A Yank's Franks Restaurant Review ~ Smashburger

Hot Diggity and I passed by Smashburger on a trip to Texas in November. While we didn't have time to try them out then, the thought of this new burger joint has been swirling around in my head ever since.

Today I was sporting a smile almost as big as the guy who, when asked how often he has sex, replied "once a year" Then why the big smile? "Because tonight's the night!"

Well, tonight's the night for Smashburger. Pictured here is Hot Diggity's Smashburger Classic with American Cheese on an egg bun. The Smashfries are shoe string russet potatoes tossed with olive oil, rosemary and garlic. Hot Diggity also had a Haagen-Daz milkshake as did I, but more on that later.

Joining in our review today were Spicy Salsa Marjan and The Hot Dog Cowboy. Spicy Salsa Marjan had the exact same lunch as Hot Diggity, but The Hot Dog Cowboy preferred the Smashburger Kid's meal with Veggie Frites (flash fried carrot sticks and green beans).

For me, it was a Create Your Own Burger. It had cheddar cheese and a bunch of other stuff. I opted for the Chili Cheese Fries (surprise, surprise).

We all had Haagen-Daz Vanilla Milkshakes. I haven't had a milkshake that was that good in many, many years.

As for the food...Hot Diggity, Spicy Salsa Marjan and I all agreed that these were spectacular burgers and amazing fries. The Hot Dog Cowboy let his empty plate do the talking. He loved the burger and really appreciated the Veggie Frites.

Smashburger received eight thumbs up on this trip! If you have the opportunity to visit a Smashburger it's worth the trip.

Frankly, Yank loves hamburgers and chili cheese fries!

I Finally Got a Good Chili Dog

Today The French Fry King and I went north to finally lay to rest my overwhelming hunger for a chili dog. Where else would we go but Hoss & Mary's Tasty Grub at Old Orchard Beach.

For me, it was a chili dog and a Moultron (a Moultron is a cheeseburger topped with a hot dog) along with an order of fries. For The French Fry King, it was just a Moultron and fries (wimp). Our meals were fantastic.

I took good photos of our food, but sitting next to me was this young man named Ethan. And, as I came to learn, those eight cheeseburgers that were on the griddle were soon to be put together and served to Ethan as his Ocho Burger. I couldn't resist that photo op. I guess I am now a member of the Paparazzi. That's Ethan in the photo just before digging into his Ocho Burger.

I spent the next five minutes or so, watching Ethan make quick work of his Ocho Burger. He didn't skip a beat and then moved quickly on to finish off his order of fries. So as not to risk feeling a bit hungry on his walk home, Ethan topped his meal off with an order of deep-fried Mother Futchers Coffee Cake with sweet dipping sauce.

Great job Ethan! It was good to have lunch with you and all your friends.

And, great job Hoss & Mary...as usual your food is consistently great!

Frankly, I Love a Great Chili Dog!

A Yank's Franks Restaurant Review ~ When Pigs Fly

I have reviewed several Hot Dog Joints and now I have decided to branch out and review other great restaurants. This is the first of these reviews, but won't be the last.

When Hot Diggity and I relocated to Maine ten years ago, she asked me, "when will Southern Maine get a great pizza joint?" I told her, "when pigs fly!" Well, as it turns out, I was correct (it doesn't happen that often).

Hot Diggity and I decided to have lunch today at When Pigs Fly. We headed south on route 1 and took note that at 11:55 am, the Flo's Hot Dogs parking lot had 2 cars out front. A little further south, one of my favorite hamburger joints, Wild Willy's had just 6 cars (2 of which were likely employees) at just about 12:00 noon. A little further south and we drove out of York and into Kittery, straight to When Pigs Fly and their parking lot was nearly full. I'd guess about 25-30 cars.

When Pigs Fly has a retail store where you can purchase a variety of items including their artisan breads. Warning~~if you are on a diet or simply watching your calories, do not go into this part of the building. Their breads are just ridiculous! I'm not lying, they are crazy good.

The majority of the building is the restaurant and today, Hot Diggity and I had pizza on our minds. While one pizza may have been enough for the two of us, we had different ideas as to or toppings of choice.

Hot Diggity selected their Four Cheese pizza (pictured on the right in the photo). In addition to Mozzarella, Fontina, Provolone and Pecorino Romano her pie had Spanish style salami, Peppadew (what the heck is that?) and blah, blah, blah a few other things.

