Roadfood_ Revised Edition - Jane Stern [59]
Walter’s Hot Dog Stand
937 Palmer Ave.
No phone
Larchmont, NY
L | $
Walter’s is one heck of a roadside attraction. Built in the 1920s (although the business began in 1919), it resembles a pagoda, complete with lanterns hanging off the edges of the roof. On a sign over the road, letters that spell out “Walter’s” at first appear to be the elegant brushstrokes of Chinese calligraphy. On close inspection, the “brushstrokes” turn out to be facsimilies of hot dogs.
Yes, hot dogs are the thing to eat—the only entree on the menu—and they are dandies. Diminutive tubes of pork, beef, and veal made from an original recipe developed by founder Walter Warrington, they are split nearly in half and grilled until brown and light-crusted. The iron on which they grill is spread with Walter’s secret sauce, a clear, buttery dressing that gets sucked into the pink meat of the wiener and gives it a taste that many East Coast frankfurter connoisseurs consider to be the world’s best. The grilled dogs are nestled in toasted buns, and there is only one condiment to consider: mustard. This is Walter’s own mustard, a dark blend dotted with tiny bits of pickle. Two or three hot dogs and a side of French fries (or spicier curly fries) are a perfect little snack. Soft drinks are available, but do note that behind the counter is a vintage malt powder dispensing machine; Walter’s chocolate malts are superb.
Service is walk-up, rain or shine; seating is limited to a grove of picnic tables and a grassy lawn adjacent to the restaurant.
Pennsylvania
Center City Pretzel Co.
816–18 Washington Ave.
215–463–5664
Philadelphia, PA
$
Bad-tasting water = good-tasting food. There is no other good explanation for the excellence of Philadelphia soft pretzels.
We reached that conclusion when the Roadfood.com team went to Philadelphia on a cheesesteak-eating expedition a few years ago. Between sandwiches, we cleansed our palates at Rita’s Water Ice stand with cups of finely shaved ice saturated with bright red cherry syrup that was dotted with little bits of fruit. It was especially delicious (was that because of the water from which it was made?), so good that we all ate fast enough to suffer serious brain-freeze.
The other break in our cheesesteak hunt was at Center City Pretzel Company, where we picked up a half-dozen freshly made soft pretzels. By this point in the day, we had all eaten enough cheesesteaks that appetite was becoming a distant memory. But the aroma, then the taste of these big soft pretzels proved irresistible. There is a certain brackish tang to the flavor of the pretzel, especially to its tan skin, that is like no other—a flavor that many experts attribute to the Philadelphia water in which they are boiled before being baked. Whatever the cause, these pretzels, hot from the factory, are superb. They are supplied to vendors throughout the city, but by the time they get to where they’re going, in most cases they have lost their freshness and their sparkle.
When you get a pretzel at Center City, it will likely be warm, especially if you arrive early in the day (doors open at 4:00 A.M.). It is dense, chewy, and full flavored—a true bread-lover’s pretzel—and it is, of course, sprinkled with coarse salt. Some connoisseurs like to have a little yellow mustard as a condiment. As far as we’re concerned, one (or a few) of these big softies need nothing to attain street-food perfection.
DeLuca’s
2015 Penn Ave.
412–566–2195
Pittsburgh, PA
BL | $
If you need a really satisfying breakfast in Pittsburgh, we recommend a visit to DeLuca’s. Located in the Strip District (an eater’s paradise by any measure), this fine storefront café serves mighty morning meals. There are frittatas, pumpkin pancakes, extra-large egg sandwiches, and a showstopper called mixed grill: sausage or ham sizzled with a huge heap of peppers, onions,