James KennedyOnly at the Greylock Glass can you find Unsung Eats; the column that takes the guesswork out of where to find great local grub for short money.
I’ve driven by the Hot Dog Ranch in North Adams before, and when I checked out their menu online I saw that their daily specials were actually very affordable home-cooked–style meals so I decided to take them for a spin.
It was Thursday, and the daily special was Beef Stew for $6.25. After I sat down at one of the high tables in the front window, Debbie came to take my order. Debbie seemed to be running the show and also plated my lunch. The Beef Stew arrived with two slices of a Canadian white bread and four pats of butter. I could go on and on with a bunch of fancy culinary words like intense, deep, earthy or silky but the bottom line is this Beef Stew was just plain damn good; just like your mom used to make with rustic sized pieces of beef roast, potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery. The bread came in handy for dipping into the rich gravy, and the whole meal was full of flavor—I was very impressed.
The Hot Dog Ranch’s daily home-style specials range from meatloaf and fries with gravy to steak tips with onions, peppers, and cheese, with, of course, Fish and Chips on Friday. All can be found in their online menu at hotdogranch.net.
There was plenty of parking outside and plenty of room inside. Sports were on one big screen and the Price is Right was on another. The older couple sitting behind me also ordered the Beef Stew and I overheard them giving their stamp of approval as well.
The Hot Dog Ranch may be known for their hot dogs, but the next time you’re looking for great local grub on the cheap, you can’t beat their stick-to-your-ribs home-style specials.
I’ll definitely be back!
I like that they have a side door in back where you can order “to go.”