Posted by ayersian
, May 20, 2009 13:39
After grabbing a quick bite at George’s Grill, I drove by the Cranston location of Spike’s Junkyard Dogs at 640 Reservoir Avenue. I wondered how could this small, New England-based chain of hot dog stands could survive in such a superior weiner area. Curious, I walked in the place and noticed a homemade sign advertising a RI Hot Weiner…for $3.10! I told the counterman, “That’s twice as expensive as a real New York System hot weiner,” to which he replied, “And it’s twice as good—it’s huge.” Though I didn’t agree with him on the taste, this gaggah was massive: Spike’s uses half of a sub roll as the bun, into which their custom-made, all-beef hot dog is wedged. Their pebbly meat sauce was definitely NYS-styled but bolder with a more pronounced nutmeg bite. RF hot dog lover Brickie would have laughed at the coarser cut onions, since they must be minced for the true NYS experience. This meal-in-a-bun was nowhere close to a real hot weiner, but it was a valiant effort to appeal to local tastes.
