Skeenies Hot Dogs Annual Event Returns November 28-29

For many Charleston area hot dog lovers, Skeenies Hot Dogs is a sacred spot. First opening in July of
1953 and continuing in business until March of 2018, it served hundreds of thousands of delicious hot dogs and other fast food fare through the pickup window to hungry patrons at its original location at 2399 Sissonville Drive. 

When it ceased operations in 2018 it left a giant hole in the hot dog culture of the Kanawha Valley. Thankfully, for the past several years Karen Skeen, the daughter of the founder, has made the trip to West Virginia on Thanksgiving weekend to recreate the magic of Skeenies for two days only. 

Karen says she holds these sales to honor her family. "They were good people and hardworking people, said Karen. "The main things they cared about were taking care of each other and taking care of Skeenies.  I hold these sales to try to keep a tiny bit of all of that alive."

In comments on our Facebook page about the event, many people ask why it's only a once a year event, and wonder why Skeenies just doesn't reopen for good, as if that would be an easy thing to do. Karen, the last of the family members, now lives in Florida. She also is the only one with the secret recipe for the chili that made Skeenies so successful. We think that hot dog lovers should just be thankful for the annual event.

Another common question is why they didn't name it "Skeenies Weenies." According to Karen, the name of the restaurant was born from the franchising effort. A customer suggested to her father that he should add "ies" to his name and and call it "Skeenies Weenies."  

"My mother said my dad didn’t like Skeenies Weenies," said Karen, "because he was attempting to franchise the name and product in other states so he wanted the name to be a little more respected. At one point my dad had franchises in 13 states but he didn’t feel the franchisees were putting out a quality products so he stopped the franchises."

While the name “Skeenies" still graces the sign that sits proudly above the building on Sissonville Road, franchises were known as "Skeenies West Virginia Hot Dogs."

So the day after Thanksgiving is known in many parts as "Black Friday," but for hot dog fans in Charleston, it has become "Skeenies Friday."

This year's event will take place on Friday, November 28 and Saturday, November 29. Hours both days will be 11:00  - 7:00.

We hope to see you there!

Montgomery HDJ Review - Taylor Made Restaurant & Bar

This new restaurant opened up this year in a space formerly occupied by Leslie's Restaurant & Pub. Back in 2022 when we reviewed Leslie's hot dogs, we said it was certainly the best hot dog in Montgomery and it garnered a solid 4 Weenie rating. Would Taylor Made hold up the tradition?

We weren't sure if Taylor Made was serious about hot dogs or not, based on their social media postings. They seemed to always have a dinner special and have recently featured Oyster Po' Boys and Corned Beef and Cabbage. Looking back through older posts we saw cabbage rolls, fish sandwiches and many other things, but they didn't seem to brag much about their hot dogs.

We noticed on the menu that the restaurant seemed proud that they offered "Connie 'Big Momma" Humphrey's Chili," but we confess that we don't know Big Momma so we weren't sure if that was a good thing or not. But we were pleased that they listed the correct toppings for a hot dog on the menu with no extras like ketchup or cheese. That's always a good sign.

We placed our order and while we waited we could not help but notice how incredibly noisy the place was, even though there were only a few diners in the room. Music playing over the tinny speakers of a TV in the corner was competing with a couple of loud diners and the incessant music and sound effects emanating from a child's iPad on which he played games. Adding to the din was one single diner watching YouTube videos on his phone with no regard for the volume, and the corrugated tin walls of the space only amplified the sonic chaos. It's hard to imagine how loud it must be when maximally occupied.

When we got our hot dog, it looked pretty nice sitting beside the onion rings we ordered to go with it. Well-assembled and neat, it was a good visual example of a modest Genteel Dog. At first, though, the bun looked a little crusty to have been steamed, but it turned out to be neither steamed or crusty. 

Big Momma's chili was nothing to excited about, tasting like most upper-Kanawha Valley hot dog chili we've had with the dominant flavors being salt and chili powder, but it was a good consistency. The slaw was also finely grated but lacked flavor and was a tad dry. It paired properly with the chili, however, so we'll give it passing grade.

The weenie was grilled and tasted fine but was a bit tough. The onions were nicely chopped and applied. The mustard -- if it was there at all -- was not evident. 

Overall the hot dog was a disappointment and we can only give it a 2 Weenie rating.  And while we try

hard to not allow atmosphere to affect our hot dog rating, after suffering through the noise and chaos and then seeing the menu sitting by the register with a band-aid on it, it was hard to give Taylor Made the benefit of the doubt. 

Poca HDJ Review: Valley Cakes and Cafe

Sitting on the main route through Poca (home of "The Poca Dots") is this nice little place that is a bit of everything. It's a bakery, coffee shop, tea room, party space and gift shop. Decorated in country style with more stuff per square foot than a Christmas sale at Michaels, its interior belies its basic square and gray exterior.

Once you get past the gift shop area, you walk into the main seating area of the restaurant, but not before passing the entry to the large party room that looks like it could hold a small church congregation. Next you'll see a baked goods case offering some delectable and decadent cakes, pops and cookies, and another cooler nearby has a supply of cheesecakes and other cold treats. At the rear is a counter with a coffee menu and just to the right is the ornate entrance to a very large tea room. 

Oh, and they also cater. 

Everyone we encountered during our visit was a nice as could be, and soon a waitress said we could sit wherever we liked. On the tables were centerpieces of artificial flowers in bold fall colors, as well as an appetizer menu. Once we were given regular menus we noticed that it was mostly limited to panini sandwiches, wraps, burgers and salads, but of course there were hot dogs or why else would we be there?

