The Original Boston Frosty

I went for a stroll through Boston’s Public Garden on the last day of summer.

 

That’s where they have the world famous Swan Boats.

 

When I left the park, I was headed for the Arlington T stop (that’s the subway for you non- Bostonians) which is right across the street from the Arlington Street Church.
Right there, at the corner of Arlington Street and Boylston Street, is one of Downtown Boston’s longest standing food trucks!

The Original Boston Frosty.

 

Note the mural painted on the back of the truck which pays homage to the book that made the Swan Boats famous, Make Way for Ducklings.
The Original Boston Frosty truck has been in this spot for 22 years! Owner Peter Costa was working a gig with his other truck. Minding the store was Brian Foley, an obvious long time Bostonian.
How do I know that? He was telling me about how he used to sneak up on the billboard across the street from Fenway Park “back in the day.” He also remembers when the bleachers at Fenway were fifty cents a seat and they actually had bleacher seats! He had a bunch of other interesting stories too; like the one about the doorman at the Ritz who was Boston’s biggest drag queen by night, but this is Hot Dog Stories…..
He told me another one about a shnazzy wedding party who came over to the truck after taking pictures in the Public Garden and woofed down hot dogs in their full , formal wedding attire! I have a feeling Brian could tell quite a few colorful stories, but he had work to do. By all accounts, he seems to be well suited to his job. He greeted customers with a joke and a smile and he even gave a lady directions: “one dollar for the wrong directions, two dollars for the right ones!”
Brian’s been working at Boston’s Original Frosty for two seasons and doesn’t want this glorious summer to end. Unfortunately, they pack it in for the season when the chilly winds start blowing. The Original Boston Frosty closes “Novemberish” and opens up again when things clear in March. During the season, they’re open from 10 AM until 9:30 PM. As they coast towards November, they close a bit earlier-“6ish.”
Mrs. Hotdogman would like Brian; he’s polite and courteous to every customer. “Being polite,” he claims, “goes a loooong way in this business.”

 

One very unique thing about this truck is it’s a GREEN MACHINE. The picture says it all.
The truck itself is a 1997 Chevy Step van with a Grumman body. The inside was custom built out to basically be an ice cream parlor on wheels. Brian said this brand new build out cost north of $100K. The truck looks it too- it gleams and it looks so much newer than most of the trucks you see out there. Part of the reason is the meticulous maintenance schedule: Brian breaks the whole truck down weekly and cleans everything.
This bad boy was almost as clean as my mom’s kitchen! (winks at mom)

Now you may be thinking, “hey, this is an Ice Cream Truck, not a Hot Dog Truck!”
Au contraire, mon frere- they serve hot dogs too! “All Beef Beantown Hot Dogs” are what they’re called here.

 

Brown and yellow mustard, relish, and ketchup are the self serve condiment options at The Original Boston Frosty. Brian loads the onions and the sauerkraut on the dogs for you.

 

They serve up a Dietz and Watson All Beef Frank that’s been lightly grilled. It comes on a fresh sub roll type bun- a regular bun wouldn’t hold this chubby dog. I dressed mine All Around Brown…

 

…then I CHOWED DOWN in downtown Beantown!

 

Eating this dog was almost like eating a sausage. It had a substantial texture and a Pearl like spiciness and the signature snap when I bit into it. These would be excellent on the grill at home.
A definite TWO THUMBS UP!
Whether you grab an ice cream or a hot dog, make sure you tell the folks at the Original Boston Frosty, “the Hotdogman sent me.”

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