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.

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.

Charleston HDJ Review - Cook Out

While we typically shy away from reviewing hot dogs from chain restaurants unless the chain is West Virginia based, we are making an exception for Cook Out. Read on to find out why.

Cook Out is based in North Carolina and has over 25 locations throughout the southeast. Recently it has moved into West Virginia and now has locations in Charleston, Huntington and Beckley. All of the W. Va. Cook Out restaurants occupy buildings that were built and formerly run as Bojangles Fried Chicken franchises. 

And can we take a minute and talk about Bojangles? Of course they had no hot dogs, so we won't take up too much space here, but man, what a meteoric ride that was! Some will remember the news stories that went viral about the traffic nightmares that were created when Huntington Bojangles first opened in April of 2016, and similar problems occurred in Cross Lanes and Charleston. Three years later, by June of 2019, poof, they were all gone.

Bojangles' boom and bust was a boon for Cook Out, which moved into these abandoned shells like hermit crabs and began selling chargrilled hamburgers, chicken, BBQ, milkshakes and hot dogs. 

One of the hot dogs on the menu is the "Cook Out Style" and it is the reason we have decided to break our "no chains" rule. This hot dog, as if placed here by divine intervention, has toppings listed as "homemade chili, slaw, mustard and onions." Just the way God intended hot dogs to be prepared. How could we not review it?

Now it's not surprising that a chain based in North Carolina would have have slaw on its hot dog. On this blog we've documented the migration of the Chili/Slaw hot dog from West Virginia (where it originated in the 1920s) to North Carolina in the 1950s and 1960s. It's so prevalent there now that younger North Carolinians have come to believe it is their state's invention. We know better, and we're happy our prodigal hot dog has found its way home.

When we opened the black coffin in which our hot dog was delivered, it looked right. A good helping of slaw covered everything and the size and heft seemed good. At first grab, however, it was evident that the bun was either stale or slightly toasted and pretty stiff. 

The slaw looked like standard food service issue, too coarse and fairly tasteless, but the chili was several cuts above the ordinary. The color of the chili was deep brown and its texture was perfect. The taste was complex with just a little chili powder-induced spiciness. 

Overall a pretty satisfying hot dog for a chain. We'll give it a 3 1/2 Weenie Rating. If not for the hard bun we could have gone 4. 

Charleston HDJ Review - Hot Dogs R Us

We've long maintained that the fancier the Hot Dog Joint, the worse the hot dogs will be. It's been a rule that has held up for the 13 years this blog has been around. Oh, of course, there has been the occasional exception to the rule and once in a while a nice bistro or sports bar will have a tasty WVHD, but those HDJs who consistently have great hot dogs are usually very basic and make hot dogs a real priority and not just an afterthought menu addition.

Given the durability of this rule, we were pretty encouraged last week when we saw just about the plainest sign ever that had popped up on the side of the convenience store at the corner of McCorkle Avenue and 50th Street in the Kanawha City neighborhood of Charleston. It was a white banner with bold black block letters hanging in the window with no further explanation than "Hot Dogs R Us." This spot recently held a sub shop that sold okay hot dogs and at first we thought it was just a promotional sign for that business, but then someone informed us that the sub shop had closed and that this new business was now occupying the adjacent space that formerly was a frozen yogurt store.

So we stopped in to check it out and found that the HDJ is even more basic than the sign would indicate. Hanging over the counter was another sign, equally as basic as the one in the window, except for the twin Pepsi logos that adorned it, and some hand-written signs with prices and available toppings. A pair of household crock pots were on the back counter keeping the weenies and chili hot and a a tray of condiments sat nearby. Since we were getting ours to go, we ordered two with chili, slaw, mustard and onions (as God intends hot dogs to be prepared) and two without onions. While we waited on our order, we noticed that Hot Dogs R Us really means what they say: Hot dogs R all they do. No BBQ, hamburgers, chicken nuggets or anything else to get in the way of their specialty. You can get a bag of chips, but nothing else is prepared here. That, our hot dog loving friends, is the kind of dedication to ones craft it takes to achieve greatness, 

