Philippi HDJ Review – The Hot Dog Hut

Right next to the famous Philippi covered bridge rests a simple and unassuming brick building where The Hot Dog Hut serves up some halfway decent dogs. There's nothing flashy about the place, but the interior is spacious, clean, and comfortable.

One of the things I liked best about this place is that there is one flat price for hot dogs with whatever toppings you desire. This is a change from the standard menu offerings in this region of the state, which is usually chili, mustard, and onions (and ketchup if you're not careful), with slaw running extra. The list of toppings available at no extra cost, runs the whole gamut: the aforementioned ingredients as well as cheese, jalapeños, and sauerkraut.

As far as preparation goes, I was a bit amused by the attempt to place the chili and slaw side-by-side on the bun. It was a nice try, but after I unwrapped the wax paper, it looked like something of a car wreck. Looks aside, the overall product tasted good enough to just get by.

The bun was slightly warm yet stale, like it had been tossed in a toaster oven for a minute. This took away from the taste more than I anticipated, but not enough to make me give up on the dog. The beef in the chili was ground far too fine for a passable WVHD mix. There didn't seem to be a lot of liquid in the sauce, which would normally be a welcome thing. In this case it gave the chili a mealy texture, like you would find in a cheap chili that had cracker meal mixed into it. I didn't really find any of the said filler, but I also noticed that the spices were on the weak side. A little more chili powder or pepper flakes would've been a welcomed addition. In the end, the chili came through as more of a “safe” recipe in that it had a minimal beef flavor but not enough spice to cause any upset stomachs.

I couldn't really pick up anything notable about the slaw. It was cool and slightly sweet, but not over the top. In other words, they played it safe with the slaw (like the chili). The wiener and onions were adequate as well.

In the end, there's not a lot wrong with The Hot Dog Hut's version of a WVHD, but it's not necessarily great either. I don't know if I'd go out of the way to go get one, however. The Hot Dog Hut gets a “safe” three weenies.