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.

A Letter Home

We often get letters from expatriate Mountaineers who have run across our site and want to thank us for reminding them of the hot dogs of their homeland. We also get a lot of letters from people in Marion County and other slawless zones who question our assertion that real West Virginia Hot Dogs must have slaw. What follows is a combination of the two: A missive from a former Marion Countian now residing in Maryland. I print it here in the interest of fairness to that 1/50th of the state's population who agree with him:

I am an expatriate West Virginian forced to flee the state for gainful employment. I do, however, still maintain my contacts back home, including those with relatives in Marion County. They sent me the link to this site. No self-respecting Marion Countian would dare to desecrate his weenie with anything so low-rent as a shredded cabbage product, nor should anyone else! I was weaned (or would that be "weened") on Yann's hotdogs and they are by far the finest tubular meat-byproduct-based confection ever known to man. When I was in high school, I used to get a half-dozen of Russell's finest and a pint of chocolate milk for lunch and my lips would buzz all afternoon from the delightful taste of that powerful, oil-based, taste-bud altering sauce! And yes, I called it "sauce" as that is the proper term for it. "Chili" is something you get at chain restaurants that desecrate their tomatoey meat soups with...beans. Beans are cheap filler used when you can't afford meat. See also: slaw. Back in the day, the recipe was to take a Kettering bun, drop in a Superior "Frankie" dog, wave a little wooden stick with yellow mustard at it just long enough to scare it, sprinkle a few onions, and then spoon on the magical sauce. They were wrapped two at a time in a sheet of wax paper and stuffed into a brown paper sack (both of which would instantly become saturated with oily sauce byproducts that would soil the car seats of the uninitiated).

Another Yann-dog feature your reviewer fails to mention, probably due to lack of adequate research, is their medicinal qualities. Every time I felt a cold or sore throat coming, I'd go to Yann's for a half dozen and a Nesquik and the next day I'd have nary a symptom. Yann's sauce just scares the living hell out of any germs still alive in the vicinity of your digestive tract or sinuses.
To downgrade Yann's to a mere four or four and a half weenies for lack of slaw is absolute sacrilege and places the credibility of your site strongly in question. I can only hope you soon realize the error of your ways and stop this silly quest to laud places that weaken their weenies with shredded garden products.

Mark in Maryland (unfortunately)

Grafton HDJ Review - Dairy King

I continue my review of the Grafton area HDJs with another stop along Route 50 with a trip to the Dairy King, which sits within several yards of the Dairy Queen (ironically) and Biggie's. Dairy King is a classic walk-up ice cream stand, offering the usual ice cream treats, shakes, sodas, hot dogs, burgers, and the like. There are five gazebos scattered along the back of the parking lot with ample seating for families or groups.

Hot dogs here go for a .99 cents, so they're easy on the wallet. The service was fine. No doubt they get plenty of business based on their location, as they are the closest ice cream stand / HDJ going into (or out of) downtown Grafton.

Slaw is not available at all here at the Dairy King, so for this review I went straight for the other standard items (you know the routine: chili, onions, mustard). The chili here just goes off in a totally different direction than one would expect from a WVHDJ. What struck me right off the bat was the chunkiness of the chili beef. It didn't have the finer ground that is customary for traditional WVHD chili/sauce. Moreover, it has the medium ground you would find in a homemade spaghetti sauce. Speaking of spaghetti sauce, it had the bright red color of --well-- spaghetti sauce. And, as you may have guessed, it also had the taste of spaghetti sauce...only with a strong peppery flavoring, ala Texas Pete, or the like.

The sauce was thin enough that it soaked through the bun, which combined with the water-logged weenie made the bun fall apart at the bottom, making for a fine mess. The onions were wickedly strong and coarsely chopped, which according to your personal preference is either a good thing or grounds for a sad day. All told, these dogs just don't work.

Based on the lack of slaw and the mismatched chili ingredients, it would be safe to rank the Grafton Dairy King at two weenies.

Recipes! Send Us Your Recipes!

I am forever getting email from folks, mostly expatriates in faraway lands, that are looking for authentic WVHD chili recipes. We've decided to add a section to the website where we can publish recipes, but we need the help of our readers. Basically, we need you to send us your recipes!

A few guidelines:

• We need chili recipes and we need slaw recipes.

