888-9805

(Yes that is my finger in the picture..)

In Sayre, PA just over the border from New York off of Route 17 you'll find Alliger's House of Wings. According to the locals Alliger's serves the best wings in the area, and they could be right. They serve 25 type of wings, anywhere from Hawaiian with it's pineapple flavor, all the way up to their Nuclear variety. View their menu here.

I've been here twice, and have not been disappointed. My first trip I had the South type wings, which are spicy with a slight tang that seems to have a hint of lemon. On my second visit I went with the Kamikaze wings which have a nice burn which will definitely creep up on you as you continue working on the bowl. Their sauce is thinner than most, but they are liberal with the application to make sure every wing is coated.

Alliger's also offers a full pub menu with everything you'd expect from burgers to ribs to Spedie Chicken, which is a local style of marinating and grilling chicken. My lady friend is very partial to their ranch fries which, as the name implies, are fries coated with ranch seasoning. The Garlic-Parm wings are also a favorite of hers.. in fact they are the only bone in wings I have ever seen her eat.

As well as their many wing choices, they also spout the benefit of spice to our health. They use "Super" Cayenne Pepper which their website claims has been used to treat many health conditions :

"From arthritis joint pain relief to reduced blood clots and bruises, Cayenne pepper has the ability to treat multiple health conditions and has been known to alleviate headaches and congestion associated with the common cold. It also sooths toothaches and can help with the effects of a hangover. "

Hmmm.. wings curing a hangover, I like that

With their cheap prices ($5.50 for a dozen wings), their usual (and again cheap) domestic and Canadian beer selection (I paid $2 for a Labatt's Blue) I would concur that Alliger's House of Wings do, in fact, have the best wings in the Southern Tier area.