Now we've written for years that hot dogs are almost an obligatory item on any small town West Virginia restaurant, and usually that is a good thing. Often time restaurants will only have hot dogs on the kids menu, but many have found that their adult customers ask for them and jump on the bus. But obligatory things often become second-class, quality-wise, as eateries don't take them as seriously as other, more profitable items. And that is what has seemingly happened here.

First, the hot dog toppings offered on the menu are all over the place, which is usually a sign that a restaurant isn't serious about hot dogs. It included "your choice of chill [sic], coleslaw, onions,
mustard, ketchup and cheddar cheese." Ketchup is bad enough, but cheddar cheese? Come on.

When the super-friendly and efficient waitress arrived, we ordered our hot dog with chili (not "chill"), slaw, mustard and onions and after a fairly long wait a plate was sat in front of us that contained maybe the smallest hot dog we've ever been served, with a weenie that was so overcooked that it resembled a Slim Jim, and not much thicker than those prepackaged sausage sticks found at the checkout counter of convenience stores. And speaking of convenience stores, this weenie looked like it had spent months sitting on one of those 7-11 roller warmers. The menu said "All Beef" but only a DNA test could possibly confirm this claim, since all other characteristics had been cooked away.

The hot dog was served on a taco holder, which was novel, but the fact that it FIT into a taco holder was the first indication of its small size. The miniature New England Style bun held a decent serving of chili and slaw for its size, and an artfully applied flourish of too much mustard adorned the top. Red onions, which unfortunately were the only things about this hot dog that were too large, completed the curious construction. 

Taste-wise, the chili was pretty good if not very spicy. The slaw was super-finely chopped and quite tasty. But that chewy little weenie ruined the show. As we've said for decades, the weenie isn't the most important part of a West Virginia Hot Dog, but a bad one can wreck an otherwise decent hot dog. This proves the point. Although this one had several things going against it. 

But the people were nice.

Now like most West Virginians, we value friendliness and we hate to say something bad about a place run by such nice people, but journalistic integrity forces our hand here. 1.5 Weenies is as good a rating as we can justify for Valley Cakes.

Our dessert, however, was excellent. And served with a smile, just as you'd expect from such nice people.

Mason County HDJ Review - Leon General Store

A reader wrote us a while back and said, "I’m not the best at judging hot dogs by any means but you all have got to visit Leon General Store and try one of their hot dogs. Located in Leon WV. They have everything from gas to hardware, groceries etc. They have a kitchen and deli and the hotdogs are on point. I think their hotdogs meet the criteria of a good ole WV hot dog. If you all ever have the time or are in this area you should give em a try!"

We found ourselves in the general vicinity recently and thought we'd check it out. We say "general vicinity" but Leon isn't in the general vicinity of much. Located in Mason County on a road between Point Pleasant and Charleston that nobody travels, to say Leon is off the beaten path is an understatement. So even though we were somewhat close, it still was a bit of a drive.

The things we do for you people. 

When we entered the Leon General Store we immediately saw that our reader was right about one thing at least: they do sell just about everything. From fishing lures to deer scent to bananas to lawn mower mufflers to pizza to space heaters to jiffy pop. And oh yeah, hot dogs.

After asking what "everything" included and deleting ketchup from our order, we wandered around the vast offerings of the store, marveling at the selection of merchandise. It was like visiting a museum and we didn't really notice how long it took to get our hot dogs. Time has no meaning at Leon General Store.

Since there are no inside dining options, we took our order to the car before unwrapping the wax paper, but even before it was unfurled we were impressed by the obvious warmth and softness of the steamed bun. Our first look left a pretty good impression, although the onions seemed a bit chunky. The slaw, however, looked fine as did the small amount of chili we could see. 

Take note, all you "it's not chili, it's sauce" hardliners, they call it chili. And it's solidly Ohio Valley here and so you might expect them to call it "sauce." But no, it's chili.

Then we found something else that our reader was right about: He's not the best at judging hot dogs.

Here's the breakdown: The slaw, while looking pretty good, was really quite tasteless. The chili was a tiny bit sweet but otherwise had nothing going for it. Most of the flavor of the whole came from the onions. But it was the weenie that really got us.

Now before we go any further, let's get this out of the way. We often say unlike many regional hot dogs (like Chicago and New York styles) the weenie is the least important part of a West Virginia hot dog. Many people have jumped on this statement and misquoted us -- or drawn erroneous conclusion -- that we don't think the weenie matters. That is entirely untrue. We say that a great hot dog doesn't have to have a great weenie, but we also say that a bad weenie can bring a hot dog down. 

And the latter is the case with Leon General Store. This otherwise decent (not great, but decent) hot dog was put asunder by its weakest link. It was small (which can be a positive if the toppings are good, but in this case it was just small). It was odd-tasting. And it was an unusual color. 

So we have to disagree with the reader who said he thought it qualified as a "good ole WV hot dog." It was not good, although perhaps the weenie is "ole" and that's why it looked and tasted the way it did. 

2 Weenies. 

Charleston HDJ Review: The Purple Onion

We were surprised when we came across a social media post from Charleston's premier fruit and vegetable vendor that said they were offering hot dogs with homemade chili for lunch. Surprised because the Capitol Market, in which The Purple Onion is located, has always had strict rules about competition between its venders. For example, only one of its vendors is allowed to sell fresh eggs, and the wine shop may sell cured meats but only the meat market can sell fresh or frozen meat. Since there is already a restaurant selling hot dogs (albeit not great ones), it seemed out of character for another vendor to horn in on the weenie business. 

We thought we'd better get over there to check it out before the Capitol Market management found out and put the kibosh on it.

