Second Chance Review: Hillbilly Hot Dogs-Lesage

Last month it was a bad encounter at this HDJ that gave the initial inspiration for second chance month at WVhotdogs.com. I have eaten here dozens of times and had always enjoyed my experience, that is until it actually mattered. When I went for the review, I caught them with their pants down, so to speak. The bun was stale and the service was crap and they only racked up a 3 weenie rating.

This time around, things got back to normal right quick. The first good omen was that Sharie was present and took my order (neither her nor Sonny was around the time that they bombed). If there are two business people in West Virginia that are more committed to ensuring that their customers have a A++ experience every single time that they patronize an establishment, I haven't met them yet. Unlike the notoriously grumpy Yann or the silent weenie artist at 8th St. Sam's, the owners of HBHD genuinely give a damn about their customers feelings. These two embody the idealized notion of the friendly, warm-hearted Appalachian and should be given honorary MBAs from the Lewis College of Business at Marshall University for successfully applying this outlook to a business model.

As for the specific bun issue, that didn't seem to be a problem. They apparently tied up the bags the previous night and the bun was Huntington-fresh, as I always demand.

The slaw was the same ol'HBHD slaw, which isn't my favorite (I've called it "left-coaster rabbit food" in the past), but for whatever reason, it works well with the sauce and, in Huntington, its all about the sauce as much as it is the slaw.

Speaking of the sauce, it seemed just a notch spicier today. The chili powder-tastic concoction was super beefy and probably helluh-expensive to make. Although I am on record as a total mark for Sam's Hot Dog Stand's sauce, this batch of HBHD sauce really has me pondering my weenie convictions. It really went well with the peppery slaw and, as noted in my earlier review of the downtown franchise, created a situation where the whole was greater than the sum of its parts.

The crinkle-cut fries were really good, too. They were freshly prepared when I made my order and were neither soggy nor overcooked.

This specific experience, coupled with 97% of all of the other times that the James family has ventured up WV 2 to Lesage, earns the original HBHD's a weenie rating bump. A big bump, as a matter of fact. They now join M & M Dairy Bell as only the second Huntingtonland HDJ to earn a much-coveted 5 weenie rating. Seriously, this is a can't-miss spot for anyone visiting Moneyton and a great place for locals to take visiting in-laws, college professors, and clients.

Congratulations, Sonny and Sharie, your countless hours of toil and sweat have paid off, big time, and Huntington is a better place for it.

Second Chance Review - Skeenies Hot Dogs

Skeenies Hot Dogs was one of the very first HDJs that was reviewed on the WV Dog Blog. It scored a 4 Weenie rank, primarily because you don't want to give the top score to the first competitor in case someone later has an unexpectedly flawless performance. So I've always felt a little guilty about giving Skeenies, a place I always has thought was a superior hot dog joint, a 4 Weenie ranking. I was glad when Second Chance Month came around so I could give them a fair shot at glory.

Tradition holds that real West Virginia Hot Dogs were born at the Stopette Drive In on Rt. 21 just outside the Charleston city limits. The Stopette, it is told by sages, was the very first place to put coleslaw on top of a chili dog sometime in the 1920s. Well Skeenies is located just a stone's throw from the site of the old Stopette and one can't dismiss the possibility that there is a cosmic connection or some good hot dog karma has lept through time and into Skeenies hot dogs. There's got to be some reason for how good they are.

Sitting alongside Rt. 21 where it has been since the 1960's (or earlier), Skeenies hasn't changed one iota in all these years, nor have their hot dogs. The chili is still wonderfully spicy, complex and perfect in consistency. Skeenies slaw has always been among the best ever and is a perfect match for the chili. The buns are still perfectly steamed and the hot dogs are still served in a wax paper sleeve so they stay soft and wonderful. Onions are plentiful and weenies are tasty and well prepared.

After one bite I realized I had made a mistake last time: This hot dog is definitely more than a 4. After eating two hot dogs, I am ready to make it official: Skeenies is as good as any hot dog in town, county or state. It certainly deserves a full-fledged Five Weenie rank.

