G Wiv wrote: The fries have good flavor, but not great texture. Limp, not greasy, but simply limp.
David Hammond wrote:Condiment distribution on Polish is very odd; why congregate relish and onions in the center? Aesthetically pleasing, it makes no sense from a functional standpoint.
Josephine wrote:David Hammond wrote:Condiment distribution on Polish is very odd; why congregate relish and onions in the center? Aesthetically pleasing, it makes no sense from a functional standpoint.
I agree that there is an increased risk of condiment slippage and loss with a Central Condiment Pile (CCCP) method, comrade Hammond, but the wisdom of this approach seems intuitively obvious to me, as it permits one initially to experience the flavor and texture of the dog without the distractions provided by condiments. Stage two, of course, may demand condiment repositioning. In any case, I'm making a place for Al's dogs in my new 5-year plan.
Rene G wrote:A few weeks later Cathy2 and I did a drive-by only to find Al’s closed, maybe permanently from the looks of it.
PIGMON wrote:G Wiv wrote: The fries have good flavor, but not great texture. Limp, not greasy, but simply limp.
Gary and I speculated that the fries were most likely cooked in an oil that was clean as well as hot enough not cause serious oiliness. I believe the "limp" -ness' was because they simply didn't cook them long enough. The two times that I've eaten there, this was the case. Nonetheless, as Gary says, these fries do have good flavor.
If you're bold enough, you might shout behind the bullet proof window "cook the fries a bit longer............please?"
gp60004 wrote:The fries in the pic had good color to em. I think they were cooked long enough. Fresh cut fries are somewhat tempermental. If you drain them after frying and let em sit under the heat lamp, they will go limp. Potatoes harvested towards the end of the season have a higher solid content making it harder to "cook out" the moisture to crisp them up. you can cook em forever and they won't crisp up.
PIGMON wrote:I would normally buy into this assessment. However, from what I recall, the fries has a respectable crispness on the outside and their innards bordered on being ever so slightly raw.
Can fries be cooked at higher than normal temperatures, causing a crispness more rapidly on the outside before the entire potato is thoroughly cooked?
Is this at all possible or is my recollection faulty? ( very, very possible!)
G Wiv wrote:LTH,
Was just finishing lunch at Pearl's Place with a couple of people yesterday when the ever interesting Pigmon tuns my way and asks if I'd like to go to the oldest hot dog stand in Chicago. Oldest hot dog stand? Yep, seems he and the amazing ReneG were out and about the other day and ReneG asked him the same question and, if anyone in Chicago is going to know the oldest currently operating hot dog stand, it's going to be ReneG.
Al's Red Hot is stunning in its urban simplicity. Hard by the El tracks.
Vital Information wrote:I've been meaning to ask this for a few days, but is Pearl's considered the oldest against the Maxwell Street place because Pearl's has not moved.
G Wiv wrote:Vital Information wrote:I've been meaning to ask this for a few days, but is Pearl's considered the oldest against the Maxwell Street place because Pearl's has not moved.
Rob,
Just to clarify, the hot dog stand is Al's Red Hots, not Pearl's Place. Pearl's is the soul food place where we had lunch before going to Al's Red Hots.
G Wiv wrote:Vital Information wrote:I've been meaning to ask this for a few days, but is Pearl's considered the oldest against the Maxwell Street place because Pearl's has not moved.
Rob,
Just to clarify, the hot dog stand is Al's Red Hots, not Pearl's Place. Pearl's is the soul food place where we had lunch before going to Al's Red Hots.
Enjoy,
Gary
A third method, invented by the celebrated French chef Joël Robuchon for the home cook, is to put the sliced potatoes into a saucepan with just enough cold oil in it to cover the potatoes, then cook them over high heat until golden, stirring occasionally.
David Hammond wrote:I'm sure I've blasted past this place hundreds of times (coming back to Oak Park from the loop, I frequently opt for the Mister Toad's Wild Ride feeling of riding under the Lake Street El).
gp60004 wrote:If you drain them after frying and let em sit under the heat lamp, they will go limp. ... Also, using potatoes from, say wisconsin and not from Idaho will lead to a limp fry. I think this might be the case since it looks like they are using the lower end products. By that, I mean plain buns vs poppy seed, 10:1 skinless dogs vs 8:1 natural casing dogs, omitting pickle and tomato. ... How much did a dog and fry go for?
Vital Information wrote:I've been meaning to ask this for a few days, but is Al's considered the oldest against the Maxwell Street place because Al's has not moved.
Nothing against this place, which seems cool, but I do not buy that logic. Does not Jim's at least date back to the 1920's? I do not think that history should stop because the city moved it a few blocks east.
Vital Information wrote:I've been meaning to ask this for a few days, but is Al's considered the oldest against the Maxwell Street place because Al's has not moved.
Nothing against this place, which seems cool, but I do not buy that logic. Does not Jim's at least date back to the 1920's? I do not think that history should stop because the city moved it a few blocks east.
Rene G wrote:According to Jim’s website they opened in 1939 (I would have guessed earlier myself), in any case certainly earlier than Al’s. I guess it doesn’t count anymore but Fluky’s opened about 10 years before Jim’s, however they moved a few times. So I think it’s just a matter of how you define “oldest.” As I understand the facts, Al’s seems to have some claim to that title, as does Jim’s, as did Fluky’s.
gp60004 wrote:I think this might be the case since it looks like they are using the lower end products. By that, I mean plain buns vs poppy seed, 10:1 skinless dogs vs 8:1 natural casing dogs, omitting pickle and tomato.
Mike G wrote:Speaking of old hot dog stands, this truck has been parked at a repair shop in my neighborhood (which is, needless to say, nowhere near 76th & Vincennes) for a month.
Since 1946 makes 60 years, that's allegedly older than Al's. Anyone know Fred & Jack's?
Rene G wrote:
Gene and Jude’s
1946
Moved to suburbs from Polk & Western
Polk and Western
1948
Original location?
gp60004 wrote:So are you saying that Gene and Jude's used to be where Polk and Western is located now?
G Wiv wrote:Drove by Al's Red Hots yesterday, 3/20/08, around 2pm and it was shut up tight. Mid afternoon on a Thursday seems an odd time to be closed, I wonder if they are down for the count.