In addition to fruits, vegetables, canned sauces,  spices plus a whole myriad of bulk-packaged dry goods, The Purple Onion also has a small food prep area where they used to make soups, salads and sandwiches. The ordering window is kind of hidden in a corner toward the rear of the space, and the process to order and pay is confusing (we paid first, but got the sense that you could order and then pay). But once we found where to order, we saw the menu sign and were gratified that they exploited the marketing influence and reach of this blog by appropriately using "WV Hot Style Dogs." Inappropriately, though, the listed toppings included ketchup, so strike one. It didn't stop us from ordering but we did ask them to delete the red stuff because we're adults. 

Our hot dogs were presented in a styrofoam coffin (strike two) but the aroma sneaking out of the cracks was heavenly so we were encouraged. Opening the lid of the coffin we immediately noticed that the onions were chopped a bit too coarsely, but the slaw looked nice and creamy. All the toppings were applied in good proportions and we could even see a little mustard sneaking out of the end of the bun. 

The bun, though, is a bit of a problem. Cold and stiff. Not stale, mind you, but nothing like soft and properly steamed. Of course, those styrofoam coffins do nothing to help, allowing steam to escape so not even the warm weenie and chili can soften the bun like happens when a hot dog is wrapped in cellophane or wax paper. 

But many of the previous concerns were laid to rest upon tasting the first bite. The chili, while not at all spicy, had a little tartness that paired nicely with the slaw which was pretty sweet. And while the slaw could have benefitted from some finer chopping, the taste and overall texture was good. The large onion chunks proved to be inoffensive since they were obviously cut from a mild onion (Vidalia maybe?).

So despite the stiff bun, coffin presentation and too large onions, we're still giving the Purple Onion high marks for the effort. It deserves its 4 Weenie rating and is easily the best hot dog sold at the Capitol Market.

Tooting Our Own Horn: Celebrating 20 Years of Cultural Influence

"If thou tooteth not thine own horn, the same shall go untootethed."

Second Abraham, chapter 2 verse 23:

Allow us to toot.

Over the past two decades, this blog has had a major cultural influence in our state. We didn't invent the West Virginia Hot Dog, ya'll did that, but we gave it a label -- a brand you might say -- and brought it into a new level of awareness, appreciation and identity. 

Go ahead, Google search for any internet mention of "West Virginia Hot Dog" before this blog started in 2005. Look at newspaper archives. Check the library catalogs. You won't find it. Now do the same search since 2005 and note the tens of thousands hits. 

We did that. We were the first to define a West Virginia Hot Dog as one with chili, slaw, mustard and onions. We did this on this blog and its forerunner The Charlestonian Blog in early 2005. 

We thought we'd celebrate National Hot Dog Month by sharing some highlights and successes we've enjoyed over the past 20 years:

2005 - The Charlestonian Blog shares a hot dog photo by photographer Rick Lee and asks readers to chime in on their favorite Charleston hot dog joint. The reactions leads to the creation of a separate blog dedicated to discussions about West Virginia Hot Dogs.  

2006 - In January the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog begins to do reviews of hot dog joints in the Charleston area.

2006 - Numerous media outlets take notice of the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog and interview its Head Weenie Wonk, Stanton Means, for a variety of local and regional stories.

2006- The Weenie Awards is established to recognize the best hot dog joints around the state. Fairmont people go completely crazy when we refuse to recognize Yann's slawless hot dogs with an award.

2006 - Our "Slaw Line" historical marker becomes one of the most shared images among West Virginia internet users. 

2006 - Chris James becomes our second Weenie Wonk.

2007- The Associated Press distributes nationally an article on West Virginia Hot Dogs and the WV Hot Dog Blog. The article is picked up by NBC news and creates record traffic to the blog.

2007 - WVHotDogs.com website launches.

2007- Swiftwater Cafe in Charleston becomes the first hot dog joint to change the name of its hot dog to "WV Hot Dog." This trend will continue for the next several years.

2008 - An article on the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog appears in the State Journal, a statewide business newspaper, highlighting the uniqueness of the way West Virginians dress their hot dogs.

2008 -  Another Weenie Wonk, "Big Daddy," is added to cover the north-central part of the state.

2008 - Philadelphia artist Hawk Krall creates a graphic for a food magazine that depicts a West Virginia hot dog. 

2009 - West Virginia Hot Dogs win the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council's March Madness Hot Dog and Sausage Tournament on Facebook.

2010 - West Virginia Hot Dogs Facebook page established, connecting thousands of new folks to our blog.

2010 - Our "Slaw Mapping Project" image goes viral and causes a great deal of debate.

2011 - West Virginians search for the term "hot dog" on Google more than residents of any other state

2012 - Because of a viral tongue-in-cheek post on the WV Hot Dog Blog, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin and opponent Bill Maloney are asked by a reporter their opinions on the proper toppings for a West Virginia Hot Dog. 

2013 - WV Hot Dog themed merchandise begins to show up in various places.

2014 - "WV Hot Dogs" begins to be printed as a menu item on more restaurants.

2016 - WV Hot Dog Blog is used as a primary source for the Southern Foodways Alliance article on West Virginia hot dogs.

2018 - Our clearly photoshopped "Slaw Line" historical marker image is used by multiple media outlets and presented as real. 

2020 - West Virginia named best state for hot dog lovers

2021 - The West Virginia Hot Dog Trail is created.

2022 - West Virginia Hot Dog Blog used as source material for a chapter in “Making Our Future” a new book by former West Virginia state folklorist Emily Hilliard. 

2024 - WV Tourism creates a web page dedicated to West Virginia hot dogs.

2025 - West Virginia Hot Dogs Facebook page reaches 12,500 followers.

