Calling Chris James!!!!

New sign I saw in Huntington this week:

No more excuses, Diet Boy.

I expect a full report by Monday!

The Most Famous Hot Dog in NASCAR - What Say Ye?

NASCAR.com has an...ahem..."interview" with the Martinsville Speedway hot dog.  Silliness aside, I'd like to ask if any of our readers have visited this track and had one these supposed works of culinary art.

So, if you've experienced a Martinsville hot dog, let us know what you thought about it.

Original article link: 

http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/features/03/24/five.things.martinsville.speedway.hot.dog/index.html

Bridgeport Sort-Of-A-Review - Food Fresh

Let me preface this review by apologizing in advance.  I don't have an iPhone like the other cool kids. You'll have to bear with me and my cheap-o camera phone. On with the show.

As a general rule, I avoid convenience store style hot dogs. They tend to lack several key elements that make a hot dog enjoyable, namely style, slaw, and decent taste. At least that's the way it goes around this area. But a recent trip through Bridgeport had me making a stop for a couple some highly touted deli items at the Food Fresh supermarket. Imagine my surprise when a sign behind the counter touted hot dogs available daily from lunch time to 4:00 p.m. daily. I told myself this could possibly be a great find if some of the key ingredients were made on site, or a complete bomb. Only one way to find out.

First off, Food Fresh has one of the best prices on a hot dog around at only .89 cents (with added slaw). I had to tell the clerk twice not to add ketchup, but this isn't the first time. Once I got out and into the Big Daddymobile, I popped open the styro-coffin. The bun had a terrific, freshly steamed smell that invited further exploration. I have to say they seemed to have found a pretty good method to steam the buns (I believe it was of a Sunbeam brand), sans any form of a commercial steamer. The weenie was extremely scrawny, though, and just passable in temperature department. Must have been a rather cheaper brands sold here. Onions and mustard were acceptable. 

I found the chili to be tremendous. I recall during a trip here many months ago that this chili was marketed in take home containers as "Ritzy Lunch Hot Dog Chili". I can only assume there had been a falling out between the entities somewhere along the line, as it now carred the standard "Hot Dog Chili" 

label. That being said, this chili is really good. More on the thicker side, but just saucy enough to soak a little bit into the bun. The combination of beefy flavor of the meat and the well balanced spices got my attention from the get go and held on throughout the experience.  Very nice.

The slaw itself was a detriment. It was clearly of the prepackaged variety, as the visible containers in the prep area revealed. This was really big on the vinegar taste and low on the fresh, crispy, crunchy cabbage. On the other hand, Food Fresh does offer a version called "shredded slaw" that includes long strands of red and green cabbages, plus carrots. The taste is more in keeping with what a good WVHD should contain. Should you happen to venture in and try one for yourself, do make it a point to ask for the shredded slaw. Sure, it defies the rules of the slaw (i.e., finely chopped), but it does have a much fresher, creamier taste.

I can't really give the whole establishment a rating, but I can safely say the hot dogs themselves are okay in and of themselves. I'll rate Food Fresh at three weenies. 

Logan Area HDJ Video Review - Mecca Drive In

Ever since a story about this blog appeared in the Logan Banner over a year ago, I have received a large number of emails that claimed that the Mecca Drive In was superior to Morrison's. It took me a while to get back but this past weekend offered a chance for me to check it out.

With apologies to George Lucas and the people of Logan County, here is the video review, our second.

Pilgrimage to Mecca

Last weekend I was finally able to make my pilgrimage to Mecca (Loganites, you understand). The video review should be up in a few days.

Hurricane HDJ Video Review - Wing World and Hot Dog Heaven

In another sign that we take ourselves way too seriously, here is our first ever video review of a hot dog joint.

South Charleston HDJ Review - Smokey's Rib House

Smokey's Rib House sits on Chestnut Street in the Spring Hill district of South Charleston, just across and up the street from Spring Hill Pastry, which is where I was leaving when I first saw Smokey's. I was lured in by the wonderful aroma of smoked ribs, intrigued by the strange and eclectic menu that includes such disparate offerings as the aforementioned ribs, puffy tacos and beef curry. I was enticed by the presence of a hot dog on this menu.

And I was repulsed by the execution of said hot dog.

