Ravenswood HDJ Review - The Dawg Pound

Sometimes the best hot dogs are found inside the most unlikely looking buildings, and it's hard to imagine a more unlikely looking building than Ravenswood's "The Dawg Pound." From the outside The Pound doesn't look like anything. It is in a very large and very old building that bears no resemblance to any restaurant we've ever been in. If we'd not have Google Maps guiding us we may well have driven right by. The tall pole sign confirmed we had found it, but then, after seeing the walk-up window, we almost drove on by since we really didn't want to dine ala-car-go. Another look at the Google listing, though, convinced us that there was inside dining somewhere in there. 

But even after we found the entrance (which is kind of hidden on the right-rear of the building and not well-labeled as the entrance), walking into the tiny space that it opened into was still not matching up with our expectations for the number one-rated local restaurant in Ravenswood according to Google reviews. It was only after we were greeted and invited to find a seat in the adjacent dining room did we finally feel like we'd arrived at a bonafide HDJ. 

I should say, we found a seat in one of the adjacent dining rooms. There are three. Two of them with bars. And they are comfortable and decorated with care. They are just hard to find for the first time visitor. 

But hey, we don't score on decor and ease of access here, we are only concerned with the hot dogs, so let's talk about those. 

First, this is the Ohio Valley, so we know that we have to say "sauce," which we hate, because "sauce, slaw, mustard and onions" just doesn't roll off the tongue as well a "chili, slaw..." does it? And since this is a full-service restaurant and -- despite the name -- does not specialize in hot dogs, we're going to have to ask for no ketchup. That's a given. 

But once we've cleared these two hurdles, all that's left is to wait on our order and look around at the myriad of stuff that adorns the walls of the three dining rooms. Mostly Ravenswood High School and WVU themed, but also lots of NASCAR and general sports stuff. There's a lot to look at, and we barely got started before our hot dogs arrived. 

First off, I have to say I was fooled by the words on the menu into thinking this was going to be a ginormous Genteel Dog. I don't recall the exact wording -- something like "overflowing with toppings" -- but it was sufficient to make me believe that one would be enough. In reality, the hot dog was just average sized. The toppings were applied generously though, so no foul.

The bun was not steamed, but soft. It was warm but a bit crusty on the outside, like it had been oven-warmed. Not crusty enough to be problematic, but enough to deduct a half-Weenie from it's score. 

The chili, I mean sauce, was tasty with not much spiciness outside a slight chili powder flavor. The slaw was creamy and very sweet. The two paired well. The onions were nicely chopped, but were red which for some purists is a no-no. They didn't hurt the flavor here. The weenie seemed basic and not waterlogged, so I guessed it was lightly grilled. The mustard was applied evenly and almost invisibly. 

Overall the hot dog was  very good. The lack of steamed bun hurts a little, but it was still soft and easy to handle. The pairing of the sauce and slaw was just right. We'll give The Dawg Pound a 4 1/2 Weenie score. Pretty good by Ohio Valley standards.

They have lots of other things on the menu, and the atmosphere seems like it would be a cheerful place for lunch or dinner even if you weren't in the mood for hot dogs. 

But who is ever not in the mood for hot dogs? 

Charleston Area HDJ Re-Review - Hot Diggity Dogs

Last year we were excited when a new HDJ opened in North Charleston and reviewed it a few weeks after it was opened. You can read that review here. We were not impressed, mainly because of the slaw.  Hot Diggity Dogs offered then and still do two kinds of slaw: Regular and Yellow. We found the both of them to be lacking and mainly because of that we only gave them a 3 Weenie ranking.

After getting a lot of mail and positive comments of HDD, we decided to give them another shot.

Not much has changed about the restaurant since the first visit, except for the large outdoor seating area that has been built. They also now sell beer. Inside, things are mostly the same. It feels clean and new, even after being in business now for over a year. That's usually a sign of good management, so kudos for that.

To find out if the hot dogs deserved kudos, we decided to order an exact duplicate of last year's order: One with regular slaw and regular chili, and one with yellow slaw and spicy chili. And of course, mustard and onions. Once we got our order, it didn't take long to realize that there had been changes in the regular slaw. Look at thee two pictures below, one before and one after, to see for yourself:

Because these two dogs are so very different, we'll rate them independently, but first we'll point out that the lack of a properly dressed WVHD on the menu gets an automatic a half point deduction. It would seem that with all of those different named dogs they could find room for one with chili, slaw, mustard and onions which we're sure is what many of their customers would order if it were easier.

On to the reviews:

White Slaw and Regular Chili

2019 - After

It was obvious at first glance that the regular slaw was not the same as last year's, and tasting it backed up the visual evidence. It was not the "cabbage chunks in mayonnaise" we reported on last year. This was very well done hot dog slaw. Finely grated cabbage with just the right amount of dressing. The taste was much improved. It went well with the savory chili. This is a good West Virginia Hot Dog. The buns was not as soft as we would like (last year we noted that the buns were very  soft), but everything else was very good. We'll rate this hot dog 4 Weenies, pushing 4 1/2. Steam that bun -- or even just make sure the buns are fresh --and it's there.