My pizza was the House-Made Chirizo Sausage with Chopped Jalapenos (pictured on the left). It had other stuff, but when you have Chirizo and Jalapenos, the other stuff doesn't matter that much. It was delicious! I also had a piece of Hot Diggity's pizza and it was amazing as well.

The menu at When Pigs Fly had plenty of other offering like soups, salads and sandwiches that sounded really good, but don't pass by the pizza. It's made with fresh, tasty ingredients and it's baked in a wood-fired oven.

The When Pigs Fly restaurant is a must, but don't go into the retail store unless you are trying to bulk up.

Frankly, Hot Diggity and Yank love good food (and we love sharing it with you)!

The Hot Dog Man Tours Southern Maine

Photo courtesy of The Hot Dog Man and his fancy schmancy camera.

The Hot Dog Man and his wife, Mrs. HDM set out on a tour of Southern Maine and his first stop...you guessed it, Yank's Franks.

The Hot Dog Man pulled into the Yank's Franks parking lot at about noon last Friday. He and Mrs. HDM unloaded their fancy, schmancy video equipment from their vehicle and proceeded to snap photos and conduct interviews for his Yank's Franks review.

Frankly, we can't wait to see the final result.

July is National Hot Dog Month

We would love to see you at Yank's Franks to celebrate National Hot Dog Month.

Try a different combination of toppings each day. Let us know your favorite.

Someone recently ordered The Angry Dog topped with Onions and Jalapenos. It sounds delicious, but I may wait until October to try it myself.

Frankly, we serve the BEST dogs!

Where Can You Go and Have a Gluten-Free Hot Dog, Burger, Or Pulled Pork Sandwich...Yank's Franks!

Yank's Franks hot dogs are too good to pass up, even if you suffer from Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance. Well, there is no need to ask for your hot dog or burger "just plain, without the bun."

Yank's Franks is working with Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery from Boulder, Colorado. Rudi's bakes both gluten-free Hot Dog Buns and gluten-free Hamburger Buns which will allow more customers to fully enjoy their visit to Yank's Franks.

Both of these products are new to the market and Yank's Franks is thrilled to have this option available, making our menu more accessible to a wider variety of guests.

Frankly, we serve the BEST dogs!

Yank's Franks is That Way

Coming Soon!

If you're hopping off the highway and approaching Wells, or if you're leaving the beach to grab a delicious and quick lunch...just follow the signs to Yank's Franks.

They'll be up soon and if your jonesin' for a delicious hot dog with some extra crispy fries, just follow the signs.

Frankly, I really love our signs!

What Two Words Does Yank Love?

Lynn, wake up!

Food Show!

That's right, Yank, Hot Diggity and (the recently crowned) French Fry King spent the afternoon thoroughly enjoying the Sysco Food Show.

Of course, the primary goal of attending a Food Show is new menu ideas. This show didn't disappoint. It provided a great menu idea for our upcoming season (which, by the way, is just a little over three weeks away).

I'm going to hold off on telling you what this idea is. The truth be told, most of you won't think of it as anything groundbreaking, but those that have followed our progress will be surprised (pleasantly surprised, I believe).

Some of the ideas for the coming season that I've discussed before are taking shape. I would like to share a couple of them with you.

This year you will see a Pulled Pork Sandwich on the menu. You'll have your choice between a Sweet (not too sweet) BBQ Sauce or a Spicy and Smooth BBQ Sauce.

Also, new to the menu is a Specialty Dog that I'm thinking of calling, The Angry Dog, The Dog That Bites Back! It will be made with the new Yank's Angry Sauce. Warning...it really will bite you back.

The season is getting close. We can't wait.

Frankly, we serve a very Angry Hot Dog Sauce!

Opening Soon! May 21st is Opening Day for Yank's Franks

Yank's Franks Opening Day will be Saturday, May 21st. Yank's will be open weekends (Saturday and Sunday) from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Beginning Saturday, June 18th, Yank's will be open 7 days per week from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

The 7-day per week schedule will continue through Labor Day, Monday, September 5th. After Labor Day, Yank's will be back on the weekend schedule through Columbus Day, Monday, October 10th.

We're getting excited, we're working on new Specialty Dogs, the perfect Pulled Pork Sandwich and a few other new offerings. If you are a fan of Yank's Super Crispy French Fries, you'll love the Chili Fries (or the Chili-Cheddar Fries). And speaking of chili, Yank's Beantown Chili will be available by the cup during the entire season.

