Admittedly, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first went to hot dog joint Heid’s of Liverpool. In the age-old question of “hamburger or hot dog?” nine times out of 10, I would choose the former.

Ever since I learned about preservatives and food processing, I’ve usually turned my nose up to hot dogs. So going to a hot dog place — something I had never seen in my home state of Massachusetts — was definitely going to be an experience.

I was impressed by Heid’s food, and it’s definitely changed my opinion on hot dogs.

Heid’s is located on Route 370 in Liverpool, about a 15-minute drive from the Syracuse University campus. Getting there was a bit of a challenge because, as a conditioned back-country road driver, navigating the different highways proved to be a challenge. Since this was my first time driving myself in the Syracuse metropolitan area, the experience did have a bit of a learning curve. After losing my way a few times and Siri getting annoyed at me for not listening to her directions, I made it to the restaurant.

Heid’s menu is made up of almost entirely hot dogs, with a solid choice of different all-American sides. They also feature some other options like chicken fingers and grilled cheese. I’m sure both of them are delicious, but going to Heid’s means ordering a hot dog — end of story.

One rather strange menu item that I noticed is their Doubles option. They serve two franks in one bun, two Coneys in one bun and even offer the choice of one of each in one bun.

All the items on their menu were reasonably priced, averaging at about $4 for a dog or sausage, which makes it totally affordable for even the most broke of college students.

I ordered their traditional frank as well as a kielbasa with kraut, short for sauerkraut, or German pickled cabbage. As a side, I tried the fries and a chocolate milkshake to drink.

Just like its website assures, “There’s just nothing like the taste of a Heid’s hot dog.” The frank I had was so different from other hot dogs I’ve eaten. It had almost a chicken-like lightness to it, even though the dogs are made with beef, pork and “secret spices,” as Richman said. As someone who’s not a huge fan of hot dogs, I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to look at Kayem’s again. If all hot dogs tasted like Heid’s, I would eat more of them.

The kielbasa, too, was delicious. I had never eaten sauerkraut before, and I was excited to try it. I ate it with a tastefully spiced homemade brown mustard, and bless the central Europeans for bequeathing this gift to humanity. The sausage itself was cooked to perfection.

The fries were good too, but they were a little mushy for my personal taste. If for no other reason, order a side of fries and a milkshake just to create the famous ’50s combination. This is the ultimate sweet-and-salty combination and can never be replaced by the newfound craze for salted caramel.

The shake itself, when I wasn’t using it as a condiment, was thick and creamy. No Johnny Rockets, McDonald’s, Wendy’s or whatever concoction will have anything on this shake. I could tell it was homemade, but I don’t think I could ever make a shake like this myself. They must have some other hundred-year-old recipe for the shakes as well.

Overall, I would definitely list Heid’s as one of my new favorite restaurants in the area. The drive to Liverpool is a necessary pilgrimage for any SU student. Heid’s is more than a diner. It’s an integral part of the Syracuse story, Syracuse culture, and it’s a shame to go four years on campus without ever exploring the world around the Hill.

Published on March 6, 2016 at 7:26 pm

Contact: cmrussel@syr.edu | @caseymrussell