Yellow Slaw and Spicy Chili
This one tastes exactly the same as last year's, and it is uninspiring. Last year we wrote "The yellow slaw tastes like small chunks of yellow cabbage. It has virtually no other flavor. We don't even understand why it's yellow." We stand by this statement. Yellow slaw, as made famous in Marmet, had a wonderful impossible to describe sweetness and texture. This stuff has none of it. We can't understand why they go through all of the trouble to have it on the menu. We imagine its only appeal is to former Marmet hot dog lovers who are in the throes of a nostalgic escape from reality and imagine that it tastes like the slaw of their youth. The spicy chili is just okay, and while we usually recommend getting spicy chili when it's available, we found the regular to have a far superior flavor profile. This hot dog gets a 2 1/2 Weenie rank.

2018 - Before

So our recommendation is to go to Hot Diggity Dogs get the white slaw/regular chili combination. It is a very good WVHD in a nice atmosphere.

Fairmont HDJ Review - Woody's

Start a conversation about hot dogs with someone from Fairmont and you will likely find that they are either fans of Yann's or Woody's. It seems that all of Fairmont is one camp or the other, with very few people who will admit loyalty to both. This binary dichotomy is interesting to us because of one key difference: Woody's --while optional and must be asked for -- offers coleslaw as a topping, and Yann's reportedly will throw you out if you ask for it.

In other words, Woody's offers hope to the majority of West Virginians in bold defiance of the majority of Marion Countians. It is a stand worth noting, and Woody's is seemingly rewarded for it by the legions of fans that take to the WV Hot Dogs Facebook page to sing the praises of their hot dogs.

A check of the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog archives recently revealed that for some reason our team of Weenie Wonks had never done an official review of Woody's, so we set out to correct that oversight with a trip up I79 from Charleston to the slawless barrens of Marion County.

Woody's is easy to find, just a couple of stoplights off of the interstate exit. It's easy to spot, too, because it looks just like a venerable old hot dog joint ought to look; nondescript cinder block building with a faded Coca Cola pole sign.

Walking into Woody's is like walking onto a movie set. Every detail is what you would expect from a hot dog joint that has been in the same spot for decades. Photos of local celebrities adorn the walls along with WVU sports memorabilia, a long bar sits in front of the food prep area with booths along the opposite wall. The staff is friendly (a stark contrast to - ahem - other Fairmont hot dog joints) and service is fast and efficient.

Before placing our order, we asked the server what "everything" meant, even though we knew the answer: Sauce, onions and mustard, or course. This is Fairmont. We asked if we could add slaw and the server didn't flinch, wince, roll her eyes, try to throw us out or otherwise react in any way other than affirmative.

Woody's also offers a choice when it comes to the spiciness of the sauce: mild, medium or hot. Now usually, when offered with the choice we recommend spicy chili/sauce for West Virginia hot dogs, but this being Fairmont, the land of extremely hot sauce, we decided that medium was the smarter choice.

In short order, before we really had the opportunity to appreciate the historical decor and ambiance of the place, our hot dogs were delivered to out table. Slaw and all. In Fairmont. It was like a dream.

Picking up the hot dog, the first thing you notice is its lightness. The weight is seemingly kept low by two things: 1) the toppings are relatively sparsely applied, and 2) the bun is very airy and light. Usually heft is a good indicator, so we were a little concerned about the lightness.

A. James Manchin in an odd (even for him) photo.

Our first bite revealed that our concerns were unfounded. The toppings didn't need to be voluminous because the flavors were dense and complex. And delicious. A little of this chili/sauce goes a long way. The flavor is as good as any we've ever had, and far better than most. The slaw was sweet, fine and creamy, and even though there wasn't much of it, it was a perfect complement to the sauce.

We're going to rate Woody's hot dog a very high 4 1/2 out of 5 Weenies. What prevents it from being a Five? It might seem unfair to punish Woody's for the cultural bias imposed upon it because its geographical position causes slaw to be something you have to ask for, but by West Virginia hot dogs standards, this gets a half point demerit. If it was located in a place where it was socially acceptable to proudly plop a dollop of its coleslaw atop its otherwise perfectly prepared hot dog -- in other words, anywhere but Marion County -- it could be considered among the best in the state.

North Charleston HDJ Review - Huskey's Dairy Bar

After a bit of a dustup over on the  West Virginia Hot Dogs Facebook page a few weeks ago. we decided to go re-review Huskey's Dairy Bar in North Charleston. The reason for this re-review -- in addition to the fact that it’s been many years since we’ve reviewed Huskey's --was that several people took exception with our statement that another nearby HDJ was not as good as Huskey's. Several people chimed in on that discussion and said that Huskey's was not good anymore since the owners had changed.

This is a claim we hear often about HDJs that change ownership, and sometimes it is accurate. So just in case it was true, we decided to pay another visit to Huskey's to find out for ourselves.

Bottom line up front, those people who said Huskey's was not as good as it used to be are dead wrong. In fact, it might even be better.

The first thing that Huskey's gets points for is the proper toppings listed on their menu for what everything on a hot dog means: Chili, slaw, mustard & onions, just like God intended. The next thing for which we'll give them giant kudos is the perfectly steamed bun on which they laid the rest of their toppings.

Next let’s talk weenie; Huskey's is unafraid to use a smaller diameter weenie to allow more room for their other toppings. We have found over the years this is often the mark of a HDJ that is serious about its hot dogs. Some lesser HDJs put too much emphasis on the weenie and leave no room for toppings, which is usually a sign that those toppings don’t deserve the room anyway. Not so with Huskey's; these toppings are nearly perfect. The chili, while not terribly spicy, is perfect in texture and deliciously complex in taste. The slaw was great and a perfect complement to the chili, and it was lovingly applied in a perfect quantity. Lastly the onions were chopped well: Not too fine to be runny, not too large to be obnoxious. They stayed put when taking a bite out of the dog and were aromatic and delicious.

