In the same reprobate family of outrageous belt busters as a slinger, a horseshoe, and poutine, the Rochester garbage plate was first created by diner man Alex Tahou during the Great Depression as a means of delivering maximum nutrition for minimum cost. Originally known as hots and potots—hots being the upstate New York term for hot dogs—the hash house extravaganza was renamed by Alex’s son Nick, who became a local legend as the proprietor of an eponymous open-all-night cafe, Nick Tahou Hots. There never was one single way to make a garbage plate, but as the name suggests, it necessarily includes many disparate ingredients, all presented on a sturdy cardboard plate. The base typically is fried potatoes and/or macaroni salad or possibly baked beans. Atop the starch(es) go a brace of grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, or cheeseburgers, or your choice of sausage, chicken, ham, fish, egg, or a grilled cheese sandwich. These typically are garnished with chili, mustard, ketchup, and chopped raw onions. Bread is also provided; it is helpful for pushing ingredients around on the plate.
The last word in kitchen-sink cuisine: A garbage plate at Nick Tahou Hots, Rochester, New York.