DipDogs

Style: Fast Food
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Website: http://www.dipdogs.net/ 

Likes: Well established atmosphere of being around since 1953, Cute water bottles that say “God DipDogs?”

Dislikes: It’s definitely not healthy, no special dip for onion rings

For years, my husband has said that when we go to his parents’ house, he is going to take me to The Dip Dog. One time we went, and it was closed because it was the 4th of July. Another time we tried to go and it was closed for renovations.

Then, we gave up for a while. 

This year, I played it smart. I told my husband to call and see if they would be open. Since he talks about The DipDog frequently, I really wanted to experience this part of the younger years I was absent for. 

On this trip his parents’ house, I also brought my grandmother, Gigi. Gigi loves and adventure, so we piled into the car and drove half an hour to The DipDog, which happens to be just off of interstate I-81. 

I thought it was going to be a little roadside stand, and I was wrong. Instead, it is a small complex with a huge parking lot, a building where food is ordered, a building that is a gift shop, and a building that has tables where the greasy food can be enjoyed and consumed.

It also had a really cool retro sign that stood in front, saying that the DipDog was established in 1953. Johnny, my husband’s dad, then told me a story about how he used to bring his dates to eat here. Johnny is now in his 60’s and has been married for over forty years. Clearly, the DipDog is a local, deep routed tradition.

A DipDog is a local, very pink hotdog that is battered in a thin batter and is deep fried. It is similar to a corn dog, but the batter is not as thick. Then, they slather them in yellow mustard and pile them into a pyramid within a classic paper carton. We also ordered onion rings that were piled into a brown paper bag. Clearly, it is super low key. 

But it was one of the tastiest deep fried concoctions I have ever eaten and it made for some great memories with my grandma and my husband's family. 

Shake Shack

Style: Fast Food
Website: www.shakeshack.com

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Likes: No cheesy decor, Brooklyn Brewery brewery bottles a beer just for them, they have their own wine too, the names (which is honestly why I wanted to go)


Dislikes:  Lots of people with not lots of seats, cranked up air vents that blew napkins away, Are you sure you put malt in my shake?,  the shake did not quite hold up to the name of the restaurant that I definitely romanticized all on my own...

Imagine you had just been a bridesmaid at a wedding. You are tired. You danced a little, but were mostly tired because you were awake at 4:30 am to get ready for said wedding. You took pictures, reminisced, and toasted to the happy couple. Then the wedding is over in the early afternoon and you go to the hotel room. It is completely logical that a nap is needed. Then after said nap, you need to get your burger on.

That is what me and the wedding party did after the wedding party. On the way home from getting our nails done the day before, the bus drove by Shake Shack. I was intrigued by the name. Anything that eludes to some form of ice cream catches my attention. As the bus drove by, I took note and remembered the way there just so I could get there before we left.

Walking in, there was a hustle and bustle that was beyond the normal fast food joint. But then, we were in Brooklyn. There was a large wall-sized menu above the counter that had a listing of the burgers and hot dogs you could get. They also had a pretty sizable amount of custard desserts you could get. Wanna see the menu? You know you want to see the menu. Click me.

After we ordered, they gave us a number and we would be called to come and pick it up.Trying to find a seat was difficult because there were five of us. I had to be one of those seat stalkers and started laying scarves and bags down on the seats so people wouldn't take them.

For a fast food joint, the burgers were pretty good. I had a single SmokeShack and my husband had a double. They both had bacon, cheese,  and a pretty cool shack sauce on them. The sauce was just a big spicy. I ordered a chocolate malt shake which was disappointing. I couldn't taste the malt! If you see that the shakes are on top of the napkins, it was because the air vents were blowing them away.

Our friend got the fries. They were KRINKLE! :)

Overall, if I were in Brooklyn, I might go back. But there are so many other cooler places to go. Plus, I could get better burgers and shakes at other places. Cheeburger Cheeburger anyone?

Quaker Steak and Lube

Brad reading the
"Lube Up Your Fries" Ketchup

Quaker Steak and Lube
Category: Wings/ American
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Website: Quaker Steak and Lube

Likes: Variety of Wing Sauces, Atmosphere/Decor, Healthy and Not Healthy Choices, Prices, Bendy Straws, Warm Wet Napkins, TWIZZLERS! (the last three are Sara and kid friendly)

Dislikes: If you don't order enough wings, you can't switch up the sauces, Medium Wing Sauce was lacking

Brad's Favorite Sauces: Haute Parmesan, Buckeye BBQ, Cajun
Sara's Favorite Sauces: Haute Parmesan, Arizona Ranch, Cajun

Brad and I took my grandma "Gigi" out to lunch at the Quaker Steak and Lube. We went at noon on a Thursday, when they have unlimited boneless breaded wings. I repeat, UNLIMITED BONELESS WINGS for one flat price. You can even switch the sauces. Brad got the unlimited breaded boneless wings. Here are some of the wings we tried:

These are half-eaten pictures. We were to excited to try them and I forgot to take the pictures.

Top Wings: The Buckeye BBQ boneless breaded wings. They were hot and sweet. These were some of Brad's favorites.

Bottom Wings: Cajun boneless breaded wings. These were SO GOOD. We both agreed. Very flavorful, but not as spicy as we expected.

Wings to the Right: These were the Arizona Ranch wings. They were spicy and did actually taste like ranch. At first I was totally skeptical of the ranch taste on the wings, but it totally won me over.






I had something healthier. They have these grilled boneless wings. They are pretty much chicken tenders with no breading, grilled, and then coated in sauce. They came with broccoli and soft pita triangles. The pita triangles were great because they wiped up the sauce. I was able to scoop up the extra sauce. I had them with the Haute Parmesan sauce (which was AWESOME) and the medium Buffalo sauce (which was really weak). 

Gigi had a tasty looking wrap with some kickin' homemade potato chips that were really tasty. She chose a BBQ sauce to coat the chicken in her wrap, but you could choose any of them.


OTHER AWESOME THINGS:

1. Bendy Straws

2. Warmed Wipee Towels

3. Licorice at the end!!!

Quaker Steak and Lube, we will be BACK.