• Please don't send one you've never tried.

• If you have a recipe from your church or school, it probably feeds hundreds. Scale it down for us, please.

• Let us know what part of the state the recipe is from.

Send your submittals to

info at wvhotdogs dot com

(You realize, of course, that I formatted the email address like that to discourage spambots, but I trust you can interpret how to format it in your email.)

Once we get a few recipes collected we'll be adding the new pages to the site. In the meantime, here's one that I have found and tested. It tastes like North Central WV HDJ sauce:

• 2 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 tablespoon cayenne
  
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder

Crumble ground beef and brown over medium heat with onion. Stir in water, and mash ground beef thoroughly. Stir in all ingredients. Reduce heat to low; simmer, 60 to 90 minutes. Then, raise heat and cook at high temperature, stirring constantly, until the sauce is dark brown.

Grafton HDJ Review - Biggie's

Biggie's, which sits along U.S. Route 50 heading towards downtown Grafton, gets your attention immediately when you near it; not necessarily due to the sign announcing hamburgers, hot dogs and the current advertised special, but rather it's the building itself that beckons your attention. Biggie's is laid out with multiple covered parking areas that adjoin the building, a walk-up counter out front, and an indoor eatery area. The building doesn't seem to have been changed since the it was first in business circa 1965-1966 (according to the original business license hanging on the wall). In fact, to get to the restroom you must cut through a storeroom to get to it. And have mercy on you if you are "plus" size. Superman has more room in a phone booth. You get the idea.

The menu is pretty extensive, with a vast array of items that you wouldn't really expect (cauliflower or broccoli with that hot dog, anyone?). It seems as though you can get just about any main course item on a 'platter' (i.e. two side items). You've got to give it to them for at least trying to offer something different. Biggie's also has some pretty good ice cream items as well. The service was decent enough to make me like I was among friends.

The hot dogs themselves are a little on the pricey side at $1.37. Slaw is available as an option, but as is the case with a lot of places in the North Central region, you must remember to ask for it. The chili comes in 'hot' or 'regular', and I opted for the hot in this review to see what Biggie's could do. It was spicy enough to break a bead of sweat on my upper lip, but didn't kill my intestinal lining (thankfully). It had a nice dark color to it, but the flavor itself had a smokiness to it. It may have been a little overcooked, but it wasn't bad by any means. Still, that smoky taste jumped out in every mouthful.

The slaw was pretty rough. It was rather coarse and had that hint of "prepackaged-ness". There was unquestionably something in there that made the anticipated tang fall flat. For that matter, the slaw wasn't very sweet either. It was just kind of bland...so-so at best. The rest of the contents (steamed bun, weenie, onions, mustard) were satisfactory enough, but nothing above and beyond.

Overall, Biggie's is a nifty place which reminds you of an era gone by. The hot dogs themselves are about average, but would be better served with a higher quality slaw. Given that, I'll rate Biggie's with 3.5 weenies.

WV Hot Dog Culture Creeps to the (Old) Northwest

Some WV Hot Dog Blog fans may be old enough to recall that almost an entire generation of WVians in the 1940s-1960s moved to Ohio to find work. Today, you can't go to Cleveland, Akron, Dayton, or Toledo without bumping into multiple folks with at least one Mountaineer grandparent and there are a fair amount of folks names "Adkins" and "Mullens" mixed in with the Polish and German surnames up in the "Land of Left Turn on Red."

Well, yesterday I was online helping a friend find a good place to eat in Toledo and stumbled across Tony Packo's (of M*A*S*H fame). On their homepage, they feature something of a slide show of four pictures of their products; one of pickles and three of hot dogs. Two of those dog pics look like standard Midwestern fare: dawgs with chili sauce (with some beans), mustard, and onions. One pic, however, almost made my eyes pop out. Yup, there was a Toledo hot dog with a big helpin' of slaw on it.

While the sauce and slaw weren't quite what us Weenie Wonks would define as ideal, there is only one place that the idea of slaw on hot dogs in Toledo could have come from. Yup, it traveled up US 23 with our Great-Aunts and Uncles 50-odd years ago.

As soon as Stanton replenishes his frequent flyier miles, you can count on me to hack into his account and book a trip to the Glass City. This deserves further investigation...