Our order came to $10 even, and came quickly. Before we knew it we were out the door and on our way home with our delicious-smelling cargo

The first thing we noticed when we opened the lid of our to-go styrofoam box was the dark, dark brown chili. Almost black, this chili has been cooked for a long, long time and something magical happened while it cooked. It is delicious. It is more sweet than spicy, but wonderfully complex and hearty. It was applied in a generous amount and topped with some of the finest-grated slaw we've ever seen. The slaw's texture and taste was as near perfect as we've found in a long while.

The bun was wonderfully soft (probably helped by the steamy confines of the styrofoam container and the longish car ride home) and the weenie was plump and delicious. The onions were finely chopped and nicely applied.

Then there's the mustard. A nice little wavy line of mustard was artistically applied on top of the slaw.  This always causes a stir on our Facebook page because some purists want their mustard against the weenie and under the chili, but we like the topside application because it confirms that this very necessary condiment - the only acceptable condiment, really- has not been forgotten in the preparation process. You complainers, get over yourselves. It tastes the same regardless of where it located.

So we're going to give Hot Dogs R Us our highest rating of 5 Weenies, recommend it to everyone who live in the Kanawha Valley and to those passing through. This is a perfect example of why WVHDs are so great: It is simple, basic food that is best when it is made and served in completely unpretentious settings like this. 

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.

Charleston Hot Dog (sort of) Review - Eggs Will Roll

First of all, let me get this out of the way. This is not one of those posts like we do on our favorite day of the year. This is real life.

Eggs Will Roll is a Non-Traditional Egg Roll Pop Up Shop. It pops up in random places, sells a bunch of strange egg roll creations and then vanishes into the ether. Except for the outward appearance, their offerings are nothing like a traditional Chinese restaurant egg roll. They make egg rolls with fillings such as chicken and waffles, chorizo and egg, tater tots with sausage gravy and mac & cheese. One of their recurring specialties that we've heard about is their West Virginia Hot Dog roll, but due to the here today, gone tomorrow nature of their business, we've never been able to catch them to try it out.

Finally, though, we cornered them and procured the object of our desire.

We'll get to the review in a minute, but first, allow us to point out the dollop of mustard in the photo. There has been a raging debate over on the WV Hot Dogs Facebook page about the appropriateness (or more correctly, the disgusting inappropriateness) of ketchup on a WV Hot Dog. Eggs Will Roll, being high-brow culinary artists, seem to innately understand that mustard is the only acceptable condiment for a WVHD, even one that is chopped up, wrapped up in a wonton and deep fried.

But does it taste good? Does it taste like a WV Hot Dog?

We'll address the latter first: No. It tastes nothing like a WV Hot Dog. The  heat from the deep fryer makes the various elements of the filling hard to identify, so we can't be sure that it contains the right stuff, but we'll take their word for it. The finely chopped weenie is plainly visible, as is some finely grated vegetable that we assume is coleslaw. There seems to be onions, but I could see no trace of chili nor could I taste it. When dipped in mustard, the taste of the whole thing was more reminiscent of a corn dog than a hot dog.

Does it taste good? Yes. In the same way that funnel cakes taste good at a carnival, or the way a stuffed-crust meat lovers pizza tastes good when you've thrown caution to the wind, ignored your doctor's orders and just enjoyed some greasy, hot food. Sometimes you just gotta live a little.

We're happy that Eggs Will Roll honors our state's food culture with the WV Hot Dog Roll, but next time we're going to try something a little more mainstream -- like a chicken and waffle egg roll.

No Weenie Rating for this way-too nonstandard "hot dog."

Charleston HDJ Review- Super Weenie

Super Weenie began life as a hot dog cart that sold pretty good hot dogs on the corner of Lee & Capitol Streets in downtown Charleston. You can read our review from 2016 here. About a year ago, it graduated to a bricks and mortar location a block and a half away on Quarrier Street. We didn't mean to wait a whole year to do a review, but time happens and here it is.