Not Exactly a HDJ Review - Kruzer Dogs

"You've gotta come to the cruise-in this weekend and try our Kruzer Dogs" said email after email. The Klassy Kruzers Car Club has roving "cruise-ins" all summer long during which they sell, according to members, some of the best hot dogs around. Apparently a few of the women in the club make the chili and slaw and they sell them as fund raisers at each cruise-in. We normally don't review such ad-hoc hot dogs (like those at church hot dog sales and other such events), but since cruise-ins happen all summer long and Kruzer Dogs will be available at all of them, I figured I might as well go ahead and rate 'em (and I knew the club members were going to keep hounding me until I did).

I finally was able to make a cruise in held at the Dunbar McDonalds parking lot in early June and had myself a Kruzer Dog. The very first thing I noticed was it was cheap. $1 each. I got a hot dog and a can of pop and it was $1.50. "I thought this was a fund raiser" I said to the lady taking the money. She said I was correct, that it was a fund raiser. "This is way too cheap!" I said. "You could charge a lot more and make a lot more money." She just smiled and shrugged as if to say "it's not my department" and took the next customer's paltry payment.

The chili on my Kruzer Dog was thick and chunky. The flavor was OK but lacked complexity.

The slaw was very good, plentiful and very pretty. Sweet and creamy and very nicely chopped.

Overall, just a decent hot dog, but when you can eat it standing next to a 1964 Shelby Cobra it certainly adds a level of ambiance that you can't get just anywhere. We'll give Kruzer Dogs a better than average 3 1/2 Weenie score.

Second Chance Review: Frostop

Actually, this is a third chance review. A while back, Stanton gave the restaurant that arguably has Huntington's most iconic and memorable landmark (the spinning mug o' root beer) on it a lukewarm review. In my first ever review for WVhotdogs.com, I was even less kind to Frostop. While I praised them for everything from bbq sandwiches to root beer to crinkle-cut fries, I ripped them a new one in terms of hot dog quality.

In order to help me give them one last reprieve from weenie purgatory and an outside shot at a weenie award, I enlisted The Film Geek, a local independent blogger (when did that term stop being an oxymoron, by the way?) and good friend of WVhotdogs.com, who is on record as being a big fan of Frostop's hot dogs.

The original plan was for TFG to explain to me what Stanton and I were missing about the wiener offerings at the 'top while I snarled unconvinced at both he and their soggy upside-down dogs (they put the sauce under the weenie).

Things did not go as planned. TFG didn't have to say a word to sell me on the fact that Frostop was actually capable of making a good dawg when they put their mind to it. The weenie spoke for itself.

It turns out that one of two things happened: either we caught them on bad days last summer or they actually have made an effort to improve the quality of their hot dogs (I guess and hope that the former is the case).

The sauce, while still awkwardly placed directly on the bun, seemed thicker and seasoned with more salt and chili powder than last time. A bit mild for my tastes, but a noticeable improvement from last year.

The bun and weenie were good 'n fresh, as is expected for all Huntington dogs.

The biggest miss last time around was the cole slaw. In '06, it tasted of something that was made in Carolina for a barbeque sandwich, put in a cracked Coleman cooler, and driven to Huntington via back roads and two-lane state highways. My wife, who is in possession of a very acute palate, speculated that the slaw was probably old and was about ready to be chucked. This time around, however, the slaw was very good. It was rather tart (with still with hints of Miracle Whip), but sweeter and creamier than before. I'm tempted to---as an experiment---get a slawless Sam's spicy sauce dog and put some of this slaw on it to see what happens when tart meets heat (sounds like hot dog blog fodder for a slow month this autumn).

Overall, I'm going to bump Frostop up to a 3.5 weenie rating based on the overall vibe of the joint and the improvement of the product. If this had been the only review, It might have gone as high as 4.5, but consistency is a must for a truly great WV hot dog and, unless my next few visits are great, Frostop has to remain a B-list HDJ for the time being.

Buckhannon HDJ Review - T&L Hot Dogs

A brand new building: Something that usually doesn't shout "great hot dogs here!" As a general rule, the best WVHDs are found in buildings with peeling paint and faded signs. It's as if they put their money into the hot dog and instead of the building. So I was skeptical when I was told that there was a brand new T&L Hot Dogs in Buckhannon and wasn't in a big hurry to get up that way to check it out. But I finally made it.

Now I know that T&L has good hot dogs from my previous experience with them. When I pulled up to the shiny new brick building I was confident that I would get a decent hot dog, but what I got was a little different than I expected.