Grafton HDJ Review - Grafton Dairy Queen

I recently ventured to Grafton in a hunt of all of the known HDJs in town. My first stop bought me to the Grafton Dairy Queen. I had passed this place time after time during my many ventures across Route 50, but never once stopped by to sample the goods. I was initially excited about paying a visit, mainly because I was hoping to be delivered from the DQ hell that had marred samplings at some of the north central DQs, particularly the one I wrote one of my earliest reviews about located in Shinnston.

I had a glimmer of hope that since this particular establishment had an original sign on top that dated back decades, that maybe...just maybe...this one would have an "in-house" hot dog (rather than the corporate "Brazier" version) that was seeped in tradition and great homemade taste. Well, it was definitely seeped in something.

A flag immediately went up upon discovering that no slaw was available. This wasn't the first time and certainly won't be the last, so I went for the remaining standard ingredients: chili, onion, and mustard. When the nice lady behind the window handed me my order, I quickly made my way back to my car with eager anticipation. When I unwrapped the dog, I didn't know whether to cry or laugh at the appearance.

The dog was soaked in chili sauce, which tasted like it had been prepared with tremendous apathy. It didn't even warrant dissecting to further identify the ingredients. The onions were finely minced, but tasted as though they'd been kept refrigerated too cold only to lose some of their flavor and then became too soft. The wiener tasted like it had been left in it's boiling pot of water far too long, making it leak into the bun and soften it to the point of disintegrating. The bun must've had something sitting on it before it was removed from the bag, because the wiener was the only thing that made it hold it's familiar shape. Perhaps it had been steamed with a clothes iron. It certainly tasted that way.

Simpy put, the hot dog was total mush. I can't find another word to describe it, other than perhaps "debacle". One weenie for the Grafton Dairy Queen.

Quiet Dell HDJ Review - Sports Grille

Right off of exit 115 of I-179 rests the small township of Quiet Dell, home of the Sports Grille. A sign for the Sports Grille can be easily seen from the exit, particularly from the southbound direction. The location is prime for anyone traveling the interstate wishing for a quick hot dog fix (and a fill-up for the car as well).

You’d expect that with a name like Sports Grille that there’d be at least two or three televisions scattered about and tuned into sports channels. On this particular visit, the only TV in the place was tuned into the Cartoon Network. I found it strange that there were at least seven or eight cars on the lot, but only one other customer at the counter. A cursory scan revealed a doorway to a video gambling area, which explains where the business end of this joint actually is.

The service was about average, but the waitress behind the counter was at least polite. Hot dogs with everything here includes chili, mustard, and onions, but slaw is available on request. The dogs came inundated with a ton of shredded, strong onions that wound up masking the flavor of the rest of the ingredients. Like we’ve found in a couple of recent reviews, the Sports Grille also puts the chili on top of the slaw. Since I ordered up two dogs in this case, I was able to dissect the second one and try the components individually. The bun was fresh enough and warm, but not steamed. The wiener was boiled just about right. It seemed as though the chili was relatively bland, lacking any zest or beefy flavor. It had an appealing color and good texture, however. I noticed red pepper flakes available at the counter, and in hindsight that would’ve likely helped. I found that the slaw had very little dressing, thus exposing the watery insipidness of the finely chopped cabbage. I can safely say that the dogs may have been better without slaw in this case.

Like I mentioned in the first paragraph, the location is perfect for hot dog fans passing through. You can get a WVHD, but don’t expect much from the slaw. Sports Grille hot dogs are no more than satisfactory at best, but could potentially be much better. Two and a half weenies.

Morgantown HDJ Review - Haught Diggity Dogz

An alert reader of WVHotDogs.com recently sent word that a new HDJ had appeared in the Morgantown area, but the thing that stood out about the recommendation was the last line of the e-mail: "And yes, they do have slaw!". With a bit of hope that the slaw culture was migrating further north, I set out to visit Haught Diggity Dogz (which already deserves a prize for one of the most original names).



Located just a stone's throw from exit 4 of I-68, Haught Diggity Dogz is located in a little retail strip along Route 7 heading towards Dellslow. It sits in the near corner of a newer looking building, with eye-catching window graphics. The interior is simple in it's layout, but remarkably clean and inviting. A generous sized lunch counter is complimented by a scattering of tables, each of which has a full compliment of condiments readily available.