Really, it was the first time in the history of this blog that I have thrown a hot dog away after two bites. I can't even begin to describe how truly awful the thing tasted. The chili tasted like it was seasoned with toxic waste from a local chemical plant, the slaw tasted and looked old, the weenie had been cooked so long that it was the texture of a Slim Jim, and nearly the same diameter.

ZERO Weenies! If I allowed negative numbers I would use them here.

Updated update! Welcome WV Public Radio Listeners!

Update: The story ran again this morning and is now up as a story on the WVPR web site where you can either read the transcript or listen to the story, or both. Here's a link. They also put a proper photo on the story - Thanks Chris for pointing out the error of their ways.

This week's "Inside Applachia" featured a story by reporter Erica Peterson about West Virginia hot dogs. I was honored to be one of the authorities for the story. If you found your way to this blog because of that story, I hope you will find a welcome placeand that you will stay and look around the archives for a while. Please leave a comment, even if you are from the slawless north.

Poca HDJ Review - The Hungry Hound

Recently, as I was getting ready to throw away one of those advertisement-disguised-as-hometown-newspapers (I swear I must get ten of those things a week!) I noticed a "story" (ad) about a new HDJ that had opened in Poca. I quickly clipped the article (ad) and stuck it to my refrigerator lest I forget to check it out the next time I made it down to the Land of the Dots. After a few weeks I found myself as far as Cross Lanes at lunch time and so I decided to mosey on down to Poca to check out "The Hungry Hound". It was easy to find, partially because it is right where the headline in the article (ad) said it would be - just across from the fire station, and partially because of the huge and imposing sign out front. You know how people say "ya' can't miss it"?; this is what they mean.

The minute I walked in the joint I could see it was a place of distinction: A real hot dog joint. I could also tell it was a reincarnation of "The Cock of the Walk" that used to be in Dunbar; the menu board looks exactly the same as TCOTW and they even had the stuffed rooster that adorned the bar there. As I looked around I noticed there were articles about other restaurants the family had ties to, including Porkers BBQ in Cross Lanes and even a BBQ joint in Florida. The place was nice, neat, clean and friendly.

Yeah, but how about the hot dogs? I'm glad you asked.

The first thing I noticed was that the menu listed "West Virgina Hot Dogs" as a heading under which there were 4 different dogs listed: Hound Dog, Junk Yard Dog, Fat Dog and Fire House Dog. I picked the Hound Dog (which is actually THE W.Va. Hot Dog - having chili, slaw, mustard and onions listed as standard equipment).

The hot dog was well presented with a huge mound of creamy looking slaw and a goodly amount of chili peeking out from underneath. I could see that the weenie was grilled - nearly charred, but not quite. The onions were invisible and I can only assume they were hidden under the slaw. The only down side to the presentation was the coffin in which it was served.

The first bite proved that this dog wasn't all about looks: The slaw was as tasty as it was pretty and the chili, while lacking any spicyness, had a good texture and decent flavor. The grilled weenie had a little snap to it and the bun was soft.

We're gonna give this hot dog a 4 Weenie rating because, while all the parts were good or very good, it lacked any real synergy between the chili and slaw. The next time I go back I might ask for the spicy chili from the Fire House Dog just to see if it works better.

Overall The Hungry Hound is a nice little HDJ for those in the lower Kanawha Valley, but not a destination worthy of a road trip.

Romeo's Re-Opens, but not really

When a "closed" sign inexplicably went up on the door of Romeo's Grill in South Charleston last summer, it sent a shock wave through the WVHD world. You see, Romeo's is, in my opinion, THE measuring stick against which all other hot dogs are judged. When they closed their doors it was a horrible blow.

A month or so ago I started hearing rumors that Romeo's was re-opened under new management but I thought I would give the new owners a chance to get their stuff together. Time's up.

The new owners have spruced up the place a little and added some flat panel TVs along the wall. Other than that the place looks the same. Service seems friendlier than it was in the past and I was hopeful that the hot dogs would still be stellar.

Let me say this: I believe that the new owners must have gotten the recipe to the old Romeo's chili and slaw recipe, because the taste is very similar. But -- and this is a big but -- the execution is not the same. First of all, the old Romeo's grated their onions so fine you could barely see them on top of the finely grated slaw. Now they are chunky and sit on top of coarsely grated slaw. The taste, as I said, is pretty much the same, but I miss the creamy texture.