With a slogan like "I'm serious about these hot dogs," we expected a great hot dog. HDJs that truly are serious about hot dogs are hard to find (even though many claim to be) but when you find one you know it because it shows in the care given to the various elements that make up a true WV Hot Dog. A HDJ that uses food service slaw, for example, can say they are serious, but any true WVHD fan can see right through their ruse.

We heard through the grapevine that since moving indoors, Super Weenie was making their own slaw, which was a good thing since the last time we reviewed them (while they were still a cart) their slaw was found wanting. So we went in, expecting and hoping that we would find that Super Weenie had found the missing ingredient to make their hot dogs truly super. 

They have.

Slaw purists, note the absence of carrots.

Every part of this hot dog is super indeed. The weenie was perfectly cooked, the chili deliciously complex (if not terribly spicy) and the slaw paired with it perfectly. The new slaw is perfect in texture and in taste: finely chopped cabbage sans core and just a touch of sweet. Onions & mustard did nothing to detract. The only possible thing over which we could quibble is that to get a steamed steamed bun you have to request it, but my bun was warm, soft, fresh and delicious so maybe it doesn't really need it because even without a steamed bun this is a Five Weenie superstar West Virginia Hot Dog . 

Congrats to the Super Weenie team on having a hot dog worthy of your name and your slogan. Arguably, the best hot dog in downtown Charleston. 

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.

Charleston HDJ Review - Faithy's Corner Cafe

"Location, location, location" is the most common advice given to businesses. A great location can definitely help a restaurant overcome shortcomings, especially in a downtown business district. Faithy's has an ideal location, sitting on the corner of Summers Street and Brawley Walkway, halfway between downtown and the Town Center Mall. Serving basic lunch fare, it's been there for many years and has stood the test of time. With all of the hot dog competition it faces in the downtown area - most notably from Swiftwater Cafe and Super Weenie - one would think it's hot dogs must be at least passable.

We decided to find out.

 First, kudos to Faithy for wrapping up her hot dogs in wax paper. By the time I carried them back to my office they were soft and supple, just like a WV hot dog should be. Opening up the paper, it was clear that these were Utilitarian Dogs through and through: Built for taste, not for show. The heft of the dog was nice and all of the ingredients were wonderfully combined.

Sadly, "everything" on a hot dog at Faithy's includes ketchup. I didn't realize this and didn't ask them to delete it from my hot dog, so I tried my best to ignore the sugary tomato past taste and ate around it where I could. I found that Faithy's chili is fairly decent, with a strong chili powder flavor but not much spice. The slaw was too chunky, but the taste was OK, and it went well with the chili. The weenie was fine and the onions were reasonably chopped, but could have been a little smaller.

Overall,we can't say anything bad (except the ketchup) about Faithy's hot dogs. Clearly they are "also rans" to the two aforementioned HDJs, but nothing to apologize for. We'll give them 3.5 Weenies.

Marmet HDJ Review - Chum's Yellow Slaw Hot Dogs

While we consider creamy mayonnaise-based coleslaw with a slight sweetness to be standard issue for West Virginia Hot Dogs, we do allow for one micro-regionalized variation. In the little town of Marmet, just a few miles outside of the Capitol City, there is a long-standing tradition of Yellow Slaw on hot dogs. According to readers of this blog, Donald "Goat" Kinder was the person who originally developed the yellow variety, which he sold at The Dairy Post, located across the street from the old Marmet Junior High School. Now according to some people, The Dairy Post relocated to another part of town and changed its name to "The Canary Cottage." This is a matter of some dispute, however, because some folks have argued that the Canary Cottage was around before the Dairy Post. I'm certain that some Marmet folks will chime in here with their opinions.