We have a new sign being built. It will certainly be up before opening day. When it's ready, I'll have photos so you will know what to look for.

And last but not least (okay, maybe it is least), we have a new name for one of our hot dog researchers. The Hot Dog King has been stripped of his title, but don't feel bad for him. He still is King except from here on he'll be referred to as The French Fry King. This new title is far more appropriate and frees up The Hot Dog King title for someone who is a true lover of encased meats. The French Fry King's true passions are Cheeseburgers and French Fries.

That's it for now. I'll keep you posted.

Frankly, we can't wait until Opening Day!

Yank's Franks Is Showing Up All Over The Hot Dog World

The latest Yank's Franks spotting is in Bump's Guide, The Hot Dog Edition.

Exactly what does this mean? I'm sorry, I really have no idea. However, it is always nice to be noticed and if you click around Bump's Guide, it's kind of fun.

Hot Dog Season, aka Baseball Season is upon us, and it is predicted by Major League Baseball that us fans will consume 22.5 million hot dogs at ball parks during this 2011 season. In another stunning prediction, Hot Dogger Extraordinaire, Yank predicts the Boston Red Sox will win the American League Pennant and will go on to take the World Series in six games. Let me be the first to congratulate the Red Sox.

Frankly, Yank's Franks loves the Boston Red Sox!

Hoss & Mary's Tasty Grub ~ Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Take a trip to Old Orchard Beach and don't miss Hoss & Mary's Tasty Grub. Hoss & Mary's had their pre-opening today and their official opening is tomorrow.

Three fourths of the Yank's Franks research crew, Double Dog Dennis, The Hot Dog King and I traveled north in anticipation of some "tasty grub." We entered Hoss & Mary's new restaurant (they used to operate Tradewinds Cafe) and we were overwhelmed. What a fantastic place and it's on the beach. As they advertise, Hoss & Mary's is, "In the shadow of the roller coaster!"

As for our expectations of the tasty grub, we talked about it all the way home. It was awesome. Double Dog Dennis got a cheeseburger and fries ( a little boring DD) which he thoroughly enjoyed. The Hot Dog King decided on The Foghorn Leghorn, a cheeseburger topped with chicken fingers, lettuce, tomato and mayo. He is known as The Hot Dog King, but had I been a little more patient in assigning him his hot dog name, he would have been The French Fry King. Needless to say, he selected and loved the fries. For me it was The Moultron, a sandwich named after another of Hoss & Mary's faithful customers(and obviously a foodie genius). My sandwich was simply a cheeseburger topped with a grilled hot dog. I added mustard to make my sandwich the little piece of foodie heaven that I am still dreaming about. My fries were excellent, but that sandwich...WOW!

It's definitely worth a trip up to Old Orchard Beach. Enjoy the rides, enjoy the beach...but you have to eat at and enjoy Hoss & Mary's Tasty Grub. Their menu has something for everyone and from the comments and observations of everyone that showed up today, everything is just amazing.

Frankly, the Yank's Franks research team knows where to dine!

Yank's Franks Checks Out Vienna Beef Hot Dogs

Hot Diggity and I were invited to Boston today to speak with representatives of Chicago's Legendary, Vienna Beef. The purpose was to discuss whether Vienna Beef Hot Dogs would be a good fit at Yank's Franks.

In addition to the Vienna Beef rep. we were warmly greeted by Grady, the founder and owner of Windy City Eats, the awesome Weymouth, Mass. hot dog joint that serves nothing but Vienna Beef products. Hot Diggity and I thoroughly enjoyed a Windy City authentic Chicago Dog at last year's Hot Dog Safari. That Chicago Dog was easily the highlight of the Safari.

In addition to hearing some of the benefits of Vienna Beef and their products, Grady from Windy City Eats had prepared for us some of his delicious Hot Dog Chili and Spicy Polish Sausage. Both were exceptional.

All this is what's known as food for thought.

Frankly, Yank's Franks serves the BEST dogs!

Breaking New Grounds ~ Perkins Cove

What a nice afternoon that Hot Diggity and I had. While cruisin' through Perkins Cove, we stumbled upon a great little coffee shop. We aren't ones that can pass up a coffee shop especially when it comes with a million dollar view (inflation adjusted, it's a 5 million dollar view). There it was sitting right on the open ocean, Breaking New Grounds Coffee & Tea.