The only negative thing that I can say about Huskey's hot dog is their use of the dreaded Styrofoam coffin. We would prefer our dogs wrapped tightly in wax paper or plastic so it continues to steam the bun and keep it soft, but given that the bun was so perfectly steamed, the coffin did no harm this time.

We're going to give Huskey's a 4.5 Weenie rank and reaffirm our statement that it is definitely the best hot dog in North Charleston.

Huntington HDJ ReReview - Midway West Drive In

This venerable Hot Dog Joint has been getting more than its share of love lately on FaceBook reviews. It seems every time we review a less-than-stellar HDJ there is always someone commenting that we should check out Midway. They are right, of course, because the last time we reviewed this place it was shortly after it reopened in 2008. It didn't get good marks then, but we often give new places a second chance after they have some time to iron out the wrinkles. We usually don't wait 9 years, though. You'd think that after nine years this place would have its act together.

It does. Spectacularly so.

I made the drive to Huntington on Saturday and timed it out to arrive at lunchtime. Expecting it to be pretty busy, I was a bit relieved when I found it not so, and a grabbed a prime parking spot where I could see both the inside and outside activity (there is inside seating for a few folks at the counter). Almost before I could get my window down, the extraordinarily friendly and efficient carhop was there to take my order. I asked what "everything" was and he said it right: Sauce (being Huntington), slaw, onions and mustard. Perfect. I asked for two and side of fries and away the carhop went.

I thought I'd take some notes while I waited on my order to come out. The place look like it has been recently painted, is clean and...WHOA that was fast! I have no idea how they served me so fast. It was dizzying how quick it was. And I wasn't a fluke either; I watched while I ate and everyone was served fast and friendly.

But experience teaches me that fast dogs aren't always good dogs, so I cautiously unwrapped the first dog, which had a nice heft and temperature. Wrapped in paper, the dog was steamy and soft. It smelled heavenly. Nearly a perfect Utilitarian Dog presentation.

The slaw was beautifully chopped and quick taste revealed it to be slightly sweet. The chili was under the weenie - not the preferred placement but a sight better than those crazies who put it on top of the slaw - was rich and complex but lacked much spiciness. It paired well with the slaw, though, so we'll not penalize it much,

Altogether, this was simply the best hot dog I've had in quite awhile. The class of Huntington HDJs for sure, and a definite


contender for the next Statewide Top Ten list. We're going to rate it 4 1/2 Weenies primarily because of the lack of spice in the chili, er I mean, sauce. We never give extra points for service, but if we did they would surely get a bump. Likewise for the crinkle-cut fries which were perfectly crispy and delicious. 

Charleston HDJ Review - The Smokehouse

Frustrated by the lack of new HDJs to review locally and a shortage of free time to travel to distant ones, I have resorted to re-reviewing some local Charleston HDJs that I haven't been to in years. This is not a bad thing because if a Hot Dog Joint is still around after the six years of this blog's existence then it must be pretty decent, so I'm likely to get a good hot dog.

Today I thought we'd revisit The Smokehouse, a West Side institution. The last time we reviewed it was 2006. You can read that review here. When this review was done we hadn't even invented the Weenie Scale yet, so there was ample reason for me to give them another shot.

The Smokehouse is one of those places that knows hot dogs and knows what its customers like. This is evidenced by two things: 1) Hot Dogs are first on the menu, and 2) their hot dogs come with chili, slaw, mustard and onions - period.

The Smokehouse hot dog is a classic Utilitarian Dog with a wonderfully soft and sticky bun that has been steamed to perfection. The chili and slaw are thin in texture and compliment each other well; the chili is meaty and spicy and the slaw is tart and creamy. The onions and mustard did not detract. The only negative I can give to this hot dog was that the weenie was a little waterlogged; that takes off a half-point from an otherwise great hot dog. We'll give The Smokehouse 4 1/2 (out of 5) Weenies on this day.

The Smokehouse is on the corner of Washington Street West and Stockton Street. It is a great place to eat lots of other things besides hot dogs and while the rear dining room and bar look a little rough the front dining room is a nice, comfortable place to dine.

Charleston HDJ Review - Betty Lou's Diner

Today we review the latest incarnation of Betty Lou's Diner. Read this review for background on the restaurant and its history, but don't bother yourself with what we said about the hot dogs then because they have changed!

Moving from its obscure location on Central Avenue on the South Charleston hill had to be a good thing for this HDJ. The new location is at the corner of Greenbrier Street and Oakridge Drive, which seems ideal for a carry out - 1 minute off of I64, on the way to the airport, Coonskin Park and Capital High School - but the spot has has seen a parade of HDJs and other fast food places move in and out over the years (the last place went in out so fast that I didn't even get around to publishing the review I wrote on its hot dogs).  Betty Lou's, though, seems to have something going for it than none of the others had; quality and experience. Time will tell.

As I said before, the hot dogs have definitely changed since our last review, and for the better. This time I found a much better combination of chili and slaw: neither are great by themselves but they work nicely together. The chili has a low, slow spiciness and is perfect texture. The slaw is also perfect texture and has just enough sweetness to compliment the chili. Add a nicely steamed bun, a decent weenie, fresh tasting onions and mustard and you have a hot dog worthy of 4 1/2 out of 5 Weenies.