I received a warm welcome when I came through the door, and first class attention for the duration of my visit. The menu simply states "hot dogs", and carries a flat price of $1.25 regardless of how much or how little you want on them. The menu also boasts fresh cut fries, which can also include chili and/or cheese, baked potatoes, salads, and pepperoni rolls.

I was impressed to see that more slaw was being freshly prepared during the course of my meal. The ingredients aren't simply stockpiled as -with some lesser HDJs- but rather made fresh throughout the day. The taste was absolutely phenomenal. Haught's seems to have the ability to strike that perfect balance between sweet and tangy, all the while having a perfect consistency and satisfying taste. The chili was also a pure treat. Like any HDJ worth it's salt, Haught's offers the standard choices of mild, medium and hot sauce. My norm is to go middle-of-the-road, and the medium sauce here is exactly what it should be: seasoned to perfection, with all the individual ingredients working in unison. It had a lovely brown color, fine consistency, and inviting armoa that tickled the senses. It blended nicely with the freshly steamed bun, which was likewise done to perfection. The onions were chopped extra fine to allow for a pleasing flavor to each bite, but not leave one with dog breath (no pun intended).

Just how good is Haught Diggity Dogz overall? Well, I usually order two dogs during a visit. This time, I had to have a third before I left.

Positive remarks are all that I can offer for Haught Diggity Dogz. With that said, this HDJ earns an easy...and well deserved...five weenies. I would anticipate that you'll be seeing Haught's in just about every category for future Weenie Awards.

Nutter Fort HDJ Review - F.O.P Mountaineer Lodge – by Big Daddy

Lodge #78 of the Fraternal Order of Police opened not all that long ago at the former Jim Reid’s restaurant in Nutter Fort. Jim Reid’s always served up great food in a fine dining atmosphere. I didn’t really pay much attention when the F.O.P. bought the place, thinking it would just be another club that I’d never step foot in or care about.

Word had recently started circulating around town that the organization had opened up a public restaurant and lounge, and supposedly one or more of the original chefs from Jim Reid’s had been hired. There was no doubt that some good, 100% home cooking would once again be available for one and all: some terrific surf and turf, Italian specialties, all day breakfasts, and much more.

I was really surprised by all the suggestions that I try the hot dogs at the F.O.P. With nothing to lose, I went in one day to give it a try. After getting seated, I took some time to read through the rather lengthy menu. Hot dogs are listed for eighty-five cents, but that only includes relish, mustard and ketchup. Slaw and chili are fifty cents more. In the end, I found this was a bargain considering how good the dogs were.

It was a little busy on one particular visit, and I wound up waiting close to twenty minutes. My patience was rewarded though. The hot dogs are grilled to perfection, as is the split-top New England Style bun that it comes on. And to be served on a real plate with a dill pickle? Nice! The chili is stupendous, with just the right consistency of not being too thick yet smooth enough to gently seep into the bun without making it soggy. The flavor should be to the liking of just about anyone, as it has a nice hint of spiciness, but not overpowering heat. I made a point to spoon some of it off of the dog so I could enjoy it on its own. This may very well be one of the best chili sauces around.

The cabbage in the slaw was very coarse…maybe too coarse. I’m sure it’s only intended to be served in a standalone mode, but it does the job in the case of topping the dog. It was sweet and not too tangy, cool, extra creamy, and full of flavor. It’s worth buying some as a side order for just about any meal, should you get the urge.

I have to go with four weenies here. These dogs are well worth the wait, and the restaurant is one place you can be assured will always have something for everyone.

The View From Behind the Hot Dog Counter

So, I get drafted by the Band Boosters of the high school where my daughter is in the band to volunteer in the concession stand at Laidley Field for the Kanawha County Band and Majorette Festival. I arrive at five o'clock having absolutely no idea of what I'll be doing but in possession of a willing spirit to perform the most menial and demeaning task for the next five to six hours. My enthusiasm was dampened greatly when I walked behind the counter and found the calzone oven, deep fryers, hot tables and bun steamers made the temperature hover at about 115 degrees with 110% relative humidity. I was determined though, that I would persevere.