We could list many more highlights and milestones, but you get the gist. We're proud of our influence, and even prouder that we did it for the love of the hot dog and not for money.

No, we've never made a cent off of the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog or its social media counterparts. And we've spent thousands on hot dogs to sample -- even when it went against our better judgement -- for reviews, and on gasoline traveling across the state. While we've been more active in some years than others, we have consistently been the leading advocates for the delectable gift from heaven known as the West Virginia Hot Dog. 

But it was you, dear readers, who have fueled the rise of our humble hot dog with your extreme devotion. We owe a lot of our success to those expatriate West Virginians who long for the hot dogs of their youth, and finding that nowhere in their new surroundings understands. We just provided a medium, but you provided the energy. 

So toot your own horn as well. Let's toot all of them. 

Parkersburg HDJ Review: Bureau of Fiscal Service Employee Cafeteria (aka "The Hole")

The Bureau of Fiscal Service Employee Cafeteria (The Hole)

The Bureau of the Public Debt first identified Parkersburg, WV, as its emergency relocation site in the early 1950s, during the Cold War era. The location was outside the blast radius of a potential nuclear attack on Washington, DC and the relocation made certain that the creditors of the United States federal government would be paid in the event that DC was turned into a parking lot by the Russians.  A 2012 merger of the Bureau of Public Debt and the Financial Management Service created the Federal Bureau of Fiscal Services, which handles the government’s accounting payment system and public debt. The bureau has been a large employer in Wood County for decades. Until, of course, Elon Musk came on the scene a few weeks ago cutting hundreds of jobs in one fell swoop. 

The reorganization brought with it a downsizing of the agency's employee cafeteria (nicknamed "The Hole" by longtime staffers), and the menu has been trimmed as well. Gone from its offerings are old favorites like Lettuce Wraps, Silver Dollar Pancakes, and Cheddar Dough Pizza. The new menu offers a smaller variety of ready-made pasta salads and curries, while one local favorite has been saved, sort of, it has been given a new name.

The Hole in its heyday.

The item, of course, is long-time head cook April Forst's famous West Virginia Hot Dogs. A fan favorite, the hot dogs at The Hole featured Nathan's Famous weenies on locally made Flowers bun, topped with April's special chili sauce and her fresh-daily coleslaw. On a past visit we awarded this hot dog a 4 1/2 Weenie rating, and gave it high marks for the way the chili and slaw worked together. We wrote "in a town with no shortage of good hot dog joints, the government-subsidized one at the federal workplace is no second-choice." 

In its new incarnation, it has been renamed "BFS HOT DOGE," but April says it is still the same basic sandwich, just made with less expensive ingredients. "We're proud to support the administration's goals of reducing the cost of government," she told a local reporter, "and by using boerewors [a South African sausage now preferred by the Department of Government Efficiency]  instead of all-beef Nathan's Famous, we are able to take a large bite out of the cost."

Other than the weenie, the other ingredients remain unchanged from April's original recipe, at least for now, but that will have to change in 2028 when new legislation recently signed into law by West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey takes effect. "They are banning Yellow Dye #5, which is in in our favorite mustard, and Red Dye #40 that is in the tomato paste we use in our sauce." 

April also said banned Red Dye #3 will be a concern because some people ask for ketchup on their hot dog, and natural ketchup that doesn't use the coloring costs quite a bit more than the regular stuff. "I guess that's a bit of a governmental contradiction we'll have to work through, because DOGE isn't going to want us to spend more just to be in compliance with the law," she predicted.

Our HOT DOGE looked thrown together without much care.

The BFS HOT DOGE, as noted above, features a "multi-meat" boerwors sausage. A little chewier than a typical American weenie, but tastes similar to products offered by Armour or Oscar Mayer. The bun was the same as before, as was the chili (er, we mean sauce, because Parkersburg) and slaw. There didn't seem to be as much care as we remembered in the way the hot dog was put together, probably due to the shorthanded staff that seemed a little overwhelmed serving even the few remaining employees in line that day. The overall taste was OK, but the chewiness of the weenie caused us to downgrade the rating by 40% to 2.7 Weenies. How's that for efficiency?

The Hole is open to the public, but only if you are accompanied by a federal employee. So if you know someone who currently works there, invite yourself to lunch with them. But you might want to hurry. 

In fact, today, April 1, would be a great day to check it out. 

Gauley Bridge HDJ Review: Two Broke Sisters

We've been passing by this little food trailer for months and noticed that it recently moved from the parking lot of a nearly-abandoned shopping center to a more visible location alongside a historic building that used to be the Gauley Bridge train station. Our attention was first drawn to the hand-lettered sign boasting "WV Hot Dogs" on the side of the trailer, and later we became more attentive because the obvious commitment they had of maintaining open hours in spite of bad weather. We decided today that it was time to give them a try.

When we walked up to the ordering window, our first question as always was "what is everything?" But before we heard the answer, we saw it in the form of a printout of the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog's "Anatomy of a WV Hot Dog" graphic that clearly explains it. Chili, slaw, mustard and onions, just as God intended it.

It only took a few moments to get our hot dog and we were well pleased to see it wrapped up in foil which is usually a good sign of quality. Opening up the wrapping we were treated to that amazing aroma that tells the story of a chili that was prepared with care. Indeed this chili is as good as any you will find, and the slaw was obviously prepared to complement the chili. You know it's great chili and slaw when it is applied sparingly and still has that great flavor and presence. The onions were chopped a little larger than we like, but they weren't too strong so it didn't matter much. The weenie was adequate.