This might be the best place in the Charleston area to hop off the interstate and grab a good hot dog if you are passing through town. Let's hope they live long and prosper in this location.

Tornado HDJ Review - Big Bend Golf Course

I used to play a lot of golf. In addition to the joy of pursuing an ever higher level of proficiency chasing a little white ball around a glorified cow pasture, playing a lot of golf also allowed me to dine at great Hot Dog Joints in disparate places. It seems that every golf course in these parts has really good hot dogs, or perhaps they just seem really good because of the context in which they are enjoyed. Since I haven't played regularly in years, I haven't had the opportunity to review many golf course hot dogs.

Yesterday I found myself with an unusually light work schedule and the weather was so nice that I decided to venture to one of my favorite local public courses, Big Bend Golf Course in Tornado. Since my tee time was just before noon I decided to do double duty and piggyback a hot dog review. I am so glad I did.

Many times when I go back for an official review of a HDJ from my past (aka "The Good Old Days") I am let down because the quality has either slipped or can't stand up to my romanticized memories. This time I was not disappointed: The hot dogs were as good as I remembered.

First, let me say right off that this is one of those classic WVHDs that is greater than the sum of its parts. Sampled individually, the chili or the slaw would be just passable. But both chili and slaw seemed to be designed for each other on this hot dog: neither have strong flavors of their own. The sweet onions sitting on top also were perfectly matched and the weenie was basic with no heaviness and cooked just right.

The only negative about this hot dog was that the bun wasn't steamed. I will deduct a half-weenie for that, but this hot dog deserves its 4 1/2 Weenie score.

(I will only add to this review that the hot dog must've had some mystical golf powers because after eating two of them I played very well despite having not set foot on a real golf course in 2-3 years. )

Webster Springs HDJ Review: The Custard Stand

Certainly one of the most successful businesses in the West Virginia Hot Dog industry, this little HDJ has become the leading producer of store-bought hot dog chili in the entire region. Its chili, "Custard Stand Hot Dog Chili" is sold in stores like Kroger and Wal Mart thoughout the eastern US. According to their Facebook page, the original restaurant "The Custard Stand" was actually named Elsie's Dairy Bar- founded by Elsie Hamrick-1960. The name was changed to The Custard Stand in 1991-and the chili began to be sold in retail stores in 2003. In 2009, the second location of The Custard Stand in Flatwoods was opened (you can read Bid Daddy's review of that location here.)

I have been trying to get to this original location for years, but Webster Springs is not on the way to anywhere and so it took me until I had a free day and the inclination to make a four-hour roundtrip hot dog run. My chance finally came on a Sunday and I logged onto http://www.custardstand.com/ and was pleased to find that they have longer hours than a typical HDJ and are open 7 days a week. So I loaded up the truck and went to Webster; Springs that is.

I set out with no directions, but I figured I could find the place easy enough and I was right: You know when people give you directions to a place and say "you can't miss it"? Well, this is what they mean: The Custard Stand sits on the outside edge of a hairpin curve on the road that leads down into the Elk River Valley just before you get to Webster Springs, and if you didn't negotiate the curve properly, you just might end up inside the place (which actually happened a few years ago when a truck lost its brakes and crashed into TCS's warehouse). The HDJ has two walk up ordering windows and the dining area is a picnic shelter across the parking lot. When I got there shortly after noon on Sunday, there was a fairly large crowd of folks waiting for their orders. Periodically one of the two workers inside would bellow an order number through the open window and a hungry looking person would scamper over and get their food.

Once the throng thinned out a little, I was able to place my order. I inquired as to what The Custard Stand considers everything and got an unexpected response: "Chili, slaw and oninons." What, no mustard? I am used to having to ask for a modified version of "everything" at lesser HDJs who serve a variation from the generally accepted toppings but usually it involves the deletion of ketchup or such other offensive addition; rarely - if ever - do I have to ask to add mustard.

My mustard request was accepted easily enough and soon I had joined the ranks of the waiting. While I did so I was able to look around a little, but there was not much to look at: This place is very humble and spartan, even for a roadside HDJ. The most interesting feature was the world-class kudzu patch on the hillside above the parking lot that looked like it might overtake the delivery truck that was parked next to it. Luckily, I didn't have to wait too long.

My hot dogs were nestled in paper boats and wrapped in wax paper. The consistency of the slaw and the careful wrapping job made the hot dog an almost perfect specimen of a Utilitarian Dog: The slaw compacted nicely into the shape of the wrap and was easy to eat without worry of spillage. The bun was soft and steamed. While I am not the biggest fan of the store-bought Custard Stand Chili because it lacks spiciness, the slightly sweet slaw seemingly had no vinegar or other tartness inducing ingredient and it was perfectly matched with the tame chili. The onions were embedded under the slaw and were nicely sweet.

This hot dog tries hard for 5 Weenies, but because I had to ask for Mustard I can't see a way that I could do that with the high ethical standards that we maintain here at WVHotDogs.com. Big Daddy had a slightly different experience at the Flatwoods location where he got mustard and he gave them a Five. Perhaps I caught the order taker on a bad day, but you have to be on your toes in the dog eat dog world of WV hot dogs. 4.5 Weenies for the original Custard Stand on this day.