So I offered myself up in service to the person who seemed to be in charge. I told her I was completely inexperienced but a quick learner and I would be glad to scrub floors, clean out the grease traps - you know, the kind of stuff this guy does. The boss puts her finger on her chin in a thoughtful "hmmm" kind of way and then with eyes full of hope she asks, "Do you know anything about hot dogs?"

"Yes", I told her trying to hide my smile of conceit, "I know a little about hot dogs." To myself I thought "Ha! Little do these mortals know!"

And thus began my journey into the hot, sweaty, greasy world of hot dog slinging at the concession stand.

Now before you little league parents get all high and mighty and say that you know concession stand work, let me tell you that the Majorette Festival is a doggone big deal in Charleston and there are probably 12,000 people in attendance. All of them came to the concession stand at least once, I am convinced. Most, it seemed, ordered hot dogs. In large quantities.

Now the process of assembling hot dogs is fairly simple: Load the buns in the steamer, take them out and put on the weenie, apply the toppings and put them in the hot table bins as appropriate. There are five models of hot dogs at Laidley: Everything (chili, slaw and onions), Chili and Slaw, Chili and Onions, just Chili and, finally, Plain. The people who work the front counter are supposed to take orders for only those combinations with no special orders. This isn't Burger King: Special orders DO upset us.

In addition to assembly, the hot dog team also has to keep a good supply of chil and weenies on the stove at all times, lest you run out and be lynched by the starving mob.

Our two-person hot dog team worked feverishly all night to keep an adequate supply of all of the various combinations on the hot table bins, but sometimes it was like bailing out a leaky boat with a tea strainer. An endless stream of humanity flowed through the concession stand entrance. Their methods were devious yet simple: They would eye the available hot dogs in the bin (which are clearly visible from the ordering area), pick out the category with the fewest number of hot dogs and order a half-dozen of that type. If the hot dog team was ever in danger of satisfying the demand of any supply point, a special operative was immediately dispatched to place a special order for a hot dog with slaw only, or onions only, or some other non-standard configuration that made the entire assembly line screech to a halt while the primadona's special needs were addressed. Once the special was passed to the front, the work of re-supplying the bins began again.

And again. And again. For five hours. Over 500 hot dogs. I really don't know how many we made because I simply lost count after about 480, a milestone that was passed about halfway through the evening. The total might have been closer to a thousand, I really don't know: I was in The Zone.

After a while I entered a transcendent state where my brain just switched off and muscle memory took over and I began to make hot dogs like a robot. The only time my trance was broken was when I reached for onions and found that someone had moved the onion container to the prep area where it was being loaded with a new supply of fresh chopped stuff. After that it took me a few minutes to find The Zone again but once I was there it lasted throughout the night until that glorious moment when the doors to the concession stand were closed for the evening. After an hour or so of cleaning up, my sentence was over and I was released from my bondage.

Now I'd like to say that my evening on the other side of the counter has made me more understanding as to the plight of the Weenie Workers of America. I'd like to tell you that I'm going to be a kinder, gentler Weenie Wonk as a result of walking a mile in the shoes of a Weenieista. But the truth is, I found out that even in the midst of crushing crowds that far exceed what a typical HDJ experiences on the busiest of lunch hours, there is still time to create a hot dog with care. So there will be no excuses accepted in the future for sloppily prepared hot dogs. You have been warned.

A word about the ingredients they serve at the Laidley concession stand:

Custard Stand Chili - OK, as a good West Virginian I should support this state success story. But it's just OK. It's not great.

Gunnoe's Slaw - Huge, hard chunks of cabbage and other cabbage-like substances. Not very good.

Weenies - Generic Food Service.

Buns - There was no name on the packaging, but I assume they were Heiners. They insist on steaming them at Laidley, which is a good thing.

