John, Great job on your coverage of the 3rd Annual Mike McClafferty Dog-Off. But, your non-biased opinion might seem a little suspect to some!!!! And your placement of semi-colons with particular respect to the phrase, "Champion Bugler", was an obvious mistake!!! Otherwise you've done an outstanding job.
While at Dickie Dee's I ran into Joe Battista, another former Drum Corp World Champion in 1968. That might be what confused John!!!! I have to confess that Fred, Don, Doris and myself couldn't resist stopping at Calandra's for dessert before heading home. Bob
bob davis said dickey dees seats too small--------the gentleman with him did not seem to have a problem --------could be his belly is too big {no offence] just evulating the situtation
Bob, with all due respect, having received the Medal of Excellence in English at SRL upon my 1965 graduation, I must insist that a semi-colon is properly used to separate items in a series. Admittedly, I was a second soprano bugler.
John, I couldn't make it that day, but I've had both dogs before. When I was on the Newark Police Department myself and my partner Louie LeFrancis went every wednesday to Dee's. We started with a double and almost would always have a single when we finished the double. After I retired the Buff's opened their store in East Hanover at the Castle Ridge Shopping Center. I've been there a couple of times and found the bread dry and their potatos too big. So if I had been with you my vote would be Dickee Dee's.
Glad to see the results. No absentee's required. And how about two (2) 'Lucy guys' in the same place at the same time? Small world (even if one of them isn't).
I enjoyed reading about this competition and viewing the pictures. I was going to ask why the results were different this year, but I realized that some of the participants were different. Sampling and reviewing hot dogs is my number one hobby. I've been to both places many times on my own and last summer as a member of the Star Ledger's Munchmobile S.W.A.T. Team. I would have voted with the minority that chose Buff's. They placed top three in the Munchmobile voting, while Dickie Dees did not.
In my opinion, the bread is better at Buff's. It's harder and sturdier. Both places use beef franks from Best Provisions in Newark, but Buff's are bigger. Dickie Dees are too small at 12 to a lb. Both are delicious, but occasionally I've gotten dogs that are dried out at Dees. A big difference between the 2 is the peppers. I don't eat onions, so I leave them out. The peppers at Dees are hard and crunchy. Some on the Munchmobile believed they came out of a can. While I don't think they used canned peppers, I do prefer the peppers to be cooked longer and to be softer in texture like Buff's. I also prefer the potatoes to be sliced thin the way they are at Jimmy Buff's, rather than in chunks like Dickie Dees.
Both places serve a good product, and although taste is subjective, I prefer Jimmy Buff's.
I know this is a Newark board, so I'm sure many of you are familiar with Syd's hot dogs. Originally located on Chancellor Ave. in the Weequahic section, they moved to the Millburn Mall in Union in 1966. When their lease was up, they were forced out and wound up at a luncheonette in Springfield. The owner of Syd's left Tony's recently. Syd's served what many considered the best hot dog in Jersey. It was a 5 to a lb natural casing dog from Best that was charbroiled. You can get the same dog at Jimmy Buff's, but only at their East Hanover location. And believe it or not, it's actually better there. The dog is prepared a little different. Sauteed in oil and then finished off on a real charcoal grill. Syd's used a gas grill. This method of cooking really brings out the flavor and spices in this dog. It's my favorite hot dog. They call it the footlong. Also at this location you can get a grilled Schickhaus beef/por dog which is excellent, as well as a top notch Italian Hot Dog. If you haven't been here, I suggest you check it out.
Another precinct heard from! We can disagree and still be friends. Thanks for the review, John, although I believe the Munchmobile didn't give Dee's a fair shake. Some years they don't even bother to go there. And afterwards the Ledger tries to shake the winners down by sending them a bundle of papers that include the results and then send them a bill. But allow me to extend an invitation to you to come along on next year's outing, and may the better dog win!
Thanks for the invite. I would love to go next year. As far as the Munchmobile, they try not to go to the same places too often. I believe Pete Genovese, who wrote the articles, likes Dickie Dees. When we met as a team for the last time to pick the overall winners, he had us go to Dickie Dees to have our picture taken for the year end article, and of course, have a dog.
It's been my experience that on any given day you can get a dog that is different (better or worse) than what you may be used to. I've been to most of the hot dog joints in Jersey before the Munchmobile, but when I went as part of a team, I found that some places were better that particular day and some were worse than what I normally experience. Depending on who makes the dog, how fresh the ingredients are when you go, how it is prepared, etc. So you never know who will be judged the better dog!