Belle HDJ Review - The Lunch Box

Located in a space formerly occupied by a HDJ known by the strange name of Wal Rocks, this little hole in the wall came highly recommended by facebook fan Carol Johnson. In fact, she repeatedly nagged me until I finally made the trip to the mouth of Witcher Creek just to get her to hush up.

Really, she wasn't that bad, but she was persistent. And I know from experience that when someone is that persistent with a HDJ recommendation, it means one of two things: A) the place has really good hot dogs, or B) the nagger is the owner, or a relative of the owner.

This time it was "A".

To say that The Lunch Box is nothing fancy is an understatement. A few tables reside inside a low wall that separates the dining area from the billiard and video game area. Lots of American flags but little else the way of decor; but the service was very friendly and prompt.

When the waitress (whom I believe was the proprietor) asked for my order, I asked her what "everything" was; her reply unfortunately included ketchup among the proper ingredients of chili, slaw, mustard and onions. I asked for two with no red stuff, and in a jiffy I had my order in front of me.

I visually surveyed my dogs for a moment and noticed that the bun looked like they had been steamed and the slaw seemed to be shredded - not chopped - very finely. One quick taste of the slaw and its sweetness was evident. A second bite revealed it's nearly perfect texture and provided me with a more full understanding of its goodness. This is Blue Ribbon slaw, folks. Seriously.

The chili was fairly typical Upper Kanawha Valley tasting - a little chili powder and very meaty- but its texture was better than most with the beef ground finely. It went perfectly with the slaw.

The weenie and onions were both up to par, so this hot dog deserves a high score. If ketchup weren't standard, and if the chili was a touch more spicy, this could well be perfect 5, but as it is I have to deduct a half-point and officially give the Lunch Box a 4.5 Weenie ranking.

Thank you for nagging me, Carol.

Jane Lew HDJ Review - Cindy's T&L Hot Dogs

I ran across this charming old building while cruising on Route 19 one day while killing some time between meetings. Ironically, it's located not far from the fabled Slaw Line point. One of the first things that I noticed about the T&L Hot Dogs in Jane Lew was the name painted above the entrance. The word "Cindy's" was emblazoned next to the "T&L Hot Dogs". The distribution of T&L stores has become somewhat of a mystery in and of itself. The Jane Lew location, much like the stores in Shinnston and Weston, are not mentioned on the company website, nor are they listed in the spiffy new color brochure/menu that T&L now offers at its key locations (Morgantown Mall, two Bridgeport locations, Grafton, and two locations in Clarksburg). I don't recall T&L offering franchises, but then again there haven't been any replies coming at me after requesting information through the "Contact Us" link on their website. At any rate, I'll save the enigma of the T&L namesake licensing for another post some other day.

While placing my order, I did inquire if this location was part of the normal chain, but nobody seemed to understand my question. I guess the key person (Cindy, perhaps?) was not around to be bothered with such matters. At any rate, I have to comment that this was by far one of the friendlier wait staffs I've encountered in some time. Not only did they cheerfully take my order with a smile and the all-important eye contact, I was even offered a freshly baked brownie while I waited (for a small extra charge, of course). Looking around, I found the place adorned with Coca-Cola collectibles and memorabilia versus the retro 50's and 60's decor found in the majority of T&L's. It works really well for the dining area and makes it a tad more warm and inviting to relax in.

Thankfully, they have mastered the traditional WVHD here just as good as some of the better T&L spots. Nicely steamed bun? Check. Weenie cooked just right? Check. Onions and mustard placed just right and in proper portions for taste? Check and check.

Oddly, I didn't get the usual question of what kind of chili I wanted (mild, medium, or hot). I'm certain that I was eating the mild variety, which is good enough even if you live and die by the hot version like myself. Nicely ground meat seasoned to perfection and cooked just right. Yup, they've got the chili covered. Check.

Slaw? Check. I was really impressed by how fresh the ingredients were in this particular batch. However, there seemed to be a little bit of an unbalance between the sweetness of the dressing and the vinegar that was mixed in it. Almost like it wasn't stirred up enough. Hopefully this was just an anomaly, but I did have to do a double-take when I 

bit into it the first time.

All in all, I really liked this location and I think it suits the area it serves well. The hot dogs are just as good as you can get from T&L, but I think the issue with the slaw was a bit of drawback. The bitterness, albeit likely unintentional, kept it from having that little "umph" factor that puts it over the top. On the other hand, I give kudos to the staff for the terrific and friendly service.  Four-and-a-half weenies for Cindy's T&L Hot Dogs.

Charleston HDJ Review - Mrs. Winkle's

A staple of the old Plaza East shopping center was the little hot dog joint on the corner, Bowincal's. It closed many years ago but it has sat virtually unchanged through the years. You could walk by and see the tables and chairs sitting there waiting for people to fill them, and the serving counter waiting for someone to order one with everything. I was pleased when I heard that the place had reopened under a slightly different name.

Mrs. Winkle is presumably no relation to the former occupants, and her menu is definitely more diverse than the old place with things like Greek salads, hot wings and other trendy fast foods. But hot dogs still hold a place of honor on the menu, and the menu has several different versions and different toppings to work with. When I asked what "everything" was, I was greeted by an exasperated stare and so I withdrew my question and just asked for two with spicy chili (they have regular chili, but I wanted to see what "spicy" meant), slaw, mustard and onions.