Anyway, the Yellow Slaw tradition is now being carried on by one unique little HDJ called Chum's. We were there in 2009 right after they opened and found it to be just OK. But for the past few years we've heard that they had upped their game and have been trying to get back for a review, but they are not open on the weekends. Weenie Wonking is a part-time job, so HDJs that aren't open Saturdays or Sundays sometimes don't get a visit from us. Recently, though, Google erroneously reported that Chum's had Saturday hours, which got us obsessing about yellow slaw. By the time we found out that Google was wrong, well, we simply couldn't resist the obsession so we played hooky from work and made the trip. 

Chum's is a 12' x 20' roadside box that could be easily missed except for the line of hungry hot dog fans out front. A sign on the box displays a surprisingly long list of menu items, but the priority is clear with hot dogs at the very top. Regular readers will know that we are always impressed when a HDJ knows what "everything" means and is unequivocal. Chum's splits the vote here, though, as their menu confidently states it (Chili, Yellow Slaw & Onions), but the order taker was a little bit wishy-washy on whether everything included ketchup and mustard. I'm sure this is because the yellow slaw contains mustard already, and so many uninformed people order ketchup just because they don't know better. Bless their hearts.

Of course, I got mine with the true "everything" which meant adding a little mustard. 

It's been several years since I had partaken of  Yellow Slaw. The last time was at the bowling alley snack bar inside Galaxy Lanes, which being just a couple of miles from the Marmet line, had yellow slaw as an offering years ago (I'm not sure if it still does).  Before that, it was at Mr. C's, a small regional chain that had a location not far from Galaxy Lanes. The yellow slaw at Chum's was every bit as good as my previous tastings, and the chili underneath was far superior. 

Yellow slaw is sweeter that the white kind. That sweetness means that it needs a spicier chili to really bring out the flavor. Chum's accomplishes this well. Upper Kanawha Valley chili is typically very tame, but I was able to feel a little burn from the Chum's chili. Couple this synergy with a soft, steamed bun and a perfectly acceptable weenie, and you have a great hot dog. As I said, not completely standard by our normal measures, but it perfectly accomplishes what it's trying to do. It simply could not be any tastier, therefore earns a full Five Weenie rating.

Oh, and about the hours. Chum's is definitely not open on weekends but will soon be moving to their winter hours, which means they will close at 5:30 each weekday.

Charleston HDJ Review - Hot Diggity Dogs

We've been getting messages about this new HDJ on Seventh Avenue in North Charleston for a few weeks. After waiting for the new business to get its sea legs, we decided to stop in for lunch today.

First, I have to say that I found it impossible to believe that the trade name "Hot Diggity Dogs" wasn't already taken in West Virginia. We have reviewed "Haught Diggity Dogz" in Morgantown (now defunct), "Mr Diggity" in Vienna, and a little stand inside a Nitro flea market called "Linda's Hot Diggity Dogs," but I was shocked to find out that nobody had thought to use the name "Hot Diggity Dogs" for a hot dog joint before; it seems so obvious. A quick review of the WV Secretary of State's site reveals that someone in Culloden had registered the name "Hot Diggity Dog" (singular) in 2013, but it wasn't until this year that anyone used the plural. Kudos to them. It's a great name.

I wish the hot dogs were as good as the name. They're not. They could be, though, with more attention to one key element.

The buns are soft, the weenie is perfectly grilled and tasty and the mustard is yellow. Check, check and check.

The chili: Hot Diggity Dogs has two kinds - regular and spicy. We got one of each. They should ditch the regular. It is virtually tasteless. The spicy is good, very good. It reminded me of Chris' Hot Dogs chili. It's not so overly spicy that it would be uncomfortable for anyone, especially if the slaw is right -  a nice sweet creamy slaw could really work with this chili.

Unfortunately, the slaw is where Hot Diggity Dogs fails completely. They have two kinds - regular and yellow. The regular tastes like small cabbage chunks in mayonnaise.  Not a good texture or taste, and it does nothing for the chili. The yellow slaw tastes like small chunks of yellow cabbage. It has virtually no other flavor. I don't even understand why it's yellow.