But the bun. We need to talk about the bun. It was big and soft but not steamed. Now a food trailer has limited ability to have all of the necessary equipment, we understand that, and we could forgive the non-steamed bun except for the fact that it was cold to the touch. Hot dogs are supposed to be hot, it's right there in the name! 

Of course, it was in the upper 40s when were were there so it's eminently explainable why the buns were cold so we're not going to ding them too hard. And the owner told us that she plans to add a steamer to the trailer soon, so maybe soon this problem will be rectified. 

In spite of the cold bun, this is a great hot dog. We're going to give it a Four Weenie rating and hope to get back to re-review it once that steamer is running.

We also want to highlight one other thing about Two Broke Sisters: The owner told us that the reason she started selling hot dogs in Gauley Bridge was because there was nowhere else to get a decent hot dog in the area. That is the kind of entrepreneurial spirit we need more of in West Virginia. 

You can find Two Broke Sisters right beside of US Route 60 in Gauley Bridge. They are open most weekdays and Saturdays from 10:00 till 4:00. 

Logan HDJ review: Janet's Park & Eat

We've been trying to get to this place for literally years. First it was a matter of never being in Logan on days it was open, then it up and closed. We thought it was gone forever, but started getting a lot of comments that claimed it was back open and still serving hot dogs that were as good as Morrison's or Parkway. Some folks said they were superior. Finally we received a private message from the new owner of the restaurant who said they bought the place in 2023 and had been running it themselves since August. 

Now if you look for them on Facebook, be warned that the old Janet's Park & Eat page still exists, but the new one is called "Janet's LLC" and if you are looking for the place on Google Maps, you need to search for Janet's LLC. 

The restaurant is located in a strange part of Logan that is hard to get to if you aren't familiar with it. It is located on Mud Fork Road near the intersection with Enterprise Drive, if that helps.

Janet's is an unassuming little place that serves a full menu of classic country cooking items. Service couldn't be more friendly and food comes out quick. We of course got hot dogs and couldn't pass up the chance to try their house-made onion rings. The onion rings were as good as any we've ever had anywhere. But the hot dogs, well, they didn't live up to the hype. Here's the breakdown:

The bun was fresh and soft, and if it was not steamed it didn't need to be. The large caliber weenie didn't taste like the best quality, but that's never a problem if the toppings work. But they kinda didn't. The chili and slaw generously applied and the slaw was creamy, maybe even a bit too creamy. It lacked much flavor. The chili was sweet and flowed nicely, more like a sauce than chili. The sweet chili and bland slaw had no synergy, and even though they were served in a large quantity,  the hot dog was somewhat unsatisfying. 

We have no way of knowing whether this most recent incarnation of Janet's is as good as its former self, but we were kind of disappointed after hearing so many good things about their hot dogs for so many years. It was, overall a decent hot dog. in many towns it might be the best but in Logan, with Morrison's and Parkway just a short drive away, it's a distant third. 4 Weenies.

 

Mount Hope HDJ Review: Eating With Sinners and Tax Collectors at The Table

The Table is easy to find in downtown Mount Hope

 Full disclosure: We love this charming little place in downtown Mount Hope and have had many delightful lunches there. With some terrific sandwich meats and salads, it is an oasis in the food desert of Mount Hope. They also have a small selection of fresh and delicious baked goods, perfect for an after-lunch treat. The staff has been ever-so-friendly and service has always been fast and efficient.

On our most recent visit, however, they were offering a hot dog special that we couldn't pass up, although now we kinda wish we had. 

"Why does your teacher eat with sinners and tax collectors?"

With expectations high from our prior experiences, our first disappointments came rapid-fire when we saw the New England Style Split Top Lobster Roll buns and slaw served on the side. Then we noticed that bun had separated on the bottom and the weenie had already fallen through the crack and was resting on the paper-lined tray.  

After we applied our coleslaw properly to its proper place on the top, then came the difficult task of trying to pick the thing up and taking a bite without having a lap full of deconstructed hot dog. Before long we were forced to use a fork, which is the world of hot dog eating is like -- well, having to use a fork! Not at all a satisfying experience.

Once we were able to get a taste of the elements, we found that they were decent. The slaw was more than decent, it was actually very good. The chili was lackluster and the weenie was not very good at all, overcooked and kind foreign-looking like something you'd find in Chicago. That bun, though. Nah. Don't try to be so fancy. 

The bun wasn't up to the task.

Overall we're going to have to give The Table a low 1.5 Weenie rating, and it pains us to do so since we like the place so much. Our recommendation is to stick with the regular menu. 

We'll be back for one of your excellent sandwiches, but not for hot dogs. 

Parkersburg HDJ Review - The Root Beer Shack

Who doesn't love frozen root beer? After the last A&W in Charleston closed in the early 80's there was no other root beer place around that offered this frozen goodness. We'd pass by Huntington's Frostop Root Beer and see the giant mug on top of the restaurant with its representation of a head of frozen root beer, but it was only a cruel joke: Frostop has no frost on top. Nor does Stewarts. Nor does Farley's. It seemed that frozen root beer had become just another reason to long for the good ol' days. 

So when we saw some chatter on a recent WV Hot Dogs Facebook post by a hot dog enthusiast from Parkersburg about the hot dogs at The Root Beer Shack, it piqued our interest.  We were thrilled when he mentioned that the root beer was "icy," hoping that meant that it was full of the wonderful icy sludge. But enough about root beer, for now; we're here for hot dogs, right?

Well, you're gonna have to wait on that. Because we sure did. Arriving (we thought) before the lunch rush would allow us to get in and out in short order, but before we even placed our order we were warned that there would be a 20-25 minute wait for food. OK, no worries because we didn't have anywhere else to be so we got our root beer and found a table to wait. (We noticed that many other patrons who came in after we were seated did not choose to wait. While we were there at least 12 people left after hearing about the long wait.)