My hot dogs took a long time to get to me, but I was not alone, quite literally. There must have been about 12 people waiting for their orders when I got there and another 4 or 5 came in after me. One disgruntled customer finally voiced his displeasure and left, donating his pre-paid food order in the process. I hung in there and waited almost 20 minutes. It was the heat of lunchtime, so I'll forgive them, especially because even though they were slammed I could see that they were still taking great care preparing the hot dogs instead of just throwing them together. Each bun was steamed, the mustard was carefully applied, the chili was lovingly spread and the slaw and onions were spooned into place like presentation actually mattered to them.

When I finally got my order I noticed that the two hot dogs "to go" were served in kind of a double-wide styrofoam coffin. No matter, the steamed bun and the piping hot toppings preserved themselves well on the short drive back to my office. When I opened the coffin I was greeted by a heady bouquet of really potent onions, but they didn't taste as strong as they smelled. The first thing I noticed when I bit into my dog was the unmistakable "snap" of a premium weenie: Probably either a Nathan's skinless or a Boar's Head. It was quite tasty like both of those brands and larger in size than your typical HDJ weenie.

The next thing that caught my attention was the spicy chili. It was indeed spicy; not Fairmont spicy, but pretty darned spicy for Charleston. It was really nice and complex too, with a tartness that one usually doesn't find in the spicy stuff up north. The slaw, while pretty tasty and fresh, wasn't quite up to the task of offsetting the chili. I'd imagine it would go well with the regular stuff, but the spicy just kinda burned through it. Still, this is a very good hot dog. It's a bit pricey for these parts at $1.90, but the premium ingredients are worth it.

Let's give Mrs.Winkle a 4.5 Weenie rating to leave her room for improvement. Sweeten the slaw and make it a little creamier and it would be flawless.

Fairmont HDJ Review – Dairy Creme Corner

If there's one thing that there never seems to be a shortage of here at WVHotDogs.com, it's recommendations for a favorite local HDJ. Case in point was the recent e-mail that Stanton forwarded to me from a reader named Cathy with the subject line “Need to try the BEST!!!”, referring to the Dairy Creme Corner in Fairmont.

Dairy Creme Corner is an inviting walk-up-or-eat-in type HDJ that primarily focuses on ice cream and summer comfort foods. It features an extensive menu of short order goodies on one of those menu boards that seemingly spans the width of the restaurant. You name it, chances are they've got it: all sorts of cool treats, burgers, salads, cheese steaks, nachos, funnel cakes, and the like. Places like these can take you back to summer nights when you were a kid. To boot, the service is friendly and prompt. Dairy Creme Corner should win the award for having the “Money Location”. It literally sits right at the base of the exit ramp of exit 137 off of I-79.

To be completely honest with you, I take any claims of the hot dogs at any given place being “the best” (or some similar claim) with a grain of salt. While it means a lot that someone thought enough of the product to recommend it, the rule of thumb is that no two tastes are the same. At any rate, I found the hot dogs here to be well worthy of high marks.

For starters, it's one flat price for any hot dog with any topping, to include slaw. In Marion County, this is a rarity since many HDJs in the area still believe in the phantom “no-slaw law”. The buns are steamed just about right to allow some absorption of the toppings, but not too much that they turn to mush. The weenie seemed to be adequately done. For some odd reason I had a hard time finding the onions and mustard in each bite, but they were still detectable.

The regular variation of the chili seems to be geared more to towards the southern WV formula, in that it doesn't rely on an overdose of spices, but rather a hearty flavor. The texture of the meat is nicely ground and cooked just to the point that the juices of the beef are released into a pleasing mix that compliments the weenie. The only drawback seems to be that there is a hint of ketchup stirred into the formula somewhere. Not enough ketchup to throw the formula into complete disarray, but just enough to make its presence known in fashion that annoyed my anti-ketchup palate.

The slaw as fresh, with an emphasis on a crispness in the finely cut cabbage. I found the flavor to be middle-of-the-road in terms of sweet/tangy ratio. On the downside, I thought the dressing was a bit too thin and runny for my personal liking. Again, this didn't ruin the hot dog, but it was a little unpleasant to have it running into the palm of my hand.

All in all, Dairy Creme Corner is a fun and pleasant place to take the family and enjoy the best of America's favorite summer treats. The hot dogs are really good, but come up a hair short of being the best they can be. Therefore, Dairy Creme Corner gets four and a half weenies.

Clarksburg HDJ Review - Hometown Hot Dogs

Clarksburg's Hometown Hot Dogs is housed in a building that could easily win an award for "Most Nondescript". The small brick building sits in the middle of the Stealey area, right where the city transitions from a business to residential district. This ideal location puts it within walking distance of residents, but also in a short commute for those working downtown or over in the Rosebud section as well. The parking -or seeming lack thereof- is a little tricky (and a big pet peeve), but that problem is solved via the drive-thru window around the back side of the building. Nevertheless, Hometown Hot Dogs is constantly churning out a steady stream of fresh dogs all day long.

The staff does a very good job of taking care of customers. While they are in a seemingly endless state of working on making fresh ingredients and filling orders, they are never at a loss for conversation. They've got the multitasking down to an art form, and the results come through in every scrumptious bite. This is one of my personal favorite locations, and I can personally say I've never been let down.

There's ample seating inside for a couple dozen customers. The interior is decorated with WVU Mountaineer football decorations and memorabilia. I can't say if this wards off Marshall fans or not, and frankly I don't want to get into that debate.