The building is very nice and still smells new on the inside. Big for a hot dog joint, this restaurant looks like it would hold 50 or 60 diners comfortably. It felt very clean and was generally a nice place to eat.

Nice, that is if you like nearly perfect hot dogs.

No exaggeration, this is a nearly perfectly executed WVHD. The spicy chili was complex, had a great texture and was served in abundance. The cole slaw, although I had to ask for it specifically, was awesome: It was finely chopped, had wonderful texture, flavor and color. The bun was soft and seemed to be steamed, although I didn't witness the steaming, and the weenie was excellent.

The only negative thing I could say about this hot dog is that it was served in a Styrofoam coffin.
My quandary is that T&L is a chain, and I am reticent to award a Five Weenie rating to a chain since people often expect that all the locations are the same. I can't violate my own rule.

Oh yes I can.

I give T&L Hot Dogs of Buckhannon a Five Weenie rank. It comes with this disclaimer: Not all T&L Hot Dog locations can claim this rating until they have proven worthy on their own merits.

Newcastle, Australia Hot Dog Joint: Harry's Cafe de Wheels

A little known fact about WVhotdogs.com is that our corporate charter was originally drafted to closely resemble the Texas State Constitution (i.e. we copied it to a word file and used the "find & replace" function). As our Long Horned friends know, there is a quirk in the document that states that whenever the Governor leaves the state, the Lieutenant Governor takes over until his or her honor returns. Well, as Executive Vice President of the Huntington Region for WVhotdogs.com, I took advantage of the loophole to hire a foreign correspondent, cash in all of Stanton's frequent flier miles, and send her to Newcastle, Australia so that she could check out this one hot dog stand, Harry's Cafe de Wheels, that I've heard about from a couple of friends that studied abroad at a university in the suburb of Sydney.

Here is what our correspondent, Ellie Linger, had to say:

Ellie's first comment was on the eclectic nature of the toppings. While Americans are used to some dramatic weenie variations in their weenies (heck, even WVians can't agree from county to county about how to properly season sauce and slaw), I ain't ne'er heard of nothing like this before. When she ordered a hot dog with everything, here is what she got: mushy peas, garlic, onions, chili con carne (with beans, but when in Rome...), white cheese sauce, and a Thai chili hot sauce.

As for the weenie, Ellie reported that the sausage had a different taste from any that she has had stateside. This is likely due to lamb meat being used in place of beef and regionally popular spices

The overall taste of the dog, due to the Thai sauce and the seasonings in the weenie, was very very very spicy. While it was a bit spicier than she liked, she did note that it would be a great taste treat before, during, and/or after consumption of a Australian lager (or six) and the heat would have the effect of rushing sobriety-inducing endorphins into the bloodstream.

As for the cost, Ellie shelled out AUS$4.95 (about US$4), but she got her money's worth, as the weenie was the about the size of a baby's arm (likely to appeal to the dingo market). It was waaaay more food than a petite American could scarf in one sitting.

Ellie gives Harry's an honorary 4 weenie rating. She says that the first few bites were 5 weenie-caliber, but by the end it was down to 3 weenies. Hence, the law of averages comes into play.

As for Stanton, don't worry too much for him and his depleted frequent flier miles account. My guess is that by the time that he builds his miles back up to the previous level, Cuba will be once again open to tourists and space flight might even be an option, so he will have numerous options rather than that boring trip to Disney World that he had been planning for years.

Buckhannon HDJ Review - Dairy Queen

I've written before of the charming main street in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A big part of the charm of the place is the old buildings that are so unchanged by time that they could serve as a 1950's movie set with no touch up required. This is especially true of the very cool and way-retro Dairy Queen building.

There is not another old Dairy Queen I know of in the state that is as well preserved as this one. The neon sign is from the era before terms like "branding" made every DQ look exactly alike, with the big lemon-shaped red and white DQ logo. This sign is blue and white with a big ice cream cone jutting out over your head while you stand at the window to place your order. The building does has the red shingle mansard that became part of the DQ brand later on, but other than menus and interior signage none of the modern day DQ look is evident.

The service is old school, too. The young ladies that were working the day I stopped by were delightfully helpful. They cheerfully told me that "everything" was chili, slaw, mustard, onions and took my order enthusiastically. As I left with my order they seemed to earnestly mean it when they told me to enjoy my hot dog. When they asked me why I was taking a picture of their workplace I didn't tell them about this blog, but I did tell them that their DQ was one of the coolest in the whole state. They seemed to be pleased with my answer and said lots of people took pictures of the place but they could never figure out why.

