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.

Sam's Casino Hot Dogs

I have noticed a trend, disturbing for me, for Sam's Hot Dog Stand locations being opened as part of a gambling parlor. Malden and Marmet were the first two such places but a new one has opened on Greenbrier Street in Charleston. I'm not sure if these are hot dog joints that have gambling rooms attached or gambling parlors that offer hot dogs to their addicts, I mean customers. Is this a new corporate direction for Sam's? Does anyone care?

Sam's Hot Dog Stand in Teays Valley is no more...

...it has ceased to be.

The little pocket of Huntington in Putnam County, the Monty's Pizza/Sam's Hot Dog Stand, has closed up shop.

Folks in the Hurricane-Scott Depot-Teays Metropolitan Statistical Area will have to jump on I-64 to St. Albans or Barboursville to get their spicy sauce fix.

As for Monty's...no real loss there. Graziano's and Husson's offer much better pies.

2008 Weenie Awards: Best Crinkle Cut Fries

I have been a lover of a good WV-style dog ever since I was a wee tot. Nothing, and I mean nothing, beats a great hd with beefy sauce, creamy slaw, sweet onions, and tangy French's yellow.

Well, nothing 'cept one of those with some fresh-from-the-grease crinkle cut fries. Beyond mere shoe-string taters or seasonably-varying onion rings, crinkle fries capture the unpretentious essence of the WV hot dog like no other side.

And there is one WV HDJ that serves up up hot 'n tasty every single time.

Sam's Hot Dog Stand, a 5 weenie joint in its own right, uses clean, hot oil to produce crinklers that are crisp, but not greasy, and taste like potatoes, not yesterday's fish sandwich platter special. They'll even top them with Sam's special hot dog sauce, one of the best anywhere.

Congrats, Sam's of Lavalette and thanks for knowing how to make a great hot dog even better.