As for the chili, again I suspect it's the same recipe, but here's the difference: Old Romeo's chili was dark brown because it had been cooked long and hot. Cooking it long and hot caramelizes the sugars and enhances the taste more than any herb or spice ever could. This chili is barely cooked. It's not bad, but it's not Romeo's.

The buns are still steamed to order, which is great but it won't make up for the other shortcomings.

All in all I have to give Romeo's a 3 Weenie rating. Perhaps I am judging more harshly than I would another HDJ with the same hot dog, but it's hard to sit inside this once proud palace of hot dog royalty and dine on common food.

Lewisburg HDJ Review - Jim's Drive In

When all of the email recommendations from a particular town are for one hot dog joint, it usually means that it's very good. Sometimes, though, it means that there is only one hot dog joint in that town. I was concerned that Jim's Drive In fell into the latter category because I have received a lot of mail about this place, but when I decided to go to Lewisburg recently on a hot dog run I Googled and found no other HDJs from Rupert to Ronceverte; from Asbury to Alderson, or from Falling Spring to Fairlea. I hoped Jim's was going to be worth the trip. I also was concerned they would be open: I had heard that their hours were quirky, and with no other HDJs in the area the two hour drive was risky. But I threw caution to the wind and timed my trip to hit town at around 11:00 AM so I would have time to search out alternatives should I be shut out at Jim's. Fortune smiled on me. Kind of. To find Jim's you have to go through downtown Lewisburg and go just beyond the City Limit sign on Route 60. The building is small with very little signage except the ones attached to the building under the shade of the drive in awning. The car hop quickly was at my window to take my order, and was also quick and confident telling me what "everything" was: chili, slaw, mustard, onion and ketchup. Of course I ordered one without the red stuff. And onion rings. I got my hot dogs and rings in nothing flat. I mean fast service; and the rings were hot and crisp so I know that hadn't been sitting around long. Oh, and they were very good. The hot dogs were served up in a grilled New England Style bun and were loaded up very nicely with toppings. The slaw was beautiful to look at - finely chopped and creamy - but the taste was lacking of much flavor. It was mildly sweet, but that's it. The chili was very flavorful; not enough to make up for the lifeless slaw, but it was tasty, if not spicy. The red (or purple) onions were strong but applied sparingly enough as to not be a problem. The weenie was soft and rather bland tasting. All in all, this hot dog is adequate, but nothing to write home about. I immediately understood that Jim's is indeed in that second category of HDJs that I wrote of in the first paragraph; It might be the best in town, but that's nothing to brag about. Lewisburg has many fine restaurants but apparently no fine Hot Dog Joints. 3 Weenies.

Hillbilly Hot Dogs Gets Immortalized in Print

I recently received a copy of Guy Fieri's new book "Diners Drive-Ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip...with Recipes!" Hillbilly Hot Dogs is now a part of literary history as they are included in the book among some of the best of the best featured on the show.

As you all probably remember, the Food Network show of the same name paid a visit to Hillbilly Hot Dogs in Lesage in late 2007, with the episode airing in the spring of 2008. Included along with the recount of his visit, Guy also includes and adapted version of the "Rahall Red Hot Weenie" and the accompanying habanero sauce.

Throughout the book are whimsical reviews of his visits and great recipes from some of the more memorable episodes. This book is a great read for any fan of the show.

Happy New Year to all!

Open Thread: At home favorites

When I make a WVHD at home, I usually use Cavalier franks, Heiner's Sunny Buns, Gunnoe's slaw, and homemade chili sauce.

How'd you do it en su casa?

Charleston HDJ Review - Sub Shop

I like to think I make a difference in the world. Call it vanity, but sometimes I think I do.

The Sub Shop on Quarrier Street didn't used to sell hot dogs; now they do. I think that after they were reviewed by another local food blog, they wanted to be reviewed by this blog. That is why I believe they started putting up a sandwich sign on the sidewalk advertising hot dogs. It was like they were saying, "Please Stanton, don't pass us by!". Again, call it vanity but I think that's exactly what happened.

And so I heeded their call and tried their new hot dogs.