So even with a good bun, weenie and chili, given the importance of a proper chili/slaw synergy to West Virginia Hot Dogs, we can't give this hot dog more than a 3 Weenie score. With the Five Weenie Huskey's Dairy Bar just a short walk away, we would be hard pressed to give anything close to a recommendation. If Hot Diggity Dogs can up its slaw game, though, it could be a contender.

Cross Lanes HDJ - T&M Meats & WV Brick Oven Bistro

The bare-bones exterior probably scares away more customers than it attracts, but once inside you can't help but to be impressed by this meat that shop has evolved over the years into a bonafide restaurant. With a brick oven pizza menu, various bar food selections and a decent beer selection it has become a real hot spot in Cross Lanes. Refrigerated cases filled with just about any kind of meat you might want line two walls and in the center are tables and a bar for dining. The namesake beehive shaped "brick oven" sits prominently behind the bar.

I didn't go into T&M Meats for a hot dog review, but when I saw one on the menu listed for $2.00, I figured I'd order it as an appetizer to give it a shot. I saw that the toppings included ketchup, so of course I asked the waitress to delete it from mine. She informed me that the hot dog comes standard with two weenies and asked me if I wanted it that way or with only one. After taking a second to try to understand what a two-weenie hot dog would look like - a heretofore unprecedented encounter - I said "sure, why not?" and threw all caution to the wind. I spent the waiting time wondering how they could fit two weenies on one bun, postulating various theories.

It turns out that the two weenies were of the small caliber variety, so they fit on the bun just fine. They were made a little bit smaller by being over-grilled until they were dry and leathery on the outside. The bun, strangely enough, had a coating of poppy seeds, but was about the same size as your basic Heiners hot dog bun. The poppy seeds added nothing to the taste or texture of the hot dog.

The chili was sweet, with not much spice but super-fine. The consistency made me think that there might be some kind of meat substitute like TVP added, but I couldn't be sure. The slaw was slightly sweet and slightly vinegary. There is little synergy between the two.

There's really not much else to say about the hot dog at T&M Meats. We'll give it a 2 Weenie ranking for trying hard, but honestly, trying less hard would make it better. We would recommend ditching the double-weenie and replace it with one that is properly-cooked, and likewise ditching the poppy seed bun.

Charleston HDJ Review - The Quarrier Diner

The exterior has been beautifully restored.

This venerable old diner in downtown Charleston has opened and closed more times than I can count. Originally called The Quarrier Diner, it was built in the early 1950s, when it was hailed as an architectural gem by the West Virginia chapter of the American Institute of Architects. In the late 1970s, the restaurant became commonly known as Young's Diner (named for owner Charlie Young), even though the front of the building still sported the beautiful Art Nouveau  "Quarrier Diner" lettering. When the latest owners both the building several years ago, they repaired some of the exterior finish and made slight - and very appropriate - upgrades to the interior. The whole place is still a showplace.

After re-opening to a large fanfare a few years ago, the diner portion of the business closed down again and for a while it seemed that the downstairs bar, Timothy's, was the only viable part of the business. Recently, though, signs of life have emerged upstairs and the diner has once again started serving lunch during the week, dinner on Friday and will soon be starting a Sunday morning brunch service,

The interior is beautifully preserved.

So with the renewed vigor starting to show, I thought it was time to drop in for a hot dog review.

Service was fast and friendly and soon I was seated with a menu. A momentary panic set in as I didn't see hot dogs listed right away, but then I found them listed on the left side under "Specials." That was a good sign, I thought. When I asked what "everything" included, I was dismayed if not surprised to hear ketchup among the condiments, I simply deleted the red stuff and got an "everything else" dog which of course included mustard, chili, slaw and onions.

When my dogs arrived the first thing I noticed was the Lobster Roll bun, which was lightly toasted and strangely small. It was as if the bun had shrunk somehow and it was about 3/4 the size of a normal New England Style bun. It barely contained the weenie, which tasted fine but was a little mushy - like it had been sitting in water for too long.

