There have been numerous recommendations coming across the desk at WVHotDogs.com for Woody's Restaurant in Fairmont, some of which were very detailed and specific about how good the hot dogs were. I was a little doubtful about that, on account of the fabled Marion County "No Slaw" law. However, one of the latest recommendations received confirmed that slaw was available as an option.
As luck would have it, Woody's is relatively easy to find as it is only a few blocks from exit 137 of I-79. The small building rests along the somewhat busy Morgantown Avenue in a building reminiscent of a classic small HDJ. The interior and the seating remind me very much of Ritzy Lunch in Clarksburg, only about 3/4 smaller. Our readers had pointed out that the place fills up fast, particularly at lunch, and I found this to be the case on this visit. The customers were a motley collection, ranging from college students in no particular hurry to get back to class, families, businessmen, utility workers, and a group of seniors seeming to have a daily get together. Each and every one was feasting on hot dogs and nothing else. There was a nifty collection of photos featuring sports icons and celebrities lining the wall across from the food prep area.
Although visibly busy, my waitress was friendly and took enough time to tell me about the selections available. Slaw runs an extra twenty cents, but I'd say about half the people I glanced at had it on their hot dogs. My order was prepared and delivered lickity-split, even though people were still filtering through the door and ordering anywhere from four to a dozen dogs at a time.
Upon receiving my order, I was pleasantly surprised at how generous the portion of slaw was. It was particularly creamy and sweet with nary a taste of vinegar. It mixed well with the (medium) chili, which had just the right amount of spiciness to remind me that it wasn't mild, but at the same time not cause any sort of discomfort. The complexity of the chili was darn near one of the best ones I've sampled in a while. It had just the right amount of meaty flavor, coupled with the right consistency of ground beef in a nicely browned sauce. What stuck out the most about this sauce was that it didn't have clumps of meat, but a generous spread that ensured delectable goodness in every bite. The buns were steamed well enough to allow the dressing of the slaw and sauce from the chili to seep in, but not cause them to fall apart.
The wiener tasted of the bulk restaurant fare type, but was boiled to an acceptable level and held it's own. Overall, these hot dogs met or beat a lot of my expectations. The service was good, even though with the overwhelming crowd it had all the potential to go south. Woody's Restaurant scores a 4.5 weenie rating.
As luck would have it, Woody's is relatively easy to find as it is only a few blocks from exit 137 of I-79. The small building rests along the somewhat busy Morgantown Avenue in a building reminiscent of a classic small HDJ. The interior and the seating remind me very much of Ritzy Lunch in Clarksburg, only about 3/4 smaller. Our readers had pointed out that the place fills up fast, particularly at lunch, and I found this to be the case on this visit. The customers were a motley collection, ranging from college students in no particular hurry to get back to class, families, businessmen, utility workers, and a group of seniors seeming to have a daily get together. Each and every one was feasting on hot dogs and nothing else. There was a nifty collection of photos featuring sports icons and celebrities lining the wall across from the food prep area.
Although visibly busy, my waitress was friendly and took enough time to tell me about the selections available. Slaw runs an extra twenty cents, but I'd say about half the people I glanced at had it on their hot dogs. My order was prepared and delivered lickity-split, even though people were still filtering through the door and ordering anywhere from four to a dozen dogs at a time.
Upon receiving my order, I was pleasantly surprised at how generous the portion of slaw was. It was particularly creamy and sweet with nary a taste of vinegar. It mixed well with the (medium) chili, which had just the right amount of spiciness to remind me that it wasn't mild, but at the same time not cause any sort of discomfort. The complexity of the chili was darn near one of the best ones I've sampled in a while. It had just the right amount of meaty flavor, coupled with the right consistency of ground beef in a nicely browned sauce. What stuck out the most about this sauce was that it didn't have clumps of meat, but a generous spread that ensured delectable goodness in every bite. The buns were steamed well enough to allow the dressing of the slaw and sauce from the chili to seep in, but not cause them to fall apart.The wiener tasted of the bulk restaurant fare type, but was boiled to an acceptable level and held it's own. Overall, these hot dogs met or beat a lot of my expectations. The service was good, even though with the overwhelming crowd it had all the potential to go south. Woody's Restaurant scores a 4.5 weenie rating.
What prevented a perfect 5? Sounds like a great hot dog.
ReplyDeleteThis blog should of been titled "Big Daddy finds hot dog redemption at Woody's".
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you finally got a good dog to review. I guess the bad ones help you appreciate the great ones.
I can't say that this HDJ doesn't warrant another review for a possible higher rating. Perhaps someone will request a revisit (cough, cough...wink, wink...nudge, nudge).
ReplyDelete