This little place looks has always looked like it ought to sell hot dogs; cozy and bright with a few inside seats and a bustling carry out business. I'll leave it the other blog to fill you in on the menu, and I'll just tell you that an "everything" dog has mustard, KETCHUP, onions, chili and slaw. Obviously a bad start, but I figured they are new to the hot dog biz; they'll learn. I ordered two without red stuff and waited. And waited. And waited. I was one of two customers and it was after the lunch rush. I waited some more.

While I waited I got to see how they go about preparing hot dogs. They nuke the buns; this is a huge no-no; sure it makes them soft and hot, but when they start cooling off they get tough and chewy. I also noticed that the slaw was being dished out of a regular bowl, not some food service package; that was a good sign.

When I got my hot dogs I noticed immediately the small caliber weenies. I had seen a "Boar's Head" sign in the window and I figured they might have used the premium weenies that "Boar's Head" offers, but these were not those. This weenie was small and tough. Actually, there is a possibility that it was a premium weenie before the life had been cooked out of it and it shrank to the diameter of a large pencil. When I bit it it was nearly as hard to chew as said pencil.

I must say, though, that in spite of the bun and weenie, the toppings were pretty good. The slaw, although served sparingly, was tasty and the chili was dark, meaty and had a nice little spiciness to it. The onions were sweet and mild. If these toppings had been placed on a better weenie and in a bun that hadn't been blasted into submission by microwaves, it would have been pretty good. As it is, though, it only ranks 2.5 Weenies.

My advice, if you are listening Sub Shop owners, is to get a bun steamer and some better weenies; do that and you will be able to compete with the big dogs downtown.

Charleston HDJ Review - Sabatino Brothers

Sabatino Brothers is a nice little storefront operation in one of the accessory strip malls at the Southridge shopping center. They have offered Philly-style cheese steak sandwiches since they opened, but except for a kiddie menu concession there have never been hot dogs on the menu. I always thought they were missing an opportunity because there is no other HDJ in the vicinity of Southridge, which on any given day has sufficient population to qualify it as one of the larger cities in West Virginia. So I was not at all surprised when I drove by recently and saw a sign advertising a hot dog special - 2 hot dogs, drink and chips for $4.99 - except for being surprised that it took so long. Restaurant owner John Smallridge is a saavy businessman and he should have seen the same opportunity long before I did.

So anyway, I braved the crush of the lunchtime Christmas shopping crazies and made my way to Southridge one recent afternoon so I could sample the new dogs. When I first got inside the door I saw that the special advertised outside could have french fries added for a buck. I went all out and got the special even though I wasn't planning on eating many of the fries. I was told that "everything" included mustard, onions, chili and slaw; a good start.

The first thing I noticed was the GINORMOUS hunks of onions sitting on top of the otherwise normal looking dog. Seriously, "coarsely chopped" would be a huge undertatement. These things were onionbergs; they could have sunk a small ship. They looked as if the prep chef had torn apart the onion with his bare hands. And if the size wasn't enough, the taste of the onions was almost chemical! They were the hottest and most bitter tasting things I have ever, ever had on a hot dog. Luckily they were easy to remove so after the first bite I didn't have to suffer their wrath.

Once I got past the unfortunate onionbergs, I found some pretty good tasting slaw (a little heavy on mayo) and decent chili that was far meatier than most. The bun was soft, but the weenie was even softer! The consistency of this thing was similar to a Vienna Sausage. It had apparently been sititng in a pot of water for a very long time. Some people claim a weenie should "snap" when you bite it; this one squishes.

The whole hot dog experience at Sabatino's was less than expected from a place that has such a nice and diverse menu. They could keep the chili, dry up the slaw and then put that grill to use and grill the weenies to order and they would have a nice hot dog. But the onions have to go.

I like the atmosphere and friendliness of Sabatino Brothers. They have an interesting menu and a nice comfortable place to sit and eat. It's hard to give this place a poor weenie rank because they have so much potential to provide the dogless masses of Southridge with proper sustenance. But we don't grade on potential. 2 Weenies.

Clarksburg HDJ Review - Dagwood's

After a long, unintended break from doing reviews, I decided it was time to get back to work and see what new offerings I could find in the hot dog realm. I took the opportunity to finally visit Dagwood's in Clarksburg, which I had heard has some of the best sandwiches in town. Dagwood's theme is based on the very same sandwich-loving comic strip character from your Sunday newspaper. Copyright infringement? Who knows. I'm not about to debate the specifics.