We had to request mustard and onions as extras, because The Shack's "Slaw Dog" only comes standard with chili (except since this is the Ohio Valley it's called "sauce") and slaw. We were asked to choose between "spicy" and "sweet" sauce, so we got one of each. 

After the expected delay, our hot dogs arrived at our table and we immediately noticed that they were prepared on New England Style buns (and for the umpteenth time, there is no such thing as an "English" bun!) that had been buttered and toasted. The slaw looked decent if a little coarse (although the presence of carrots will offend some purists), but the flavor was a little odd. Like maybe it was a bit past its "best by" date. The spicy chili was a little spicy, but nothing like Fairmont spicy. The sweet stuff was bland. 

Overall the hot dogs weren't very good. Filling, yes, mostly because of the voluminous bun, but not deserving of more than a 2 Weenie rating. 

The consolation prize was that we did get to wash them down with some really good root beer with a frozen icy head, just as we hoped we would find. 

Charleston HDJ Review - Bogey's

We finally made it to Bogey's at Capitol Market to try their WV Hot Dog. 

Billed as "Award Winning" because some amateur hot dog influencers made a video a while back that concluded that Bogey's original location in Tornado had West Virginia's Best Hot Dog. Seems like every time we tried to get to the original location it was closed, but their new place has more predictable hours.

Bottom line is that it's absolutely NOT the best hot dog in WV, heck, not even in the best in downtown Charleston, but it is pretty, pretty good. We'd have added a third "pretty" except that the bun was stiff, having obviously been dry-heated instead of steamed. Even after traveling a few miles in the paper coffin it was still pretty crunchy on the outside. 

Bogey's WV Hot Dog

The slaw is a bit too coarse, but still very creamy and it tasted great. The chili was really very good. Very finely ground meat and terrific flavors. We say "flavors" because it was quite complex, with some sweet, some tangy and some savory notes. It paired perfectly with the slaw. 

The red onions are a little suspect for a true WV hot dog, but it's not unheard of for a HDJ to try to fancy it up, especially when the price point is, well, kind of pricy.

We're going to give Bogey's a 3.5 Weenie rank. A decent example of a "Genteel Dog," presented with care but missing the mark on flavor and textures by >this< much.

The Great Kanawha Valley Hot Dog Joint Tour of 2023

The Secret Ballot Form

Last week Stanton and three other hot dog enthusiasts decided to sample hot dogs from six different HDJs in one long lunch hour. Beginning in Nitro and ending in Marmet, they selected the six from a long list of potential targets, basing their selections on both quality and convenience: all HDJs had to have achieve at least a 4 Weenie score on their last review, and they had to be places you could be sure to get in and out quickly, because time is money. To make the trip go quicker, orders where placed to go and judged in the car. Not the most comfortable dining spot, but it proved efficient.  

Please note: No claim is being made that these six are the best in the Valley, but it was felt that they offered a good representation of the variations that exist in the Kanawha Valley hot dog culture, so spare us your flaming comments.

At each HDJ, two hot dogs were ordered with chili, slaw, mustard and onions. Each of the four reviewers were given a half to judge. They were asked to score on our official Weenie Scale, using a private ballot form as to ensure their review was not influenced by the others. At the end of the trip, scores were to be tallied and the six HDJs would be ranked. Reviewers were also instructed to take notes to be used as tie-breaking criteria. 

Nitro Dairy Queen

Nitro DQ

The tour began at the Nitro Dairy Queen, which is a locally owned "Treat" franchise that -- unlike "Chill & Grill" locations -- is not beholden to DQ Corporate on how to make its hot dogs which means that "everything" means chili, slaw, mustard and onions, just like God intended hot dogs to be dressed. Arriving at their opening time of 11:00, our reviewers were treated with a delicious Utilitarian Dog with perfect-looking slaw sitting atop equally perfect looking chili. Wrapped in wax paper, the hot dog had nicely steamed itself and was soft and warm. Three people said the hot dog seemed small, but everyone agreed that it was well-executed and tasty. 

Bammy's Chili Dogs

Bammy's

Jumping over the bridge to St. Albans, the tour continued with a stop at Bammy's Chili Dogs. When the cashier heard the order placed as "two hot dogs with chili, slaw, mustard and onions" she read it back as "two West Virginia Hot Dogs" which on this blog is worthy of extra consideration and should have scored Bammy's an extra point or two in their scoring. Turns out, they would need the extra points because our reviewers didn't like the too-large onion pieces and said the chili's taste was, in the words of one reviewer, "a little off." Kudos, though, for wrapping the hot dogs in both aluminum foil and wax paper to maintain their freshness. 

Next stop was supposed to be Hot Diggity Dogs in North Charleston, but as luck would have it, they picked this week to close for vacation, something our team didn't know until they drove up to the front door.  Faced with this dilemma, the team had to improvise quickly and choose an alternate HDJ, preferably one that wasn't far away.  After a brief conference they decided to visit the most recently reviewed HDJ on the blog, Dancing Dog Ice Cream on Charleston's West Side. Wimpy the Weenie Wonk had given this place a 4.5 Weenie score just last month so, it seemed promising.

Dancing Dog Ice Cream

Dancing Dog Ice Cream

At Dancing Dog in Elk City, our reviewers found it easier to get out of the car and do their judging inside, where they were greeted by a friendly staff and the only grilled bun of the day. The bun was grilled on top and bottom, but the sides were still soft and supple. The bun also held the snappiest weenie they found at any of the six HDJs. Reviewers mostly liked the chili and slaw combination and overall seemed impressed by the quality of the entire hot dog. One reviewer didn't care for the grilled bun, and another thought it made the hot dog better. If presentation mattered in the scoring, DD would have gotten some extra points, as it would have for friendly service. 

