"If you like ketchup on hot dogs, no you don’t. Or at least, you don’t when you’re at Hiram’s, a deep-fried hot dog institution in Fort Lee, where the rules are clear before you even walk in. A sign outside the door reads “Hot Dog Etiquette,” and the very first rule is “Don’t use ketchup on your hot dog after the age of 18.” Instead, get a $4 chili dog, or Hiram’s unique take on chili-cheese—the cheese is sliced, and melted onto the bun—and then apply mustard, relish, or sauerkraut liberally from the communal vats on the counter. If you’ve never had a deep-fried hot dog, you’re in for a treat. The pork and beef dogs have an intense snap—even when they’re buried under a layer of chili—and there’s a bacon-like crisp on each end. Order a few from the takeout counter and head to a picnic table outside, or take a seat in the dark, low-ceilinged dining room, where people have been inhaling impeccably crispy dogs and drinking cheap beer since 1932. photo credit: Willa Moore" - Willa Moore