The chili was extraordinarily meaty and when I isolated a taste of it I found it to be very, very sweet with nary a trace of spice. The taste was almost ketchupy, but a little more complex. Think about a dark sweet Bolognese spaghetti sauce and you will be close.

The slaw was far to creamy and runny for my tastes. The flavor was a little bland, but when paired with the sweet chili it worked well, making this an overall acceptable hot dog. We will give it a 3 Weenie score. With a better bun it could be a 3.5.

While its doubtful that the QD is going to become my go-to place downtown for hot dogs, it is nice to have them back in the mix. Downtown Charleston needs another lunch spot and Friday evening dinner option. I am also looking forward to trying out the brunch!

Charleston Area HDJ Review - One Stop Sub Express

I was in a hurry and had to stop for a quick lunch, so I thought I would drop in at the Sub Express inside the One Stop on Lee Street West. I was thinking turkey sub, but then I saw a sign advertising a hot dog special, so I figured I'd take a chance. Almost immediately after ordering, regrets started creeping into my brain.

First of all, I should have known better than to order a hot dog at a place where the toppings are completely undefined. Asking what "everything" meant was met with a blank stare, and a gesture toward the myriad of toppings available for all subs: Anything from lettuce to tomatoes to olives, to jalapenos and more are all considered fair game for these hot dogs. Thankfully among the cornucopia was chili, slaw, mustard and onions, so that's what I ordered.

The next regret came when I saw the weenies getting warmed up on a roller machine: Never a good sign.

The third regret was when I was asked if I wanted my bun steamed and when I said "yes" they were plopped into the microwave for a good nuking.

So by the time my hot dogs arrived at the register I had very low expectations that they were going to be good, I was just hoping for edible.

And I was surprised.

Despite the problematic beginning, these hot dogs were actually very good. The slaw was sweet, creamy and fresh. The chili was flavorful, if not spicy, and the roller-dog actually tasted more like a grilled weenie. The microwaved bun - usually a sure-fire way to make one tough and chewy - survived its torture and after being double wrapped in wax paper and aluminum foil, actually was soft and delightful. A completely surprising hot dog which earns a solid Four Weenie score.

Charleston HDJ Review - Zippy's Hot Dogs and Ice Cream

We watched all summer long as this new HDJ was being built near Southridge off of Corridor G in Charleston. We figured a standalone HDJ that wasn't a front for a gambling parlor had to be serious about hot dogs and would no doubt be great. We figured wrong.

I really don't wish to waste as many words as it would take to accurately describe how disappointing my Zippy's visit was. It started as soon as I walked through the door and saw a whole host of different kind of hot dog pictures on the menu board and none of them looked familiar. The photo beside the name "WV Dog" was of a New England Style bun with a weenie hanging out of the end so far that it looked almost pornographic, and on top of the whole thing were a few unrecognizable toppings. When I asked what was on the WV Dog, the young lady said "anything you want." Strike two.

Since it was obviously ala carte ordering, I ordered a standard hot dog with chili, slaw, mustard and onions. After not much wait I got my hot dog and went to my car, since there are no provisions for inside dining - only picnic tables, which on this day were windswept and chilly.

Everything about the hot dog was unremarkable, except the weenie: Zippy's has what they call and "spiral grilled" weenie, which might be interesting if it were not covered by toppings, but really didn't add anything to the aesthetics of the hot dogs. The weenie was way overcooked (perhaps that is endemic with "spiral grilling") and was tough and chewy. Topped with tasteless slaw and even less tasty chili. Bad hot dog. Bad, bad hot dog.

I'll give it a one-half Weenie rating, since I was hungry and it filled my stomach.

Charleston HDJ Review - Sam's Hot Dogs - Randolph Street

We reviewed this convenience store location of Sam's when it first opened in 2008, actually on it's very first day in business. We found the hot dogs and service to be sub par on that day, but realizing that it's not fair to judge a place before it has its sea legs, we made a promise to come back. We didn't mean to wait seven years.