What a find! The coffee was superb, the ambiance was unbeatable and the friendly staff made the visit all the better.

This is an official Yank's Franks recommendation...if you're a local, get there before the season kicks into high gear. If you're visiting for summer vacation, plan on a trip to Perkins Cove (you'll probably go there anyway) and keep your eyes peeled for Breaking New Grounds. The chief Barista, Ed tells us that in the summer there are Adirondack chairs out on the rocks for customers to enjoy. I'm telling you, not only will you enjoy their coffee (their bagels and pastries looked amazing), but you'll have a chance to live like a millionaire lounging on the rocky Maine Coast.

Breaking New Grounds has all the specialty coffee and tea drinks you could want and there's a bagel or pastry for every taste.

Frankly, Yank's Franks serves the BEST dogs! But, we do love our coffee especially when it comes with a magnificent ocean view.

While in Maine, Find Out What's Hot

chubbywerewolf

Here is a new offbeat blog that will seek out (among other things), America's best hamburger. The photo to the left accompanied Chubby's review of a Portland, Maine restaurant named Local 188. Go to Chubby Werewolf's blog to see how this Local 188 Brunch Burger stacks up against others.

Chubby himself made an appearance at Yank's Franks back in early October. He arrived unannounced and never identified himself until he wrote a great online review of Yank's Franks. Thanks, Chubby!

For insight into Portland's pop culture, reviews of popular movies, life in Maine, and my favorite, the hunt for the perfect cheeseburger (only one thing could be better...the hunt for the perfect hot dog) visit Chubby Werewolf's site and check back often, it's full of great ideas.

Frankly, Yank's Franks serves the BEST dogs!

The Academy Awards and Hot Dogs

What do the 2011 Academy Awards have to do with hot dogs? Well, if I had to guess there are probably many actors and actresses that are wild about hot dogs.

Why would I say that? Hollywood is home to one of the country's best Hot Dog Joints. Pink's Hot Dogs. If you check out their website, you'll see that they have devoted an entire page to photos of celebrities that dine at Pink's.

But, that's not the answer I was searching for. I'll re-phrase my question to narrow it down.

What does the movie that's favored to win "Best Picture" have to do with hot dogs?

Need a hint? Okay, the movie I am referring to is, The King's Speech.

Need another hint? Okay, there's also a connection to our day off (some of us) just last week, Presidents' Day.

Did you get it yet? I'll post what I am alluding to in a comment soon. Take a guess.

Frankly, Yank's Franks serves the BEST dogs!

Edgar's Olde Mill Burgers ~ A Hamburger Joint Review

Located just off the main road through Sanford, Maine, Edgar's Olde Mill Burgers is truly a "joint" and I loved it.

Double Dog Dennis, The Hot Dog King and I took a drive over the snowy roads of Southern Maine to try these famous burgers. Warning, call before you go, Edgar's has odd hours of operation. Let me tell you, it's worth the trip.

The specialty of the house (or of the Olde Mill) is burgers, but the menu includes hot dogs, chicken and Edgar's homemade clam cakes.

DDD tried the clam cakes since Edgar (aka Pete) is so proud of his creation. DDD gave the cakes an A rating. The HDK opted for a Zun Dog and and Scrambled Zun Burger. Zun Relish is Edgar's special recipe. It has a sweet taste from brown sugar and apples, but it also has a bite to it from some sort of pepper. The HDK loved his Zun Dog, but he couldn't stop praising The Scrambled Zun Burger. He went on and on until both DDD and I finally ordered one for ourselves. It was excellent. I had to try their Burger. How could I go to a burger joint and not have the burger. For my burger I chose grilled onions, pickles and mustard. Delicious!!!

We all split orders of Fries and Rings. The rings were good, but the fries were excellent.

I washed everything down with a draft root beer. It's served ice cold with no ice, just pure root beer.

When travelling to or through Sanford, do not miss Edgar's Olde Mill Burgers on Washington Street.

Frankly, Yank's Franks serves the BEST dogs!

.

Wasses Hot Dogs ~ Rockland, Maine

Our field trip yesterday took us north to Rockland, Maine the home of Wasses Hot Dogs. When we arrived at about 3:00, we were the only people there. Unfortunately for us several customers stopped within minutes. I say unfortunately because I was hoping to have more time to quiz the Wasses people about some of their products.