For those of you who can remember decades ago when downtown Clarksburg was more of the retail hub of the area, Dagwood's resides in the former Rex Hex News Stand building. Some minor remodeling has been done to the place, most notably a partition erected in the rear quarter of the shop that separates the kitchen area from the rest of the dining area. I say minor remodeling based on the fact that you get the impression that there is still more structural work that needs to be done at some point in time. But apparently the selling point is not the atmosphere, but the food.

Dagwood's menu boasts a menu of no less than 27 different sandwiches, in addition to pizza, pasta, soups, salads, gyros, wings, and more. Of course, hot dogs are also on the menu. You have the choice of the special, which for $3.49 will get you two hot dogs, fries, and a can of soda. If you wish, you can also get a twelve inch "foot long" for $5.50. Or, if that's too much, the menu says you can get an 8 inch "foot long". Yes, you read that right...an "8 inch foot long". Please leave your wisecracks in the blog responses section.

I've had the special once before. The hot dog themselves were rather plain, tasting no different than ones you would make at home. While the wiener was of the all-beef variety and perfectly grilled, that's about where the nicety ends. While the chili is extremely watery and bland in taste, it had remarkably a nice consistency to it. Then again, it's hard to overcome a flavor deficit. The cheap, floury buns didn't help matters. Slaw is available as a side item here, and you have to remember to order by the numbers. If you don't, you're getting ketchup along with the mustard, chili, and onions.

Now as far as these "foot longs" go, they are quite the study in trying too hard to be resourceful. The buns used in this matter are actually hoagie buns. The buns are cut in half and split open, baked in the oven until they're crispy. You receive four (count 'em....four!) wieners spread out so that each half of the sandwich has two wieners. Because there is ridiculously disproportionate amount of bun to weenie ratio, you wind up with the equivalent of four hot dogs. While this may or may not be considered a bargin, depending on how you feel about dishing out $5.50, you still get shorted on the toppings as you can see by the photo.

Dagwood's is a tough one to nail down. Obviously, the bread and butter of the business is the lunchtime sandwich sales. Hot dogs don't get the care and attention they deserve, but Dagwood's still tries to give some sort of value of the money. My theory: if you want any type of sandwich, this is the place to go. If you want a hot dog, you're better served heading to the likes of Ritzy Lunch, Hometown Hot Dogs, T&L, or if you want a true and respectable foot long, Grandma Cookies Hot Dogs. I'll give Dagwood's three weenies.

Welcome State Journal Readers

State Journal reporter Ann Ali has blessed us with a nice article in the most recent edition of West Virginia's business news weekly paper. If you have found your way here because of that article I hope you stick around a while and check out some of our archived posts.

We've been a little slow lately but now that the elections are over maybe we can get back to what makes this country great: hot dogs!

Thanks Ann!

New Martinsville HDJ Review - Scream n' Dogs

An old colleague in New Martinsville pointed out this little stand near the southwest end of the downtown business district. A pleasant fall day and a scenic overlook of the Ohio River were enough to make for an enjoyable lunch, but this place had two other bonuses going for it: first prize for probably THE most original name I've come across in the state yet (sorry Haught Diggity Dogz), and the for being the first place this far north that actually lists a West Virginia Hot Dog on the menu by name. I played dumb and asked exactly what comes on one. My friendly cashier put down what she was doing to use hand gestures to show me which layer had which toppings. Thankfully, they know what they're doing. Well, except for the styrofoam coffin. The price was a bit on the higher side at $2.00, but the upward prices are more likely the trend for the foreseeable future. I found the slaw to be of decent quality. The cabbage had a slight crispness to it, and a decent sweet/tang to the dressing. The consistency New England Style bun but didn't saturate it. I thought that putting the rather chunky bits of onion on top of the slaw instead of the chili was a rather interesting concept. Nothing wrong with it, mind you, just something different. The chili (and it was called "chili" here, not "sauce") was much sweeter than I'm accustomed to and seemed to be a bit skimpy in the amount of beef in it. Still, it managed to work really well with the other ingredients and was both enjoyable and satisfying. The service was very good. The hot dogs are very, very good. The name is certainly original. Scream n' Dogs is good enough to rate four weenies. This even takes into account the half-weenie deduction for the use of a New England Style bun instead of a regular bun. Beyond that, I'm still thrilled to find someone get the concept of a real West Virginia Hot Dog spot on, rather than just calling it a "chili dog with slaw".