But as neat and different as the restaurant is, the hot dog was fairly predictable and fairly average. The chili tasted like regular DQ Coney sauce with extra meat added. The slaw was the same kind of lowest common denominator food service slaw that most mediocre HDJs serve, with big, chewy chunks of slaw with not much flavor. The bun wasn't steamed and the weenie seemed like one of the small caliber type that I have encountered before in central WV HDJs.

Style points for the HDJ itself pushes the rating to 3 Weenies. It's one of those cool little places I would go for atmosphere and endure a lesser hot dog.

Second Chance Review - Romeo's

When we came up with the idea to make June "Second Chance Month" it was primarily to give those HDJs that just missed a second chance to be included in then running for next month's Weenie Awards. Romeo's didn't miss last year. It was a double award winner, including taking home the Weenie Award for Best Hot Dog. But I have heard stories lately, that Romeo's wasn't living up to the hype that we created. So I had to go check it out for myself.

Let me just, right off the bat, put the rumors to rest. The hot dogs I had on this trip to Romeo's were every bit as good as before. But since it's been a while, allow me to describe just how good they are using the "Chris James Rating Method":

Bun - 5 out of 5 Weenies- Romeo's steams each bun to order. They have this old school steamer that looks a little like one of those old school steam irons you used to see in laundries. The buns are placed inside, the lid is closed and the operator pulls down a lever that creates a hiss and wisps of steam sneak out around the edges. When the top is opened you have perfectly steamed buns.

Weenie - 4 out of 5 Weenies - I'm not sure how Romeo's prepare their weenies, but I've never had a weenie that tasted waterlogged or over cooked. The quality of the meat is good, but not great. This just proves that, on a WVHD, great toppings can more than compensate for mediocre meat.

Chili - 5 out of 5 Weenies - Dark brown, perfectly texture and a wonderfully complex taste. Not terribly spicy, but it makes up for it with a tart sweetness that is simply amazing.

Slaw - 5 out of 5 Weenies - Absolutely perfect in taste and texture. Just a slightly sweet flavor with a little black pepper thrown in for good measure.

Onions - 5 out of 5 Weenies - Perfect size chunks of perfectly sweet onions.

Romeo's is still one of the best, if not THE best hot dogs around Charleston. A Five Weenie Classic that doesn't need a second chance.

DogCast 3 is now available!

For your listening pleasure, our June DogCast is now available for download. In this edition:

• Chris James talks about the whole "sauce" vs. 'chili" war of words.
• Reader mail from Hawaii.
• Free Advertising for Bud Lite
• Hot Dog music!

Enjoy!

Buckhannon HDJ Review - Barnyard

If I were doing reviews of West Virginia towns instead of West Virginia hot dogs, I would give Buckhannon a Five Weenie rank. It has everything you need in a small town: a courthouse with a tall spire that can be seen for miles, a picturesque main street with quaint little shops and restaurants and flowers hanging from storefronts. On this Main Street is a restaurant called C.J. Maggies, the original location of what has developed into a small regional chain of excellent restaurants with impeccable atmosphere, service, selection and food quality. If I ever found myself on death row awaiting a last minute pardon from the Governor, their New Orleans Shrimp Pasta dish is what I would order as my last meal.

So what would happen if the people behind a great gourmet restaurant decided to open a Hot Dog Joint? Barnyard, that's what.

Located right across the street from C.J's, Barnyard (official name: "Barnyard - Cows - Chicken - Fish -Dogs & Pigs") is full of the same attention to detail that I love about C.J. Maggies Everything about Barnyard, from the neat little outdoor dining area to the overalls and straw hats worn by the wait staff is well thought out and well executed. The interior decor is Urban Prairie meets Hee Haw, complete with old washtubs as light shades and wrought iron slide-bolt latches on the restroom doors. The old plaster on the walls has been chiseled away to strategically reveal the old tile block underneath. The effect is really nice. Hands down, this is the coolest hot dog joint in the state.
And make no mistake, this is a hot dog joint. The menu sports 6 different hot dogs, from the "Chicago Dog" to the "Puppy Dog". One of the offerings is a "West Virginia Hot Dog" which includes a Nathan's Famous weenie (yum!) on a premium bun, chili, slaw, mustard and onions. Sounds good, huh? It's better than good, it is a great, great sandwich. But it's not a great WVHD; in fact, it isn't a WVHD at all.

