Reggie's - Where You Get Service with a Smile

One of the things I've enjoyed most about retirement and our photo chasing road trips are the unexpected places we happen upon along our routes.  Sometimes it's an especially scenic countryside, or a spectacular sunset and sometimes our travels introduce us to some really special people.  That's how we met Reggie!

Last September John and I took a drive to Eagle Mills Cider Company, which could be a blog post of its own.  But on that trip, we decided to drive a little further to see Sacandaga Lake.   If you've been following this blog for a while, you already know that I grew up on Saratoga Lake which my Dad firmly believed was the best lake on earth and saw no reason to travel anywhere else.  So, no, I had never been to the Great Sacandaga.  On our way back home, starving, we had our eye out for somewhere to grab lunch.  By now it was mid afternoon and if you are familiar with that area between Broadalbin and Galway, you know there isn't much in the way of fine dining or fast food.   That is......until we happened on "Reggie's".

From the moment we approached Reggie's counter to order, Reggie made us feel like old friends.  His friendly demeanor, his smile, his warmth immediately make customers feel welcome and lucky to have spotted his unassuming food stand.  Although it was mid-September, Reggie's was hopping with customers.   We ordered hot dogs and fries (that day the fries were made from just sliced, fresh potatoes - yummy!!!, but the choices were vast and the prices are crazy reasonable.  Reggie has a bunch of picnic tables out front, covered by one of those party-type canopies.  Not only is Reggie friendly, so are his customers.   We spent a good hour there chatting with the previous Supervisor of Broadalbin, George Walter - under whose administration the new boat launch was built.  At one point, Reggie came out with a cup of his homemade soup for us to try.  Man, can that guy cook.  It was delicious and could have been just as easily served at a fine dining restaurant..    Reggie spent 50+ yrs as a butcher and when he retired, his food cart business was born.   That was 9 years ago!!  It is no wonder why a man with a little food cart on a corner in the middle of nowhere is busy still serving food 9 years later.

Reggie told us last September that he closes before Thanksgiving and goes to Florida for the winter, reopening sometime in April.  We were anxious to see Reggie again (who I considered an old friend), so this week we took a little drive and had lunch at Reggie's.   It was a cloudy and cool day on Tuesday, and we didn't arrive until about 1:30, but the stream of customers was steady.  It was apparent during both visits that Reggie's customers are regulars and Reggie treats them as such.  He knows them by name, at one point he even knew what the customer wanted - before he ordered!  As you watch this operation, it's like watching a man enjoying a pastime he loves.   Reggie greets his customer, takes his order and without making it look like work, he calmly prepares and delivers delicious food with a smile.  It's easy to see Reggie loves what he does as much as his regulars love him.  Now while this story is about a man - I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the food.   This time we again ordered hot dogs.  Hot dogs out always taste better than at home, right?  We opted for the German franks (that pop when you bite them).  I got mine with meat sauce and John got his with saurkraut.  We also made sure to order a cup (16oz) of Reggie's homemade vegetable beef soup!   It was steaming hot and delicious, brimming with fresh veggies and chunks of tender beef and tasted like something your Grandma might have made.   

 Friends can be found in unexpected places and I feel blessed to have met Reggie.  I feel confident that everyone who knows Reggie feels the same.   If you're ever out that way, Reggie is located on the corner of Pine Street and Route 29.   Stop and say hi and order a cup of soup and enjoy the hospitality and friendly folks who don't just stop by to grab a quick bite - they stop by because it's like going home!

Post Script:  July 2018 We went to visit Reggie last week and heard the sad news that Reggie Hotte passed away just this month.  What a great man he was!  He will be missed by many!  Godspeed Reggie....we know if there's food trucks in heaven, yours will have the longest line!

Thank you for allowing me to share my photos and thoughts with you!  And Have a Great Day!!!