Anyway, The Hot Dog King gave me his order while he snapped photos. For The HDK it was a dog with mustard and onions (sauteed). I asked one of the Wasses people what their famous dog was. She replied, "a dog with mustard, relish and onions." The other person in the kitchen quickly blurted out, "that's not my favorite, my favorite is bacon, mustard, onions and hot relish." I couldn't resist and that's what I ordered.

Since we had already eaten lunch (at the famous Moody Diner), Hot Diggity and Double Dog Dennis remained in the car while we dined. Well, not so much dined as wolfed down. You see, the temperature was about 10 degrees outside and I wasn't looking forward to wearing this delicious snack so eating in the car wasn't a good option.

The Hot Dog King said his dog was fantastic. As you can see from the photo, both dogs looked amazing. (click on the photo and it should give you a larger view) If you're not hungry after looking at these dogs, what are you doing reading my blog?

My hot dog was excellent. I do have just a couple of critiques, but don't let them distract from the fact that it was a really awesome hot dog. The only two things I would change...one, as many of you know, I don't like the soggy steamed buns. Please, take a minute and toast them. And two, the nacho style cheese on top is not a favorite. To me this cheese is neither good nor bad. It has so little flavor that I can't say it distracted from the overall taste of the dog, but a more flavorful cheese would have been spectacular. Having said that I come back to the fact that the dog was excellent, it was grilled to perfection and the other toppings were just right.

The addition of a couple of Chocolate Milks was a nice touch to wash it all down. The Hot Dog King thinks we should add Chocolate Milk to the Yank's Franks menu. You see, this research does pay off.

Now I can't wait for our next trip to Rockland.

Frankly, Yank's Franks has the BEST field trips!

Johnny Rockets ~ Freeport, Maine

Hot Diggity and I stumbled upon a Johnny Rockets this past Sunday. Normally such a find would result in a spirited "Yahoo" from me, but unfortunately we had just finished lunch at a different restaurant. I only had enough room for one of Johnny Rockets awesome milk shakes.

The thought of a Johnny Rockets' burger danced through my hungry brain for the last several days until today, I was able to convince Hot Diggity, Double Dog Dennis and The Hot Dog King to join me for a mini-field trip back up to Freeport.

In addition to our burgers and fries, I ordered the chili dog and we all split an order of rings.

As you may know, my standard by which all hot dog joints are judged is the chili dog. Others often choose the simple plain hot dog or hot dog with yellow mustard, but my sense of taste and ability to discern the subtle variances in spices and flavors is highly sensitive and extremely sophisticated. (are you buying this?) Plus, I love chili dogs.

Well, I will stop slinging the bull and get right down to the review. The burgers were excellent! Everyone agreed, however Hot Diggity ordered the patty melt and was disappointed with the preparation of the bread. The onion rings were unusual in that the coating was made from sourdough breading. Excellent! The chili dog was great... great dog, great chili. I'll definitely get one the next time I go. Now for the "not as good news" The french fries were not that good. Hey Mr. Rocket, if you're listening, it's an easy fix. I noticed your deep fryer is automatically set to cook for 3 minutes. Set that baby to 4 minutes and you'll have some killer fries. Easy peasey, lemon sqeezey.

Frankly, Yank's Franks serves the BEST dogs (and rings and fries)!

Don't let that stop you when you're in Freeport. Johnny Rockets is a great spot.

The Yank's Franks Website Is Up And Running

The new Yank's Franks website went live today. We are thrilled with it. It's clean, crisp and fun, just like Yank's Franks.

Thank you AfterFive by Design, our web developer, for all your great ideas.

Please, take a look and let us know what you think.
.

Hot Dog, We're Having Fun!

Hot Diggity and I started our "Hot Dog Joint" to have fun. It's been a lot of work, but we are certainly having plenty of fun.

I'm smiling today because one of the "Hot Dog Joints" that Hot Diggity and I frequent (many times The Hot Dog King joins us) called Tradewinds Cafe, stopped in to try out Yank's Franks.

Not only did they try us out, but they were kind enough to post an awesome review of their experience on their, and our, facebook page.

Actually, Tradewinds Cafe is much more than a Hot Dog Joint.

As the photo of a portion of their menu indicates, they have an awesome variety of choices, and their setting on Route 1 in Arundel is ideal.