Charleston HDJ Review - Sam's Hot Dog Stand - Hale Street
The now former radio talk show host, Jerry Waters, told me at our recent rendezvous at Chris' that he preferred Sam's Hot Dogs on Hale Street to any HDJ in town. I told him that I have never had a really good hot dog from there and he implored me to try again. So I did.
This time I opted for the "hot" version. It was much better than any I had eaten there before. The chili has a nice little kick (although nothing like what Marion Countians call a "kick") and the slaw is creamy and a little bit sweet (although nothing like folks in southern WV call "sweet"). The bun was lightly steamed (although nothing like what folks in central WV called "steamed") and
pretty fresh (although nothing like what Huntingtonians call "fresh").
The one thing that remained exactly the same, though, as on my previous visits was that the weenie was completely waterlogged. This was my major complaint with this Sam's location before and I have since found this same trait at other Sam's locations.
But in spite of the waterlogged weenie I will admit to Jerry that this hot dog is a couple of cuts above the average. If the weenie were better I'd give Sam's Hale Street another half-Weenie, but a 4 Weenie rating is all I can earnestly award right now.
10 comments:
I hate to do this to your health, but keep the content flowing. I added you to my google reader.
I was driving back from McDowell County through Logan yesterday and treated myself to a Morrison Drive-in WVHD. Yum. Wish I would of gotten a milk shake, too.
This is the only Charleston Hot Dog Joint I've ever eaten at, as it's pretty close to my old office. I like the mild better, but the dog is pretty good. More interesting though is standing in the long line watching people, and watching the lady in the back make dog after dog after dog with the skill and precision of a surgeon.
$5 says that our guy at 8th St. could kick her butt in a weenie dressin' contest.
I'm not big fan of the boiled weenie, and I prefer my dog in a coffin, but I love the Hale St. hot dogs! I eat there at least once a week, sometimes twice.
Could be I just like yelling my order out when the line is ten deep in there...:D
BTW- I received my WV Hot Dogs hat today (courtesy of Mrs. Lantern and wvhotdogs.com) and it's great. In fact I'm wearing it right now!
Thanks Stanton!
I think that was a pretty fair evaluation coming from a guy that loves what I call "the old fashioned nasty yellow onion hot dogs that every beer joint in town sold 50 years ago" mentality.
Myself.. I HATE sweet too sweet slaw. I hate Bob Evans slaw, and Captain Ds slaw and any slaw that I call "Ohio Sweet Slaw". Hot dog slaw should be a Marzettis type: A little more sour than sweet IMHO.
The one thing I did notice the last time I was at Sams on Hale, was that the weenie seemed a little... small. As though the original diameter had shrunken down to two thirds the normal plumpness. (I'll ask her about that).
But still.. a good dog and definitely better than any dog on West Washington St! :)
Jerry
Oh.. one other thing:
http://www.mywvhome.com/sams.htm
;)
Sky obviously knows more about photography than he does about hot dogs!
Hey Sky: Sour slaw and sweet onions? Are you sure you're not from North Carolina?
Really... "sweet" when it relates to onions is like saying a gallon of Kool-Aid is sweet after applying one tablespoon of sugar! A sweet onion isn't normally all that sweet (like an apple might be) but it isn't nearly as STRONG as a yellow onion either. Remove that nasty strong taste and you've won half the battle, and that onion tastes sweet by default.
Anyway... I'd much rather debate hot dogs over politics ANY day! :)
Does anyone remember the A&W hot dogs? I cut my teeth on those things and, in junior high, could get 'em 3 for a buck. Put a creamy pint of cold root beer with that and it was heaven! THOSE were real W.Va. hot dogs with all the criteria Jerry mentioned intact.
I couldn't agree more, Ron. Nothing is better than frozen rootbeer with great hot dogs.
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