You see, the first thing that you notice is that the thing is huge! The bun is giant, like a large hoagie bun only softer and tastier. The weenie is split down the middle and grilled to utter perfection (and a perfect Nathan's weenie is out of this world good!) The chili is not very spicy, but very complex and delicious; I kept thinking how great it would taste over a mound of spaghetti. The slaw was a little coarse, not sweet at all but very tasty.

With apologies to Burger King, it takes two hands to handle this whopper, and even then it's hard to eat without getting really messy. But don't worry, the mess is well worth the taste. Just a really tasty sandwich. Just not an authentic WVHD for the following reasons:

1. Size - Way too big to compare.
2. Weenie - The great tasting Nathan's Jr. sausage is prepared in a manner that is totally incomparable to any other WVHD.
3. The Chili and Slaw - If this chili and slaw were on a regular WVHD it wouldn't fare well. It depends on the weenie for taste support, which the weenie does well, but like Chris pointed out in the last review the point of WVHD is to make something cheap taste great.
4. Price - at $3.75 it costs as much as 3 normal WVHD's.

So I am not going to try to give an official Weenie ranking to Barnyard's hot dog because it wouldn't be fair. Suffice it to say this is a very nice place to eat in a very nice small town. I highly recommend it.

Second Chance Review: The Hottest Dog

At WVhotdogs.com, June is a month of second chances.

One HDJ in particular has shown a willingness to take constructive criticism from a bad review and attempt to improve the quality of their West-by-God style dawgs, The Hottest Dog. Since it is located in Hurricane (ie the halfway point 'tweenst Charleston and Huntington), Stanton and I agreed to meet at THD and see how they have been progressing.

Weenie: actually too flavorful. The sausage had an overpowering flavor of high-quality beef. What's the problem? Well, one of the things that makes a WV dog distinct from those offered up in NYC and Chicago is our focus on the toppings, and not the weenie, as the centerpiece. WV hot dogs developed out of a need to make a cheap, low quality protein stick taste like a million bucks rather than an effort to enhance the quality of a well-seasoned frank.

Slaw: dramatic improvement, but like a Sophomore in college, there is still much work to be done. It was kind of creamy and kind of sweet and kind of chunky. Just not a whole lot of anything, including flavor.

Chili sauce: First of all, since the sign behind the counter says "sauce" and the cashier said "chili," the diplomatic way to approach this highly sensitive issue is to say "chili sauce" and take the beating for being a fence-riding wussy.

That being said, the chili sauce was not very good. I believe it is the standard-issue Coney sauce from corporate HQ in Portland. The best way to describe is as being very similar to DQ's industrial grade chili/sauce only with real beef, instead of the Queen's synthetic meatfoam.

Onion rings: Pretty good, although portions were small. I also am not a big fan of mandatory side dishes (the side is included in the price of the dog). Sometimes I want a dog and nuttin' else.

Price: They try to spin it by pointing to quality and volume, but charging $4.25 for a WV hot dog is the sort of sin that, if done in Old Testament times, would have resulted in a steady shower of fire and brimstone. Basically, you end up getting two or three hot dogs worth of hot dog for the price of...three hot dogs. Too bad I usually only eat one dog at a time.

Last time, Stanton gave them a harsh-but-fair 1.5 weenies, and that score does improve by a bit due to their taking of slaw criticism to heart, but not much. They now earn 2.5 weenies and absolutely no nominations for the upcoming Weenie Awards.

Go there to get that specialty dog that you fell in love with when you went to college in Chicago, lived in New York, or studied abroad in England, just don't hit the Hottest Dog expecting a great WV-style dog, because you simply will not find one there. Unfortunately, that is exactly what most people in the area are going to want---nay---expect. And that, coupled with the high prices, may be why Stanton and I only saw a couple of customers during our hour there during peak lunch time.