Speaking of down south, those of you that are fans of Sam's Hot Dog Stands should note that Hometown Hot Dogs are quite similar in taste. I found this out first hand at a WVHotDogs.com business meeting at the Sam's Hot Dog Stand in Teays Valley.

Chili comes in mild, medium, or hot varieties, but the medium is quite spicy enough for anyone. It can easily make beads of sweat break out on even the heartiest spice lover. It has the fine ground beef consistency, with a nice mix of flavors that compliment the meaty taste. The color is a near perfect brown that never shows signs of being over-cooked. This sauce can stand on it's own, which is always a good sign of quality chili.

The slaw is usually pretty good, though on some rare occasions the taste can border on being somewhat plain. It also has a markedly fine cut of cabbage. The rest of the ingredients are always pleasing, and the buns get a good steaming before being served up.

Aside from the parking, you can't really go wrong with Hometown Hot Dogs. The slaw requires a little tweaking (sometimes), but the chili makes up for any shortcomings in the topping department. The service is very good, so Hometown Hot Dogs gets a well deserved four-and-a-half weenies.

Clarksburg HDJ Review - Tubby's Cafe

Once in a great while you're fortunate enough to discover a unique place totally by accident that, much like a rare artifact, becomes a gem that you enjoy so much you have to share it with others. Enter Tubby's Cafe in Clarksburg.

I was driving through the Summit Park section of Clarksburg just below old Bridgeport Hill Road when I saw a small sign for Tubby's mounted on a street sign at an intersection. Curious, I hung a left where I normally turn right. A hundred feet later, I discovered an amazingly good restaurant in a hard-to-find section of town. Tubby's is built on to the back of an inviting little private residence on Factory Street. Though the parking is tight, it's certainly worth getting to.

Once inside, I was immediately taken by the Harley- Davidson motif that adorns nearly every nook and cranny of the restaurant, save for a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. standee, a replica hood from the #3 car of Dale Sr., and a drag racing "Christmas Tree". The entire place is done in H-D black and orange, and highlighted with diamond plate trim. The counter area is adorned in the diamond plating, from the top of the counter down to the foot rests. My co-workers who ventured along on this particular visit got a kick out of the blinking yellow "caution" light that was activated when one went to the restroom and locked the door. I also noted a handle grip/brake handle assembly on the beer taps. My friends commented on how shiny and clean this establishment was. Attention to detail was certainly at the forefront of the proprietor's mind. This is one of those places that would put a grin on even the most grumpy curmudgeon on a dreary day. This wasn't a bar by any means...this is a restaurant through and through. I spoke with the owner, who noted that while the location was a bit of a hindrance he hoped to move to a better location sometime in the future.

Tubby's has an awesome menu that offers daily specials, Italian pasta fare, huge salads, hoagies (which all in attendance agreed were some of the best ever to be had), sandwiches, burgers, authentic brick oven pizzas (baked in the wood-fired brick oven that burns all day and night, regardless of the temperature outside), and of course hot dogs. The dogs are listed on the menu as follows: "Served hot off the grill in a steamed bun topped with Tubby's memorable chili, mustard, and onions...$1.25".

Memorable my foot! What an understatement.

This chili might darn well represent a high point for preparation and ingredients in this region. I think one of my co-workers said it best when he noted that it was "just a hair spicy". That may indeed be the best description for it. The chili had a perfect coloring and aroma, and a taste that epitomized 'balance' as the meaty flavor and spiciness worked together rather than overrun one another. It wasn't too complex, but rather complimented the overall hot dog. There was an abundance of chopped onions to give some extra zing to each bite, but not upset the overall presentation. In case there wasn't enough zest for you, take heart that you have your choice of no less than seven different bottled hot sauces, plus red pepper flakes and chili powder available at the counter.

Another plus was that every component of the hot dog is prepped on order (as is everything on the menu). The wieners are grilled on order, versus boiled in a batch and put on standby. I'm always a fan of grilled wieners when they're available; it seems they add some intangible element that you can't get from just boiling. The buns were steamed right as the wieners were being prepared, making for a superior, freshly steamed taste. I'd suspect that if you wanted the buns steamed more (or less), you could get it as you like it upon request.

The service here can't be beat. The owners are front and center doing the food prep, and they're always up for a conversation on just about anything. I found them very personable, and genuine...a quality that anyone can appreciate.

There was one -and only one- drawback to the whole visit: no slaw. I was informed that at one point it was an option, but later taken off the menu since there weren't enough requests for it. That's a shame, as I'm sure it had the potential to be pretty good. I think a good slaw would put these hot dogs over the top. Based on that, I have to score 4.5 weenies for Tubby's. If a decent slaw is ever offered again, I believe it'll score an easy five weenies.

A Requested Revisit - The Burger Carte in Smithers

While we first visited the Burger Carte last year, this classic old roadside HDJ changed ownership earlier this year and the new owners made contact with WVHotDogs.com and asked for a follow-up visit since they felt they had improved over the last proprietors. A bit risky, I thought, since the original review scored a very good Four and a Half Weenies. But I finally made it and I'm glad I did because there is a difference.

The difference is subtle. I think the slaw is just a little bit better tasting. It is nearly perfect in texture and they lay it on in a very generous measure. The chili is still good: It has nice complexity but lacks in spiciness. The biggest difference is that the hot dogs are now wrapped in wax paper instead of being served in a styro-coffin, and the bun is therefore steamed by the ingredients and is wonderfully soft.