But seven years it is, and when we returned today here are the differences that we found:

1. They weren't as busy.
2. They no longer use coffins for their hot dogs.

Other than that, the experience was exactly the same as in 2008. Chunky slaw. 3 1/2 Weenies.

The only thing that made this visit remarkable was that we broadcast the review live on Periscope (now if you don't know what Periscope is, do not feel alone because approximately 99.8% of the world's population is just as clueless, but you can read more here). It was our first Periscope review (it won't be our last) and we learned a few lessons.

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.

Charleston HDJ Review - Sister Act Cafe

Note: This review was performed when Sister Act first opened. Since this review was posted we have revisited their hot dogs and found them to be quite good. See this post for a more recent review. 

In the location formerly occupied by Diana's Capitol Street Cafe, Sister Act Cafe has been open now for a few weeks and was due a visit by your friendly neighborhood Weenie Wonk (I heard that Diana's has moved to a new location, but I'm not sure where).

The motif of the cafe has changed and a bunch of photos hang on one wall of people I would guess to be sisters, and furthermore guess that it would be these sisters who own the cafe. Otherwise there has been few changes: The place still has a few inside seats and the counter/kitchen locations are simple and convenient for a crushing lunchtime business that they are likely to have in this location, and which indeed they were in the midst of when I visited.

Despite the crowd, my order came out quick and the friendly staff made me feel at ease and confident that they might know how to put together a decent WVHD (except they did ask if I wanted ketchup which is often a bad sign).

My two dogs were wrapped nicely in wax paper (the preferred packaging method of WVHotDogs.com) but then were curiously placed into an oversize coffin. When I unwrapped the first hot dog I was a bit dismayed to see the giant pieces of cabbage in the slaw, but otherwise the hot dog looked fine; a good-looking specimen of a Utilitarian Dog.

Beauty is only skin deep, though, and this hot dog lost its beauty about halfway through the first bite. The slaw was dry and almost tasteless, and unfortunately the taste it did possess was bad. The chili was OK, but served in such a small quantity that it too was effectively tasteless. The weenie was marginal. Because of the dry slaw and the lack of any other good flavor I found myself looking for a mustard package to make the second dog edible. I think ketchup might have even improved this thing.

Rarely do I give a 0 Weenie score, but Sister Act Cafe's hot dog this day truly deserves it.

Charleston HDJ Review - The Daily Grind Computer Solutions and Coffee Shop

A "computer solutions" business that sells hot dogs? This place on Washington Street East just two blocks from the capitol complex does just that. Coffee too.

The first time I went to this place I chickened out at the door. The door itself is not very inviting (in fact it is a bit off-putting) and I was already skeptical about eating a hot dog made by a computer geek. But after my initial visit I posed the question to the Facebook mob and asked for their advice. They unanimously told me to go for it, apparently not giving one iota about my health and welfare. I'm thinking of taking them all out of my will.

So spurred on by the crowd, today I went through the door. Once across the threshold it wasn't nearly as scary as it seems from the outside. I placed my order at the window with two very nice and friendly people who looked nothing like computer geeks. "Everything" includes ketchup but it was easily deleted from the order.

The place inside looks much more like an office than it does a restaurant, with seating for 12 or so at two tables and a lunch counter. My hot dog was brought to my table and served with a smile and I was concerned about it right away because of the sparsely applied and very coarsely chopped slaw.

My first bite was surprising, not because of the taste but the texture and temperature. The buns were out of the bag room temperature (which was a little chilly today) but still very soft. The weenie was also very mushy as if it had spent several days soaking, as Chris James likes to say, in a pool of its own filth. But my negative remarks about this hot dog end here.

The slaw was delicious as was the meaty (but not spicy) chili; the two went together perfectly. And the weenie tasted fine despite its waterlogged condition. While the hot dog could have been better if the bun was steamy warm, it was still very good. 4 Weenies.

Surprising results from an unusual HDJ. Capitol workers, this is defintely the best hot dog within walking distance for lunch, so I encourage everyone to try it and tell them you read about it on WVHotDogs.com.