Okay, you've got a favorite funky old diner where you like to take unsuspecting out-of-town visitors and your in-laws. Maybe you even eat there yourself. (wink)
Mine happens to be Heid's hotdog restaurant in Liverpool, New York on the shores of Onondaga Lake, so to speak. Anyone living in the greater Syracuse area can tell about our local hotdog war: Heid's vs. Hoffman's. If you ask me, the best hotdogs are the ones someone else gets for you in the middle of a ballgame, fully-loaded with all the trimings: mustard, relish, onions, and sauerkraut. I'm not too fussy about brand loyalty when I'm in the bleachers.
What can I tell you? Folks in these parts take their franks and coney's pretty seriously. Could they pick their favorite brand in a blind taste test? Who knows? What I can tell you is that frankfurter traditions run deep. I was practically thrown out of Heid's for suggesting they ought to have some catsup on the counter. Really. The cashier told me that anyone foolish enough to put catsup on a hotdog could do it at home...in private...where children won't be subjected to such vile perversity. Un-hunh.
Well, it appears that Congress agrees. Who knew?
Congress Supports Mustard on Hot Dogs!
Here's a review of Heid's from Mike's National Restaurant Guide:
"Heid's of Liverpool, 305 Oswego Street, Liverpool, NY 13088, (315) 451-0786. Near Liverpool (NY) exit of Interstate 81, near junction of Old Liverpool Road - Oswego Street and Onondaga Lake Parkway. Known for decades as the place for Coney's (that's New Yorker for Coney Island hot dog) and Franks (theirs are different, a while frank, with veal, German style). Though a limited menu, the Heids is a legend. Products served are patented by the owners. Lines can be long but worth it."
Heid's even made the hi-tech e-pages of Salon.com, with this entry for best hotdog eateries by state:
"In New York state: Ted's in Buffalo. Zweigle's White Hots in Rochester. Heid's in Liverpool, north of Syracuse on Onondaga Lake. In New York City: Katz's Deli, Grey's Papaya and kosher dogs from the pushcart at 96th Street and Central Park West."
If you're clueless when it comes to cylindrical meats, you can get help here:
The National Hotdog & Sausage Council
Your mission, Mr. Phelps, should you choose to accept it, is to:
1. Upload a photo of your special diner (one that has some character!), with you and your GPS in front of the diner immediately after submitting your log report. Please don't make everyone wait while you develop film! Logs without photos will be deleted. The diner has to be a unique one-of-a-kind eatery. No chain restaurants, please! Only one log per player, and each diner can be logged only once. Please read all the logs to be sure you're the "firstest with the mostest." Capeesh?
2. Record the GPS coordinates in your log report. You can use those special boxes on the log report form. Please give us the address, city, state/province, and country where the diner is located. Other players may want to stop by for a meal after reading your log. That's one of the intentions I had in creating this virtual geocache!
3. Tell us something about the place, the food, why you like it, and such. Humor is always appreciated, but be kind. After all, they restaurant is giving you the opportunity to log this cache.
4. After you complete the challenge and log your find, print out your report, and give it to the owner of the diner. This, of course, is totally optional. But why WOULDN'T you do that? If you're a REAL geocacher, you'll put a frame on it, and hand it over with a little pomp & circumstance. Yeah, now you've got the idea.
Have fun! Eat up! And go easy on the grease!