Hurricane Hot Dog Joint: Wing World Plus Hot Dog Heaven WV

If there is one way to describe my whole experience and Wing World Plus Hot Dog Heaven WV, it would have to be "half-bunned."

Within my first two minutes in the joint, I personally witnessed three instances of tension between the owner and employees. At that point, I really, really should have left. But, ever intrepid (meaning stupid), I order up a dog with chili, slaw, onions, and mustard.

The weenie was of the same quality as my grade school cafeteria after the Reagan budget cuts in the 80s and was about as waterlogged as one of the trees left in Gad for bass habitat.

The sauce was okay, but reminded me of a bland knockoff of Hot Dog Stand chili sauce. Think of Full House's fourth season. Very TGIF.

The slaw was from a national supply company of some sort, as there were bits of pickle relish and other odd bits of vegetable matter that no self-respecting WV would ever put in something that might end up on a hot dog. I imagine that one of the gang over at Fork You could even tell you the location of the plant where it was made (my guess: Wenatchee, Washington).

The whole thing was served out-of-order, too, as mustard was slopped all over the place. Either Jackson Pollack was back there making my dog, or the weenista just didn't give a crap.

I'm not saying that places like Romeo's or Sam's or T&L are using kobe beef and organic cabage or anything like that, but they have found a taste and a certain level of quality that their customers appreciate and match the price point accordingly. While they are in business to make money, they also have a certain level of respect for quality control. This place seems to be using cheap ingredients and selling them at a standard price for a WV hot dog ($1.19 + tax) in order to maximize profit.

With a bunch of fair to good HDJs 'tween Scott Depot and Culloden, this place better have great wings. Otherwise, they totally fail to justify their existence.

Half-bunned, half of a score: 2.5 weenies

New Martinsville HDJ Review - Choo Choo's Restaurant

Just when I think I've seen it all in the hot dog culinary arts, along comes a new take on an old favorite. A return to New Martinsville gave me the opportunity to pay visit to Choo Choo's Restaurant. Word of mouth from some associates was that this was a fantastic diner with some terrific classic diner-style offerings, and they did indeed offer up a couple of unique hot dogs that I was told I wouldn't find anywhere else.

When I took a gander at the menu, I saw a listing for a "deep-fried hot dog". My associate quickly told me that what I really wanted was the "1/4 lb. chili dog with slaw". Okay, I thought, let's see what they can do. The waitress asked if I wanted chili or sauce, telling me that chili was indeed "chili...the kind you eat by itself as a meal. The sauce is the kind you want for a hot dog like this." I'll give them bonus points for at least paying attention to detail. This will likely reopen the whole 'slaw vs. chili' debate. Once my order came, I finally had a visual reference for the term "ginormous". The all-beef wiener was split length-wise and grilled in a manner that gave it a faint hint of hickory. The wiener may have weighed in at 1/4 pound, but I'd guess that the slaw and chili likely made the total weight well over 1/2 pound. Some of the most delicious beer-battered onion rings I ever had rounded out the awesome platter. The hot dog was on the pricey side, coming in at over $2.75, but not as expensive as Hank's Deli in Fairmont.

The sauce was teeming with beefy goodness, with just a lightly measured amount of red pepper flakes mixed in for the right amount of flavoring. The beef wasn't ground too fine as you might normally find. The I personally like it a bit spicier, but I think this variation strikes a nice balance that all hot dog fans will enjoy.

I found the slaw to be crunchy, cool, and sweet all at the same time, indicating exceptionally fresh ingredients. It doesn't have an overdose of dressing to disintegrate the bun, which for me is a more than welcome thing.

I'm a fan of good old side-of-the-road diners, and Choo Choo's is now on my list of favorites. Extra-friendly service, generous portions (even with the hot dogs), and an expansive menu...they have it all. There's no reason to give anything less than five weenies to Choo Choo's.