Fast Food Nathans
There are certain things in life where you should accept no imitations or substitutes. Some examples are: ipods, safe cars, real live women, and good food. Ok, so I sneaked one in there, but this is a Sunday post. Boo hoo. Anyway, a quick look at my blogroll tells me that the Nathan's in Coney Island has a great hot dog. And I see these Nathan's fast food chain around and it just made me curious. I was kind of sorry that I did though.
Nathan's started way back in 1919 out on Coney Island, and now they have retail stores in all fifty states. They actually had one in the mall by my old house in Tennessee. The problem with having stores in all over the U.S. is that quality control becomes impossible. You cannot expect to have the Coney Island Nathan's experience if you are eating a hot dog in suburban Nashville, or even in Midtown Manhattan.
After Gray's Papaya, I thought it would be a good idea to at least give Nathan's a try. Even though it was the fast food chain of Nathan's and not the real thing on Coney Island, I had hopes that it would be passable. Nope.
I got the chili dog with french fries for lunch and it was not right. There was no char on the dog or the bun, and the fries were limp. The chili was messy and bah! Fail. The meal just made me want to go to Coney Island for the real thing, because there was no way that my hot dog could have made anyone famous. Maybe the fast food chain gets away with the name. Maybe eating it by the ocean with seagulls and ocean breeze is completely different and provides a different experience. If you ever have a craving for hot dog and all you can find is a Nathans fast food chain? Go online to their shop to buy one or find your way to Coney Island.
Nathan's Famous
7th Ave At W 33rd St.
New York, NY 10121
212-630-0323
(I invite you to follow me on Twitter so you can get more of my non-sense in another medium.)
that looks and sounds disgusting. I hope you didn't finish it. but knowing you, you probably did, didn't you?
Ang
July 13, 2008 8:32 pm
Ang,
Well, I only ate half of the fries. Does that count?
Danny
July 14, 2008 9:44 am
Nope, that doesn't count. Eating it in Coney Island is a completely different experience, mainly because you can follow these steps infinitely:
1. eat hot dog
2. go on cyclone
3. try not to throw up
4. eat hot dog
5. go on wonder wheel
6. try not to throw up
7. repeat
endless cycle of fun.
Blondie
July 14, 2008 2:41 pm
Well that does sound like fun. I need to haul my butt over there some time this summer. I need summer fridays!
Danny
July 15, 2008 12:41 pm