Charleston Hot Dog Joint Review - Murad's

Sitting at the foot of the 35th Street bridge, Murad's was Charleston's first real sports bar, and remains arguably the best such joint in town. Before the new ball park was built, Murad's was the place to be before and after Alley Cats, Wheelers, or Charlies games since it was a short walk from Watt Powell Park. These days most of its sports appeal is because of the couple of dozen TVs scattered throughout the dining area where you can catch ESPN, ESPN2, Golf Central, Fox Sports Channel and a couple of them are even tuned to CNN. The main problem at Murad's is parking. There is never enough, though it is especially problematic during the playoffs or March Madness.

I could go on and on about the atmosphere and menu at Murad's but that's why not why you are reading this, is it? But I would like to take just a moment to explain why it's taken me so long to review Murad's: You see, last year Murad's made a public announcement that they were going to go out of the restaurant business, due to the Kanawha County smoking ban, and just remain in the bar business. This would have precluded them from selling hot dogs. For the better part of a year I have labored under the assumption that they had indeed quit selling food and so I never bothered trying to get a hot dog there. But over the weekend I received a direct mail piece that trumpeted a "Family Size Pizza Deal." I have never heard of a "Family Friendly" bar, so I thought maybe the rumors of Murad's demise, cullinarily speaking, were premature. I was right.

I was very pleased to stop in recently to find the same old Murad's that I knew and loved. A shiny new game room that includes "Dance Dance Revolution," pool tables and various video games makes the place feel family friendly indeed.

The menu looks just the same as last time I was in (two years ago) and on that menu is the "Murad's Famous Hot Dog." The "MFHD" is a basic hot dog with an all-beef Oscar Mayer weenie, Murad's own chili, slaw (presumably Murad's own as well) onions and mustard. The presentation is a little unusual in that the chili and slaw are served side by side on top of the bun. The chili is dark brown and meaty, with a very nice spicy taste; Not hot, but spicy. The slaw is very good, just sweet enough to offset the chili, but a little corsely chopped for me. Nondescript onions and mustard finish off the "everything" dog nicely, even if it was served in a coffin. An automatic side order of homemade potato chips help complete the package.

Certainly the MFHD is a cut above most sports bar hot dogs, but it doesn't rate a top score against the competition at large. And in light of the other good eats Murad's offers on its menu, it's hard to give it a high recommendation. It's also a little pricey at $2.50, but it does include those nice chips.

Overall we'll give Murad's Famous Hot Dog a 4 Weenie rank.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Charleston Area HDJ Review - Allspice Cafe

With the most charming atrium dining area on the East End of Charleston, you might think the Allspice Cafe would be a well-known dining destination, but sadly it's not. In fact most people kinda-sorta know that there is a cafe there, but not too many people I know make a point to go. But for people working nearby it is a very convenient place to grab lunch, dinner or even breakfast.

Having a diverse menu (I saw pizza, roast beef, home-style vegetables, sandwiches and more) you would think the place would be in high demand, but because of old stereotypes and prejudices, many people would rather go elsewhere. Well I was in the neighborhood recently and I thought I should check out the hot dog offerings and I wasn't going to be deterred by prejudice.

The Allspice Cafe is convenient to Appalachian Power Park and The Clay Center, and parking is plentiful nearby. It is easy to find and the four story atrium that towers over the dining area makes for wonderful all-season, semi-al-fresco dining. The atmosphere is very nice and the service is friendly. The prices are very reasonable.

Hot dogs are topped with whatever you ask for, but of course, I had one with mustard, chili, slaw and onions. I noticed immediately that the chili had big hunks of green peppers floating around in it, which is bad for me; you see I love green peppers, but they don't like me. I knew I'd be reaching for the antacid in a few hours (I hope you people appreciate how I suffer for you!). The chili was really piled on as was the slaw. The toppings were piled so high that the hot dog was a real mess to eat.

The taste of the chili, aside from the green peppers, was mostly just sweet. Think Manwich sauce. The slaw was nearly identical in flavor and texture to what I had at The Hottest Dog last year. It was fairly tasteless and very chunky. The bun and weenie were adequate, but nothing to write home about.

I'm going to give the Allspice Cafe a 3 Weenie rating, maily because of the nice dining atmosphere. It's not a great hot dog, but pretty good for hospital food!

Putnam County Hot Dog Joint: Carmen's Diner.

No one could argue with the suggestion that there ain't much in Scary, a little town about half way between St. Albans and Scott Depot on Teays Valley Road. One thing the place does have going for it, however, is a little mom 'n pop restaurant called Carmen's Diner. I was recently in those parts for business, so I decided to sneak away from work and check 'em out.

