Speed’s Hot Dogs, Newmarket Square, Roxbury

Immediately after eating Speed’s loaded hot dog, a whitehead appeared on my nose. Now I understand that correlation doesn’t equal causation, but  the smell of grilled pork that emanated from my pores for the rest of the afternoon provided converging evidence.  Why is this relevant? Well, you certainly won’t want to go for a run after downing this beauty, in fact you will probably want to take a nap or stare blankly into space for a bit. Your self-esteem could take a hit, you might need to buy new pants, strangers might stand a bit farther away from you in elevators,  but this hot dog is so good it is worth all the bodily malfunctions and social repercussions that might ensue.  The Wall Street Journal called Speed’s hot dogs the best in the country. They are as good as advertised. While $7 might seem a bit steep for a cart hot dog, the loaded dog (special sauce, mustard blend, onions) is a steal considering the massive size and how damn delicious it is. Service moves a little slow, I was 8th in line and waited around 10 minutes for mine. Cash only.

Speed’s is tucked away in Newmarket Square, but easy enough to find. Coming from Boston just take a left off Mass Ave onto Newmarket Square road and you will see it on your right shortly. For those in Boston for July 4th they are setting up shop on the corner of Beacon and Clarendon from 9am until all the dogs are gone.

Loaded

 

M&M BBQ: corner of Hampden and Norfolk, Dorchester

I speed down the side streets of Dorchester, my friend Scott in the passenger seat, looking for anything that might resemble a bbq truck. A food truck for workers brings me to a screeching halt, but we drive on disappointed. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I see it. On the other side of a chain link fence a large letter M amidst the abandoned semi’s. M&M BBQ. Or Big Moe’s BBQ, to some. Hidden in a dirt lot is what is hyped up to be one of the better BBQ spots in the Greater Boston Area. We pull up on the curb outside the lot and head over to the tent from which emanates the most intoxicating smell of charred meat, frying oil, and spicy sauce. The menu isn’t large, but includes all bbq regulars (ribs, chicken, brisket, etc..) with a few interesting additions (pig’s feet, ox-tail; pig’s feet available on fridays and saturdays, ox-tail depends on the market). Scott and I both went with the $10 combo plate of ribs, chicken, and a choice of two sides. I opted for the potato salad and spicy rice and beans, Scott for the mac and cheese and collard greens. The woman who served us, who I believe is Little Moe, Big Moe’s daughter, was very sweet and happy to see us salivating over the metal trays she was filling with meat. Our only option was taking the food to go. Moe’s doesn’t have indoor seating, and it didn’t have any outdoor seating today either, though it was raining out and I hear there is occasionally a picnic table or two lying around the lot.

The food was damn good. Ribs nice and tender, chicken had been deep-deep fried, and both smothered in a flavorful bbq sauce with a kick that crept up on you at the end. Best wings I’ve had. They somehow maintained their crispiness even while under a lagoon of sauce. There were a few hairs still on them, but at least they weren’t Little Moe’s. And if you’re squeamish about that then maybe you shouldn’t be getting your bbq from a truck in a dirt lot. Scott’s sides were forgettable and mine were solid, but honestly, that didn’t matter. I don’t go to a bbq truck for the veggies, and neither should you. I go for the kind of food fit to put me in a coma on my couch. And that it did. So here I sit, belly swollen from the best bbq I’ve had in a good long while. The truck has been known to move around from time to time, so do a little research before heading over, but it’s definitely worth the hunt.

 

Dessert Truck: Satan Is Trying To Lure Me To New York

Why do things like dessert trucks have to exist only in New York?