Charleston HDJ Review - The Daily Grind Computer Solutions and Coffee Shop

A "computer solutions" business that sells hot dogs? This place on Washington Street East just two blocks from the capitol complex does just that. Coffee too.

The first time I went to this place I chickened out at the door. The door itself is not very inviting (in fact it is a bit off-putting) and I was already skeptical about eating a hot dog made by a computer geek. But after my initial visit I posed the question to the Facebook mob and asked for their advice. They unanimously told me to go for it, apparently not giving one iota about my health and welfare. I'm thinking of taking them all out of my will.

So spurred on by the crowd, today I went through the door. Once across the threshold it wasn't nearly as scary as it seems from the outside. I placed my order at the window with two very nice and friendly people who looked nothing like computer geeks. "Everything" includes ketchup but it was easily deleted from the order.

The place inside looks much more like an office than it does a restaurant, with seating for 12 or so at two tables and a lunch counter. My hot dog was brought to my table and served with a smile and I was concerned about it right away because of the sparsely applied and very coarsely chopped slaw.

My first bite was surprising, not because of the taste but the texture and temperature. The buns were out of the bag room temperature (which was a little chilly today) but still very soft. The weenie was also very mushy as if it had spent several days soaking, as Chris James likes to say, in a pool of its own filth. But my negative remarks about this hot dog end here.

The slaw was delicious as was the meaty (but not spicy) chili; the two went together perfectly. And the weenie tasted fine despite its waterlogged condition. While the hot dog could have been better if the bun was steamy warm, it was still very good. 4 Weenies.

Surprising results from an unusual HDJ. Capitol workers, this is defintely the best hot dog within walking distance for lunch, so I encourage everyone to try it and tell them you read about it on WVHotDogs.com.