Many trips in the early 70's to this great spot from our first house in the west end of Cheshire. We were young 'n buffed; we are currently not young. Reet, wanna go to Blackie's for lunch, today?Blackie's: A Hot Dog Stand To Relish by Robin Stansbury (Htfd Courant)
I'm not usually a fan of hot dogs, consuming perhaps one a year at a Fourth of July barbecue or Rock Cats baseball game. At least, that was true until my husband introduced me to Blackie's Hot Dog Stand, a funky and fabulous restaurant in Cheshire. Everything works right with these dogs, from the soft buns, the split-top cooking of the Hummel Brothers hot dogs and, of course, that magical spicy relish doled out with a plastic spoon.
The look: It's a hot dog stand (a slightly misleading label because the restaurant has two small octagon-shaped dining rooms), so it doesn't get fancy here. Clearly, Blackie's, which was founded in 1928, isn't a secret, as the crowded parking lot during our lunch visit revealed. Maybe that's why Blackie's went through an extensive renovation last year when — gasp — the eatery was closed for seven weeks to expand the kitchen and storage areas. But the remodeling didn't alter the look of the interior of the two wood-paneled dining rooms or the long counter and stools. Ketchup, mustard and relish is serve-yourself.
The vibe: No fuss. Blackie's is a place where construction workers sit side-by-side with folks in suits, kids and grandparents. On a warm day, the two garage-style doors open to let in the breeze. The food is served on paper plates, or in a box to go.
The eats: It's all basic food at Blackie's. Besides hot dogs, hamburgers and cheeseburgers are also on the menu, but we didn't hear any orders for burgers during our visit. The dogs are so popular that most who were ordering at the counter didn't even use the word "hot dog," instead just calling out the desired number.
"Three."
"Five."
And — this was true during our visit — "Eighteen."
There are no fancy toppings like chili or sauerkraut, only the divine spicy relish, which the owners say is a family secret. The relish is made of peppers, not pickles, but that is as much as the owners will reveal. You can add a drink and a bag of chips to your order, but why bother? Just order another hot dog, instead.
The prices: Dirt cheap. The dogs are $1.75. Hamburgers cost $2, and a small soda is $1. Our party of five ate a giant lunch for just more than $20.
The verdict: Dog-gone good. - blackieshotdogs.com