Carmen's has all of the grub that one would expect from a greasy spoon in Appalachia: burgers, fries, onion rings, spaghetti & meatballs, fried bologna, bbq sandwiches, and hot dogs. Well, it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out what I wanted.

After I ordered my hot dog, I noticed that the fridge contained a box from Cavalier Meats, which got brownie points with this Huntingtonian. The weenie was indeed fresh and tasty, as can be expected from all of SS Logan's meat products.

The bun was nice 'n gooey. No problem there.

The sauce was some of the finest that has ever been served in West Virginia by a place that didn't have the name "Sam's" in the title. It contained lots of high-quality ground beef and was seasoned with just the right touch of chili powder and salt. While I like mine a little spicier, this was still a top-notch product that could win awards and make someone a lot of money if properly marketed.

The place was as charming as any other hot dog joint that I have visited, including M & M and Austin's. The gentleman (I assume it was Carmen) was about the nicest guy that I've met in Greater Charleston and, if I could have, I woulda stuck around for another half-hour to chew the fat about life, the universe, and everything.

So far, you must be thinking "wow, this sounds like a sure-fire 5 weenie joint." Well, I've left out one critical component of a WV hot dog: the slaw. I can say, without fear of hyperbole or BS, that Carmen's had the worst cole slaw that I have ever eaten. It had the flavor of lightly salted cabbage that had been soaked in water overnight and aroma of a bachelor's freezer. The smell---scratch that---the stench of the slaw managed to completely overpower everything about the dawg that was great. With slaw that bad, I have to give the place 3 weenies, which is a damn shame considering that even mediocre slaw would have put this joint at the very top of Putnam County hot-dogdom.

To the management: you've done so much to make a great hot dog joint, don't poison the well with rancid slaw.

Charleston HDJ Review - Rally's

I drive by Rally's on Washington Street East nearly every day. I never have considered it to be anything resembling a hot dog joint, but recently I was craving one of their really cheap and really tasty Rallyburgers. I went in to place my order and I noticed hot dogs on the menu. I had to try one. Like they say on their commercials, "you gotta eat!"

I asked what everything included and was told "mustard, chili and onions." I asked if they had slaw and they said no. Can you believe that? Here, literally in the shadow of the dome of the West Virginia State Capitol they have the gall to serve hot dogs with no slaw?

Well, I got one anyway, and soon I was presented with a coffin containing my lunch. Upon opening the lid I immediately recognized another major faux pas: The chili had beans floating around in it! Now I know that Rally's is a national chain but come on! Give a little to the local traditions, will ya'? There's no beans in hot dog chili! Whadya think this is, New Jersey?

On top of the bean-laden chili was a nice little bouquet of red onions, which is the only thing about the presentation that deserves mentioning.

The taste of the hot dog was not as bad as I imagined it would be. The chili actually was pretty good and I'm not sure if they sell it in a bowl, but if they do I could see it competing with the Wendy's right across the street for my chili business. It had a nice little kick and was quite meaty. The weenie was actually very good, seemingly grilled and a little larger than an average HDJ weenie. The bun wasn't steamed, but was fresh enough for this not to be a problem.

Without slaw, I can't give this dog more than a 2 Weenie rating. Even with the beans in the chili, though, throw a dollop of good slaw on this dog and you might have something that approaches 3.5 Weenies. Not bad for a burger joint.

Huntington Hot Dog Joint: Sam's Hot Dog Stand-29th St.

Life has been something of a mixed bag in East Huntington for the past decade or so. On one hand, St. Mary's Hospital has brought jobs and top-notch healthcare to the neighborhood. On the other, however, the area has lost a high school, a pharmacy, a fishmonger, two independent grocers, a video store, and the Big Bear MegaHyperSuperMarket.

One thing that Highlawn still has going for it, however, is that it has a Sam's Hot Dog Stand franchise. Located near the former Big Bear and near one of Huntington's busier transportation hubs, this Sam's makes for a great grab-'n-go spot for a hot dog joint.

In addition to being convenient, the joint makes a pretty decent dog, too. Despite being obviously less than a day old and soft as a pillow, the buns were still steamed and had a nice balance of softness and taste. The freshness of the bun nudges 29th St. past Sam's of 8th St. in terms of the best bun in the city.