Huntington Area Updates

Here are some hot dog updates from in and around the Jewel City:

• Chili Fest: One of the chili vendors (can't remember who) thought it would be a good idea to put their chili on hot dogs and consider them to be a delicacy. They were wrong. The buns were dry as the Sahara, the weenies of a low quality, and they were served at a temperature that would make an English ale proud. The chili, a soupy collection of broth, tomato chunks, and some beef, proved exactly why we in the Tri State call is "sauce." The lack of slaw, onions, or mustard made it only the second hot dog I've thrown away half-eaten in over a year. You can read more on my lukewarm reactio to Chili Fest here.
• After a WVHotDogs.com corporate event, the Sam's Hot Dog Stand in Teays Valley is lowered, as predicted, from 4.5 to 3.5 weenies. They have proven unable to keep dumping 2x the sauce on their dogs (which was probably straining the bottom line) and, according to Big Daddy, their non-crinkle cut fries are muy crappy. Don't get me wrong, this is still a good Sam's and a good WV HDJ, just not one of the greats.
• Due to my work schedule, there are a few area joints that are only open during the day on weekdays that I can't seem to get to. I have, therefore, drafted a friend to do some of the reviews of these places (Bowinkles, some of the downtown sandwich shops, etc). Keep an eye out for her in the coming weeks and make her feel at home.
• If you haven't made it there yet, be sure to get a dog and some ice cream at Austin's in Ceredo. They close up shop sometime in early-to-mid fall, thereby depriving Huntington of their award-wining slaw 'til late spring.

Paul Blogs Charleston's Finest HDJs

In July our fair city was paid a visit by hot dog royalty: Paul, of "I am an American and I eat Hot Dogs" fame came to town with his band "Harry and the Potters" for a show and he (and a few of his band mates) and I met for a couple of hot dogs. We went to Romeo's and Skeenie's and I think our humble home town dogs impressed the hot dog master.

You can read his reviews here and here. Pay close attention to the look on Paul's face as he gets his first taste of a real WVHD at Romeo's. He was in hot dog Almost Heaven!

Cedar Grove HDJ Review - Video Village

We would have never, ever found this little HDJ if a reader hadn't emailed us.

In the out of the way town of Cedar Grove, inside an obscure little storefront attached to the Exxon station, in the back of the video rental section of the store, there is a food counter where you can order typical roadside fast food items like pizza, hot dogs, cheese poppers and hot dogs. I was told that this place had good hot dogs, but when I walked in I was skeptical. I nearly walked out because it didn't look like there was any food service inside. Then I saw the video section and remembered that the reader had said the place was called "Video Village" so I walked into the video rental area. There I found the food.

Ordering one with everything (I had to specify "no ketchup") I took my dog to my car before unwrapping it. I was still skeptical about the quality of hot dogs that this little out of the way place might serve. To say my expectations were low is an understatement.

Unwrapping the dog buoyed my hopes momentarily, as the hot dog was topped with a large helping of gorgeous looking slaw. But then, sticking out from under the toppings, I saw one of the teeniest weenies I had ever seen on a real hot dog. It was so small in diameter that it looked like a mistake. My low expectations returned.

But to my surprise, in spite of the teeny weenie, the hot dog actually tasted pretty darn good! The chili had a good texture and a complex taste - a little spicy, a little tart. The slaw was sweet; just about as sweet as any I have ever tasted, and perfect in consistency. The chili and slaw worked well together and made me forget all about the teeny weenie, momentarily. I wondered what the little thing tasted like so I tried a taste independent of the toppings. It tasted fine. It was just little.

Now I guess it could be argued that having such a small weenie allows more room in the bun for toppings, and if you have good toppings then it can certainly offset the lack of a substantial sausage. But there is something kind of disturbing to see a weenie that small on a WVHD, so we'll deduct points for the shortcoming.

The Video Village, that little hidden hot dog joint that could, overcomes it's hiddeness and it's teeny weenie to score a 4 Weenie rating. With a suitable sized weenie it would have been a 4.5.

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.

Gauley Bridge HDJ Review - Sam's Hot Dog Stand

I stand corrected. I erred when I said that the Marmet Sam's was the chain's most eastward location. An alert reader sent the tip that there is a Sam's located inside the Sunoco station in Gauley Bridge and that they had excellent hot dogs with a view. I thought it sounded like a worthwhile place to check out, so my wife and I set out on the 80-some mile round trip up Rt. 60 to the confluence of the New and Gauley Rivers. A hundred yards upstream from said confluence, on the bank of the New sits the Sam's location we sought.