Super Weenie

Super Weenie

A quick trip across town found our group at Super Weenie on Quarrier Street. Here they only had to order a "West Virginia Hot Dog" because the well-trained staff knows what that means, and it is posted on a sign that lists several optional ways to get your WV Dog, including a "Polite WV Dog" which comes with no onions. We've always found that Super Weenie lives up to its motto "We're Serious About These Hot Dogs" but on this day the reviewers were a tad disappointed in the taste and texture of the weenie, and one felt the chili was too spicy. 

Of course there are several other options for good hot dogs in downtown Charleston, but time was short so the group headed across the bridge and up McCorkle Avenue to Kanawha City. 

The Pepperoni Grill 

Pepperoni Grill

When the team arrived at the Pepperoni Grill, they were thankful to have a covered picnic table where they could escape the car's lackluster dining ambiance while they waited on their order. Once it arrived they quickly noticed and remarked on the generous amounts of toppings piled high on the hot dogs. This had also been the slowest order of the day, and after one bite they understood that the delay was due to a well-grilled weenie that was still piping hot. Three out of four appreciated the extra effort and felt the grilling treatment made the weenie delectable. One reviewer found the chili and slaw to be too sweet, and one thought it was "too bready," but the overall consensus was that the hot dogs were filling and satisfying. 

Chum's Hot Dogs

Chum's

Last stop of the tour was Chum's Hot Dogs in Marmet, the home of the yellow slaw. It might have been a little apples-and-oranges to include Chum's because when you're having yellow slaw it's recommended to leave the mustard off of your standard order, so they did. Also, being the last stop of the day with the remnants of five other hot dogs in your belly, it might be hard to judge fairly due to "Hot Dog Fatigue." Nevertheless, our team bravely faced the unique yellow slaw variation with as much objectivity as it could muster. Only one reviewer felt Chum's was up to snuff, with the others having complaints "too vinegary" or "a cheese-like flavor." One was disappointed because of his fond memories of yellow slaw at a HDJ of yesteryear that Chum's didn't measure up to. 

Results

At the end of the tour, here's how these six ranked on this day:

1. Nitro Dairy Queen - Simply a great West Virginia Hot Dog.

2. Pepperoni Grill - Delicious and satisfying but the chili is a little too sweet.

3. Tie - Super Weenie & Dancing Dog Ice Cream - Our team couldn't break the tie, finding both of these HDJs a perfectly adequate for a lunchtime hot dog with nothing negative to say about either. 

5. Bammy's Chili Dogs - When four hot dog experts agree that the chili was a little off, it's probably a little off. 

6. Chum's - Unique doesn't mean it's better, just different. Too different from the others on this day. 

Charleston HDJ Review - Dancing Dog Ice Cream

Dancing Dog Ice Cream Cafe is located at 201 Washington Street West, in the up-and-thriving, hip “Elk City District” near the mural on Charly Jupiter Way, a roadway named for the renowned local artist.

Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3p.m. Monday through Saturday. 

Ice cream is served all day.

In fact, Dancing Dog deems itself, “The Sweetest Place in Town.”

While the emphasis is on dairy delights, including cones, shakes and smoothies, they sure put out a quality Dog!

It may even put you to dancin.’

Hot dogs are listed on the menu with available toppings chili sauce, “our own,” slaw, onion and relish. A mustard bottle is available beside the counter for a do-it-yourself squirt. They also come with a grilled bun. The weenie is a Nathan’s all beef. 

The components of this delicious hot dog are neatly applied and in near perfect proportion. The chili sauce is neither too spicy nor too mild, a pleasing flavor and texture. It blends well with the slaw, which wasn’t dry nor runny - perfect consistency.

4.5 Weenies

For the soft drink lovers, Coke products are served in cans.

Having savored two hot dogs, I was already looking forward to my next visit - or ordering a third. But I showed some restraint. I’ll be back, soon.

I highly recommend this tasty treat. Save room for dessert, because there’s plenty of options. 

- Wimpy

Barboursville HDJ Review - Dog Haus Biergarten

Editor's note: This is Wimpy's second review this week. Not bad for a beginning Weenie Wonk! Keep it up, Wimpy!

Opening in December 2021, Dog Haus brought its 50th location, and its first one in West Virginia, to Barboursville in Cabell County.

They currently have restaurants in 10 states, primarily in Texas.

They’ve had success too, as Entrepreneur Magazine chose Dog Haus No. 2 on its Top Food Franchises: Hot Dogs list for 2021, up from No. 4 in 2020.

With a variety of other foods, one might be tempted to order chicken sandwiches or burgers, but the company calls itself a Dog Haus, right?

And perhaps in an effort to ingratiate itself to its new fan base and customers, they immediately put a “Almost Heaven” hot dog on the menu, with chili, slaw, mustard and onions when coming to West Virginia.

Someone did their homework.

Dog Haus’ bun is unique for hot dogs found in our state.

For starters, it’s three Kings Hawaiian Rolls that have not yet been pulled apart. So it makes a big hot dog bun. It’s toasted only along the top, remaining soft and fresh otherwise. Still, it merits a slight point deduction for a non-steamed bun.

Grab a lot of napkins, because they don’t skimp on the amount of toppings.

The chili/sauce is a slight bit spicy but not at all overpowering while the slaw is creamy and finely shredded.

They pair together nicely.

The yellow mustard is served on top of the slaw, along with finely shredded onions. This Weenie Wonk prefers mustard applied first, but it still works.

