Relishing Sausages in Belmar

Imagine you love a good chili dog. Let's say the chili has been slowly stewing for hours, and the hot dog is super-duper Kosher. (In New Jersey and New York City, that means they taste awesome -- we are talking brands like Nathan's, Hebrew National, or something local). You raise this delectable -- but heartburn causing -- bit of junk food to your mouth, but chili slides off and splatters onto your plate. You then eat your hot dog and then spoon the topping. What was meant to be a singular dish has become a hot dog with a side.  This is usually what happens when you overload a hot dog. I blame bread mechanics and the incision needed to place a sausage at the center of a baguette or a roll. It results in the open space where said topping can and does slide away from. 

Somebody in Belmar, New Jersey has found a genius workaround. The place is called Relish.  I love the name, because Relish is both a noun and a verb. To relish something is to greatly enjoy it. Also, a relish is something you put on a hot dog, a sausage, or some other type of tubed meat. Belmar's Relish is special their relishes are all made on site and according to special recipes. 

So, okay. The toppings are nice and special. Fine? What keeps them from sliding off you hot dog once you tilt it towards your mouth? This place has decided to cut a sandwich loaf in half and impale both ends onto spikes. This makes a hollow cavity where your sausage and all other condiments cand find a home. This means bread completely surrounds everything and keeps it in one place. 

The options here are not only limited to frankfurters. Sweet and hot Italian sausage is available, and so are ones made from lower fat meats like turkey and chicken. It's places like Relish that make me fully appreciate the New Jersey Shore every time I come here to visit family. Good food is not only just fancy fine dining; it's something as simple as sausage and bread done extremely well.