New Jersey Wiener Wars

I met my wife [The Lovely Joan] in 1954 at a fraternity convention on the New Jersey Shore. That weekend, she introduced me to a local hot dog stand which, by then, was already an institution. I had the first of many hot dogs at Max's, already an historical establishment founded in 1928. After returning to Massachusetts and, later, to law school in New York, I had several reasons to return: TLJ and Max's.

Max's was opened by Max Altman at the northern end of the Long Branch pier. By the time I became acquainted with the restaurant, it had been acquired by Milford Maybaum, Mr. Altman's partner, and moved to a newer location still on the boardwalk. Maybaum kept the old name and, in a short time, was known as Mr. Max by patrons of the stand.

TLJ tells the stories of when, as a young girl, she and her friends attended a synagogue near the boardwalk on Yom Kippur. Too young to fast, Joan was given $1 and, at lunchtime, while her parents remained at Services, she and her friends would walk over to Max's for a hot dog, an order of fries and a soda. I have to report that the $1 wouldn't buy very much now; a Max hot dog, massive and impressive, now costs $4.35!

The menu has expanded to corn on the cob, onion rings, and even more exotic items for what is essentially a hot dog stand: crab cakes, salmon, and lots more, the menu being part of the wall decorations.

Max's has always been a seasonal business. During the winters, Mr. Max would go to Florida where he became engaged in his passion, racing horses. In the late 1960's, Maybaum met and married Celia Levy who, when she joined in the operation of the summer business, was known by everyone as "Mrs. Max". By the time I became a customer, Mrs. Max stood guard over the cash register. The restaurant's web site: "She stood at the helm of the cash register offering charismatic charm and greetings to everyone who came through the doors." I'm not sure that "charismatic charm" is the term that I would use; but the New Jersey Secretary of State, Joan Haberle, proclaimed Mrs. Max "Queen of Hot Dogs".

In 1992 then New Jersey Governor James Florio offered that a trip to the Jersey Shore without a stop at Max's would be "an incomplete visit" and later, in 1995 then Governor. Christine Todd Whitman proclaimed "Democrats and Republicans are in agreement on very few issues, but we can all concur that Max's in Long Branch serves the most outstanding hot dogs in New Jersey."

Mr. Max died in 1980, but Mrs. Max and the next generation of the Maybaum family still operates the 200 seat restaurant in Long Branch. No longer on the beachfront, after a fire destroyed the boardwalk in 1987, the new location is still welcoming hot dog lovers from all over. One wall is covered by autographed photographs of well-known celebrities, all attesting to their being happy customers.

Last week, TLJ and I journeyed to Connecticut for a family affair and then rushed to the Jersey Shore to visit her brother and sister-in-law. We warned them that we would be eating out the three days we were there, once to chow down on New Jersey pizza and twice to have hot dogs, once at Max's and once at the arch rival, The Windmill.

Both establishments use kosher-style hot dogs, but not kosher at all. The hot dogs, at Max's are one-quarter pound each and are a combination of beef and pork. The secret is that the franks are slowly cooked for a long time on a griddle. They are slowly moved to progressively hotter portions of the griddle until they develop a crust that bursts. When our hot dog arrived, TLJ added sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard; I added mustard and a hot pepper relish that I think brings out the best in the meat. We added root beer, rather than the available beer and wine, because of the calories!

While speaking to friends and family in New Jersey, we were told by some (but not everyone) that the hot dogs at Max's arch rival, The Windmill, were better. Because I am always looking for information, Joan and I decided to try the latter restaurant the next night. There is no end to research I am willing to endure. So, the next night....

The Windmill

Back in 1964, almost directly across the street from Max's, the DeSantis family built a wind-mill shaped hot dog stand that became a fierce competitor of its neighbor. The original building still stands, too small to have indoor seating, one orders their hot dog, fries, drinks and whatever and dines al fresco or in an automobile. Since those days, the Windmill, after its purchase by Ed and Leo Levine, expanded to, at last count, 13 company-owned or franchised stores. The CEO of the operation, Rena Levy, daughter of Leo, has received accolades from the New Jersey Restaurant Association and, like Celia Maybaum, has been dubbed Queen of Hot Dogs. The Windmill, as reported by the New York Times, sells over 850,000 hot dogs a year; I have had about a dozen over the years! The Windmill chain has accumulated a list of celebrities who attest to its food; it has its share of government officials naming it as an attraction not to be missed. The chain has the word "gourmet" in its corporate name, Mrs. Levy explains, because they stress use of the most expensive and freshest ingredients. While the corporation is substantial in size and operations, the business is strictly a family affair. Several generations and more distant relatives all work in some aspect of the business, from high school students working the grills. That is probably why the operation is first rate and successful - and growing. (Would they someday expand to Florida, say, Tampa? One can only hope.)

The Windmill has a shorter menu than Max's; along with the specialty hot dogs, cheese and regular fries, onion rings and the expected chicken sandwiches, there are hamburgers and a steak sandwich. But first and foremost are the hot dogs. The Windmill operates a store for the retail sale of its hot dogs. We have, in the past, brought hot dogs back from New Jersey and have been disappointed. You just have to go there!

The hot dogs are slightly smaller than at Max's, and are accordingly a bit less expensive, but they are absolutely fantastic. They are slow cooked on a griddle and at increasingly hotter temperatures. At the end, we had our franks placed quickly on an open grill where they developed an ever crisper crust. Again, Joan added her sauerkraut and I piled on the red pepper relish. We both added mustard. Joan and I, accompanied by her brother and sister-in-law, added crispy French fries and onion rings, both top of the barrel.

I must confess that, although my hunger had abated, I ordered (and devoured) a second hot dog. Again, we passed up the beer and wine selections and opted for diet root beer. It took a long walk on the newly restored boardwalk to allow the meal to settle. I announced that I would never eat again, a promise that I kept until the next day's breakfast.

Now the hardest part. Which hot dog is better, Max's or the Windmill's?

I cannot state with assurance and it will take several more visits to be sure! Both hot dogs are similar, both are cooked perfectly. One bites into the crunchy crust and a burst of flavor fills the mouth. The ambiance is that which one would expect from beach-type places. If either place has an edge, it would be the Windmill where the counter staff was especially friendly and welcoming. They appeared to be genuinely pleased that we had come from Florida to partake of their food; at Max's, on the other hand, there was no attitude, welcome or otherwise.

But as I noted, many more visits are required to be sure!