The star of Dog Haus’ Almost Heaven is the weenie, dense and packed with flavor. And pretty good size, filling the remarkable bun size appropriately.

Proud of the quality of its product, Dog Haus displays a framed motto on its wall:

“Our Haus dogs are made from beef that is raised without hormones and antibiotics. Our proprietary recipe includes a unique spice blend of brown sugar, bay leaves, garlic, salt, and black pepper.”

One can certainly discern Dog Haus’ difference in the quality of the weenie. It’s stellar.

The Almost Heaven Dogs earns 4 Weenies

For those who enjoy a “cold one” with their hot dogs, there’s plenty of options at this location, a Biergarten serving craft beers and cocktails. There’s ample indoor seating and an inviting outdoor patio as well.

Kids meals are offered, so bring the little ones if you wish. There’s also soft serve ice cream, shakes and floats if you still have room for dessert.

Dog Haus is open:

10A-10P Monday through Thursday, 9A-10P Friday & Saturday,

and Sunday 9A-9P.

Dog Haus Biergarten

6310 US Route 50

Barboursville, WV 25504

St. Albans HDJ Review - Butcher's Black Angus

 

Editor's Note: This is the first review from Wimpy, our newest Weenie Wonk. Welcome to the team, Wimpy!

The hot dogs at Butcher’s Black Angus are carry-out only, but chances are, they won’t make it past the parking lot.

Sure, you can do some shopping at this small, neighborhood market. But you’ll want to saunter over to the deli case and order a couple of hot dogs to take home (or to the car.)

They’re delicious.

Hot dogs are “made your way” with chili, ketchup (!), mustard, onion and slaw listed as options.

Slight score deduction for the ketchup hiccup and the added cheese offering.

Be sure to upgrade to the all beef weenie, because of course, we go premium.

It takes a few minutes, no matter how busy the store is. They take their time steaming the buns and applying the toppings neatly. It’s a generous portion of toppings, yet they hold their place. Save the napkin for your mouth afterwards.

The chili/sauce is meaty, finely ground beef with a good proportion of spice. It marries well with the slaw, perfectly blended between creaminess and its shredded cabbage.

(The in-house made chili/sauce and slaw are also available fresh made daily to purchase from the deli cooler.)

This hot dog seemingly melts in your melt, yet with a crisp snap of the beef weenie. The taste of summer, available 12 months a year in fact.

Butcher’s Black Angus is known for its quality meats and specialty item availability. And there’s plenty of lunch meats, salads and spreads to choose from.

If it seems like a blast from the past when you walk in, I’m sure that it is intentional. Good stuff, that will likely take you back a few years.

4 Weenies.

Butcher’s Black Angus

722 Kanawha Terrace

St. Albans, WV 25177

304-727-1234

Charleston HDJ Review - The Daily Dose Cafe

This little coffee shop got its start a few years back peddling coffee with cannabidiol (CBD), trying to
capitalize on the CBD craze. Sitting in a less-than-ideal location along McCorkle Avenue, where you have to go around the block and halfway up the alley to find the parking lot and the main entry, it isn't subject to a lot of walk-in business. Nevertheless, it has survived two setbacks that might have sunk lesser businesses: a 2019 ruling from the FDA that CBD should not be ingested in food and drink (due more to lack of study than any hard evidence that it's harmful), and the COVID19 pandemic. They have succeeded by changing into more of a full-service cafe with delicious breakfast items, sandwiches and a mix of healthy foods and decadent baked treats that pair well with a cup of coffee, now CBD-free. They still sell CBD supplements if you swing that way. 

Over the past few years while they were navigating the tricky waters that life and the FDA created for them, they had some inconsistent hours, but recently they have made a new commitment to their customers by increasing their open days (now Monday-Saturday) and hours (now 7-3 weekedays and 8-2 Saturday). As a way to announce their new hours and attitude they have been running a social media campaign and - in a brilliant stroke of marketing genius - added hot dogs to the menu.

Boasting "homemade chili and slaw" they caught our eye and so we just had to drop in and check them out. Now long-time readers of this blog know that "homemade" doesn't hold any water with our Weenie Wonks (we prefer professionally produced hot dogs), but we know that some of you always seem to think your homemade is better than the rest so we figured we'd give it a shot.

We ordered up and had to wait quite a while for our hot dogs to be made. This is common with places who don't specialize in hot dogs. In skilled and practiced hands, a WV hot dog is a very quick thing to prepare; slop the chili and sling the slaw. But give a newbie the task and they primp and preen, trying to make it pretty and take way too long. We can't fault The Daily Dose for this since they are brand new in the hot dog biz. We can find fault, though, for having ketchup in the list of "everything" toppings. No thank you.

When we did finally get them, our hot dogs were pretty and well made with plenty of toppings. Now we know that you purists out there are going to complain about the two things you always complain about, carrots in the slaw and onions chopped too coarsely. Ya'll are as predictable as Fairmont folks complaining about slaw. We don't mind the carrots and if the onions are mild, we don't mind them being big either. But you do you.

So here's the thing about these hot dogs: While usually a good WV hot dog has to have sweet slaw to offset the spicy and savory chili, this slaw was rather bland but the chili was quite sweet. And it kind of worked. The weenie was obviously high quality and seemed lightly grilled which brought out some flavor and the whole hot dog was very good. The bun was soft and warm if not steamed and as we mentioned before, the onions were a bit large, but overall this was a very good hot dog. 

We're going to give The Daily Dose a strong 4 Weenie score and encourage them the make hot dogs a regular menu item. 

You can find The Daily Dose at 5206 1/2 McCorkle Ave SE, Charleston, WV

(681) 265-3943