Excellent | Worth a Detour
Bethel Hot Dog Palace
Review by: Michael Stern
The Bethel Hot Dog Palace, which has dubbed itself “A Great American Diner,” used to be the Roadside Chili House, and although the name has changed, the cuisine’s the same. The star of the show is not chili (it never was), but a foot-long, natural-casing Hummel brand hot dog that comes covered with chili. You also can get the dog with cheese, bacon, and/or onions. If your frankfurter aesthetic is of the Bauhaus school, you can have it plain, presented in a nice, grill-toasted bun. The ultimate configuration, with everything on dog or burger, here here known as Texas-style.
The chili is fine-grind beef with a just a whisper of tongue-tingling kick. Containing no beans or other vegetables, it’s more a meat sauce than a meal; and I would imagine that a bowl full of it would be monotonous. On hot dogs or hamburgers or piled onto French fries, it’s a dandy halo.
To drink, on the side: a milk shake, please. Available flavors include chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and orange Creamsicle.
Directions & Hours
Information
| Price | $ |
| Seasons | All |
| Meals Served | Lunch, Dinner |
| Credit Cards Accepted | Yes |
| Alcohol Served | No |
| Outdoor Seating | Yes |
What To Eat
Bethel Hot Dog Palace Recipes
Discuss
What do you think of Bethel Hot Dog Palace?
One Response to “Bethel Hot Dog Palace”
Pete Maxfield
April 5th, 2008
Having visited a few of the local hot dog restaurants, the Bethel Hot Dog Palace still remains my favorite. The reason it does so is for one important reason: the hotdogs aren’t grilled or boiled, they’re fried. They have a great crunch when you bite them. The flavor is slightly different from a “normally” cooked dog but you certainly know it’s a hot dog.
My favorite is just the good old-fashioned chili dog. The chili has a heat that sneaks up on you but isn’t overpowering at all; it’s basically all loose meat, which I also really enjoy. I’ve tried it with cheese as well but honestly, I couldn’t taste the cheese. The buns are toasted slightly so they have a nice texture. The chili is a little bit oily so a little bit gets absorbed into the bun. The dogs are footlongs, so two chili dogs are more than enough for me without any sides (fries or onion rings).
For me, the hot dogs are good enough to stop by just for them.