An interesting mix of convenience and inconvenience, the Sunoco station has inside a convenience store, a Subway and a Sam's. Convenient because it's all under one roof, but when you order your food you have backtrack to the front door checkout to pay, then back to the counter for your food. The process seems a little customer un-friendly, but the personnel were friendly. We soon had our hot dogs and settled into a booth with an amazing view of the New River (the irony, which I will point out for those non-local readers , is that the "New" considered to be the oldest river in the world). There is also an outside deck where you can dine alfresco, but the heat kept us inside.

Despite the view, the hot dogs were pretty much standard Sam's fare. Good chili and mediocre slaw. Missing from this location were the waterlogged weenies I am used to finding at Sam's. I did not witness how they keep their weenies warm because I was off to pay for my meal on the other side of the store, but I'm betting it was some type of dry heat and not a hot bath.

Overall the quality was on the low side for a Sam's: 3.5 Weenies.

Fairmont HDJ Review - Lupo’s

Lupo’s recently moved from it’s downtown Fairmont location (which was, ironically, a block away from the more well-known Yann’s) to a location on Route 250 not far from the Taylor/Marion County line. One would have to question the move, since it puts the business out of reach of downtown pedestrian customers and into competition with two other notable HDJs (Hank’s Deli and Hometown Hot Dogs). Sources say the move was mostly made so that the new location could also run a Hot Spot Lounge.

Indeed, the new building sitting alone on Route 250 does feature a prominent Hot Spot sign on the front. When you walk through the door, you really can’t tell if you’re walking into a hot dog joint or a coffee house. New bar stools line the counter, and a leather sofa with glass coffee table sits nestled in a nearby corner. The video gambling room is off to the right behind closed doors. The owners are very personable and down to earth.

But the main reason for the visit, of course, is for the dogs. Lupo's is one of the few places in the area that still has it's hot dogs mentioned in the same context as the famous Yann's (depending on who you talk to), which would say something about their staying power. At $1.00 a pop, the price is nothing to complain about. A standard hot dog with everything here consists of onions, chili, and mustard. Unfortunately, we’re north of the 'slaw line' here, so Marion County laws are in effect: no slaw available. The gentleman who took my order used great care when putting my hot dogs together. I thought it was a nice touch that mustard was spread on the insides of the bun with a knife rather than just being squirted from a plastic bottle.

When I unwrapped the hot dogs, I was surprised by how scrawny they appeared. Take a look at the picture and judge for yourself. There was a heavy, doughy taste to the buns for some reason that made them taste rather blah. Or should I say, “blah to the negative power“. It kind of took away from the overall enjoyment of each bite. The flavor of the chili, however, really stood out. It had all the biting spiciness of northern WV chili, plus a little extra kick that invoked the sensation of Novocain. For some reason, I found that to be a guilty pleasure. Although the ground beef in the chili had a good flavor, it was somewhat sparse, making the sauce itself thin and watery.

Overall, Lupo’s rates three-and-a-half weenies. The hot dogs are good, but would be helped by a bit more beef in the sauce and perhaps the availability of slaw at least as an option.

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.

Lavalette Hot Dog Joint: Sam's Hot Dog Stand

In my 13 months as the Huntington/Tri State Weenie Wonk for WVHotDogs.com, I have come to realize that Sam's Hot Dog Stand makes my favorite sauce and, since in Huntington it's all about the sauce, also my favorite hot dog. While the locations on 8th St. and on Piedmont Ave have earned glowing reviews and Weenie Awards, neither was quite able to join M & M Dairy Bell or Hillbilly Hot Dog's Lesage location as Five Weenie HDJs (I tend to review hot dog stands as a whole, especially when comparing one Sam's franchise to another).

Unlike any of the other great (or even good) HDJs in Huntingtonland (we will excuse Johnny Dog, as he just has a push cart), Sam's only offer hot dogs of note. No fancy root beer (just cans of pop) or crinkle-cut fries (just bags of chips).

That is, until now.

Yup, Sam's of Lavalette (always one of the better Sam's locations) has recently added a deep fryer and now has crinkle cut fries and onion rings. You can even get chili-cheese fries made with their hot dog sauce (I just made myself hungry typing that, BTW).

So in addition to a well-dressed Sam's dawg (this one had lots of spicy sauce and a better-than usual slaw), I was able to get some freshly-fried crinklers.

Crinkle cut fries: the missing ingredient for a 5 weenie Sam's Hot Dog Stand.

Now if we can get 8th St. to install a deep fry vat...

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.