A Must-Stop

We drove our younger daughter to camp in the Poconos this

morning, travelling north on rt. 31 and then east on 46 on our 

way to the Delaware Water Gap.  While passing through Buttzville, 

I couldn't help noticing Hot Dog Johnny's, a throwback roadside 

mecca of  deep-fried hot dogs and draft birch beer.  Note to self:  

Stop there on the way back, at any cost.  Do not eat a single bite of

food between now and the moment you pull into that parking lot

on the way home.  The lot was empty at 8:00 a.m., but surely they'd 

be jamming at lunch time.  My intuition proved to be accurate as the 

place was abuzz with travelers of all shapes and sizes.     

We waited only a couple minutes in line, and when I got to the

window, I realized how customers were served so quickly.  I

naively asked if there was a menu to see, for I had scanned the 

walls and found nothing of the sort.  The reply was no.  I then 

asked what they had, and in a single breath, the girl behind the

counter said, "hot dogs, fries and soda".  Then give me two hot

dogs with pickles and mustard, fries, and a birch beer.  My order

was taken so quickly, I had forgotten to ask about the buttermilk,

which apparently some people drink cold from a mug with their

dogs and fries.  Next time......Buttermilk?  

We found a picnic bench out of about a dozen, which on the average, 

turns in around ten minutes or so.  The birch beer was deep red and

delicious, the fries were crispy and salty (perfect), and the dogs were

pretty average, truth be told.  A little bit wrinkled from the deep fryer,

they were good, not great.  Didn't matter.  This place smacked of

Americana and to pass by would have surely amounted to treason.

And far be it from us not to be American-like.