People often (once) ask me "Where is the best hot dog place in Nebraska?" Until today I did not have a definitive answer for them (him). Now I do. Located in Grand Island, Nebraska is the Coney Island Lunch Room. Since 1933 this lunch counter has been serving authentic Coney Island style hot dogs and, according to the menu from 1933, "Mexican Chili" and "Italian Spaghetti".
Imagine how far away I would have had to stand if I weren't 6'8"
Just a single lunch counter and one row of booths populate this Grand Island icon. The experience is aided by the feeling that nothing has changed in 50 years. You feel like, at any moment, the door could burst open you could see (insert famous Grand Island icon from the 1950's here). The coney dogs are no longer a nickel as they were in 1933, but they are made simply with mustard, onions, and "Coney sauce" which resembles loose meat with spices. I knocked down three of them with a chocolate shake (a real shake, made and served in a metal cup that is too cold to hold).
I call this plate, "The Turkey Cleanser"
They were glorious. It is appropriate that I was able to enjoy these on Thanksgiving weekend, when we are to be reminded of all of the things we have in this country to be thankful for. A close second behind my family are the owner Gus and his son George who were working hard on this Friday afternoon, serving delicious dogs on a beautiful Husker gameday.
Dog on,
The Mole.
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