Doogie's, Manchester

Doogie's opened in 1982 as the Char Bar, an eatery fusing seafood fresh from Maine's coastal waters with char-grilled barbecue. Ultimately, though, the seafood and char-grilled hot dogs trumped the more Southern specialty of barbecue, and Doogie's streamlined its menu, following the mantra of, "The secret to success is to do just a few things, but to do them very well." Today, one can stop in for fresh, breaded-to-order shellfish platters or the signature hot dogs (voted best hot dog in CT Magazine's 2014 Best of CT list) and featured in Everyday With Rachael Ray Magazine _ and in the _Man vs. Food tv show – available in 10-, 16-, and 20-inch lengths – in more than a dozen styles. The house-style includes dijon horseradish sauce and caramelized onions as toppings, a simple combination that nevertheless packs a powerful punch of flavor that once knocked a George Foreman grill out cold.