Not enough of a difference to bump the score to a perfect Five Weenie, but an improvement nevertheless. One of the most authentic WHVDs you can buy along Rt. 60.

Fairmont's HDJ Review - Woody's

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.

Huntington Hot Dog Joint: Sam's Hot Dog Stand-Piedmont Road

A common theme in Huntington politics are the real and perceived inequities that exist between the East End, Downtown/South Side, and West Huntington in terms of education, quality of infrastructure, attracting jobs, etc. One important demographic, however, that illustrates geo-economics is the even distribution of Sam's Hot Dog Stand. With locations on 29th St., 8th St., and Piedmont Road, no one in Huntington is ever that far from a great hot dog. WVhotdogs.com has already put the eastern and central locations to the test, so naturally it was time to load up the James gang and head on over to Wayne County, y'all.

Right off the bat I can say that Piedmont has three things that are standard Sam's: fresh-but-steamed-anyway buns, water-bathed weenies (meh, but not a pet peeve of mine), and adequate but unremarkable slaw.

As this is the beginning of summer, all hot dog stands worth their salt are using Vidalia or similarly sweet onions. Piedmont Road Sam's hooked me up big time. Nice chunks of tasty onions genuinely added quality to my dining experience.

As regular readers and WV hot dog fans all know, Sam's Hot Dog Stand spicy sauce can vary from location to location. I suspect that all Sam's locations either buy or follow the same recipe for mild chili sauce and later add the heat in the form of red pepper flakes. Some add a smidge. Piedmont pours it in. Boy, they weren't kiddin' when they say "spicy." I'm pretty sure this is how it is supposed to taste.

As for service, Piedmont Road fits into the general trend of attention to detail. Unlike the veterans of the weenie wars at the 29th St. and 8th St. locations, this joint was under the control of two high school age folks. While I was a bit concerned at first, my reverse ageism proved me wrong and I watched them prepare the dog like a well-drilled militia. I noticed two or three hand-written notes giving the weenistas detailed instructions about proper dog assembly. Perhaps the highlight of my ordering experience was the menu board that mentioned sauce, slaw, mustard, and onions, but not a word of ketchup to be found.

My only beef with this great hot dog was that there was not enough slaw on the dog. For that, I am giving an otherwise perfect hot dog encounter 4.5 weenies. During second chance month in June, however, I will swing back by to consider bumping them to a 5 weenie rating and West Virginia hot dog immortality.

Putnam County Hot Dog Joint: Hittin' the Ground Runnin' at Sam's Hot Dog Stand--Teays Valley

A little taste of Huntington has recently opened in a strip mall along Teays Valley Road: a new establishment that is a franchisee of both Monty's Pizza and Sam's Hot Dog Stand. While I will pass on Monty's Pizza (give me Pizza Hut, Hussons, Lorenzo's (RIP soon), Graziano's, or Gino's first), I am a complete mark for Sam's hot dogs, so I knew I'd have to check this place out at some point. I have heard that individual Sam's locations can vary dramatically in quality, especially the further east one traveled, and I wanted to see if this location was more 8th Street or Charleston.

Much to my surprise, Sam's-Teays Valley is doin' right by the Sam's Hot Dog Stand brand.

I was taken aback at first by the $1.49 per dawg price point. That is about a quarter more per weenie than usual, but nothing too shocking like over at The Hottest Dog.

The friendly dog jerk (or is it dog tender? or maybe dog artisan?) got right to work on the assembly station and insisted on making me another dog when I commented to myself that I had forgotten to ask for spicy sauce. Friendly service is always a great way to win repeat customers (and brownie points from weenie critics).

The dog had all of the usual components of a Sam's dog: the spicy sauce, the uber-chopped (if slightly dry) slaw, and a Huntington-fresh bun. However, it can be said that ol' boy hooked me up, big time. He added sauce and slaw by the shovelful, really piling it on. Lots of great tasting toppin's also make me happy. While I'm not saying that this guy is quite up their with Yann and the guy from 8th St, but he sure knows how to dress a dog.

The atmosphere was pretty cool, too. It was kind of cramped, but it was arraigned much like many of the cramped restaurants in small towns throughout West Virginia that have served up some of the best fast food anywhere. Furthermore, the fact that the place is also a pizza joint helps sell a trip to get some great hot dogs to those that are insisting on something other than good hot dogs (ie Northern Panhandlers).

While I reserve the right ot re-review this joint after it has settled in for a few months, right now I have to give this place 4.5 weenies. It is the single best example in terms of atmosphere and toppin's-hookup at a Sam's Hot Dog Stand (my favorite chain) and should be honored as such. Hopefully, they can keep it up.

Charleston Area HDJ Revisited - South Charleston Dairy Bar

I got an email the other day from someone who said that the South Charleston Dairy Bar now offers an New England Style bun as an upgrade. Having a new found appreciation for grilled or toasted New England Style buns I just had to go check it out.

In my original review I gave the Dairy Bar a strong 4 Weenie rating. Would the addition of an New England Style bun make a difference? Yes.

The bun makes this hot dog much more satisfying. Everything else is pretty much the same as before so I'm going to bump it a half point to a 4.5 rating.

Still the second best hot dog in town, but improving. Keep it up SC Dairy Bar!