The weenie tasted fresh and of high quality, even if it was from a water bath. The water was clear and relativley grease-free, so they must have been emmersed only an hour or so earlier.

The sauce was good, as is always the case with Sam's unique brand of sauce. It was a touch on the mild side for a "spicy" sauce, but was still better than 95% of all other hot dog sauces (the other 5% being Sam's locations, like 8th St., that get the sauce right).

The slaw was perfectly sweet and tangy. My only complaint was that there was some skimpiness employed in its application. Pile it one, please.

Overall, it was a great Sam's hot dog. For a quick, reliable, and consistent WV hot dog experince, check out Sam's Hot Dog Stand-29th St. 4 weenies.

Charleston Area HDJ Review: Goff's Carry Out

Loudendale, for most West Virginians, is just the community you drive through on the way to Kanawha State Forest. But for those of us who know it well it's much more than that. Since I grew up about five miles from Kanawha State Forest and spent most of my Summers at the swimming pool there, I became quite familiar with Loudendale. My mother was born and raised in the community and I always had relatives that lived there. When we talked about Loudendale we simply called it "The Creek."

Loudendale is situated in the hollow formed by the main branch of Davis Creek as it winds its way toward the Kanawha. There are fours ways you can get to Loudendale: First, and most rarely traveled, is from Hernshaw through Kanawha State Forest. Don't try this one unless you have a 4WD and a good map. The second way is to follow Davis Creek Road from South Charleston. Horse enthusiasts are the most likely folks to know of this route since virtually every stable in the Charleston area is located along this stretch. Third is the route from Kanawha City through South Park Road and ending up in Loudendale at Cane Fork (on this route you will pass "Ferrell Hollow", named for the grandfather of Loudendale's most famous product, Conchata Ferrell - her childhood home was at the mouth of Ferrell Hollow). The primary way to get to Loudendale, however, is to follow Louden Heights Road from Downtown Charleston, turn right on Connell Road and go about three miles, the last one being a long descent into Coal Hollow. At the bottom of "Coal Hollow Hill" is Loudendale.

30 years ago there were two businesses at the bottom of Coal Hollow Hill. One was a small grocery store that some people called "Owen's Market" and some called "Clark's Store"; that building is now a private residence. The other business located at the foot of the hill was a gas station owned by "Junior Riffe" (we always called it "Junior's Fillin' Station". It is in this location that Goff's Carry Out is now located. It's been there for years and I've been by it a hundred times, but until a reader wrote recently I did not know they sold hot dogs. When I got the email I was eager to pay a visit.

When I pulled into the store's parking lot I was pleased to see a sign advertising "Hot Dogs - BBQ - Live Bait"(although I think the juxtaposition of terms could have been more carefully thought out). Once inside I was promptly greeted by the cashier, whom I quickly ascertained was also the hot dog chef. Everything, I was told confidently, includes chili, slaw, mustard and onions! Finally, the long string of ketchuppy HDJs has been broken!

After I got my hot dogs and took them outside to a picnic on the tailgate of my truck, I eagerly slipped the first one out of the wax paper sleeve to find a nicely warmed bun. It was not steamed, as I would have preferred, but since it was soft from freshness I didn't mind much. The slaw was very nice - finely chopped, creamy and nicely sweet. The chili was above average, but nothing to write home about. I was told that Goff's make their own chili and slaw, but darned if this stuff didn't taste just like Custard Stand Chili. Underneath it all was a beefy tasting weenie that was a cut above average. A couple of big chunks of sweet onions topped it all off.

I must say that, for a carry-out, this is a great hot dog, but by normal HDJ standards it's only slightly above average. We'll give it a strong 3.5 Weenie rating, pushing the 4.0 envelope.

Second Chance Month is Coming

In a magnanimous gesture of mercy, the WV Hot Dogs team will be providing a second chance to HDJs that scored disappointing marks on their first visit. Over the next several weeks our Weenie Wonks will be out revisiting those places that just missed the mark, those from whom we expected better hot dogs than we got and the ones who complained to us that our review was unfair.

The revisit reviews will be posted during June. Since July is Weenie Award month it will give many HDJs a second chance to improve their products enough to be considered for this year's awards.

So here's your chance, all you HDJs that think your hot dog is better than we reported. Send us an email if you would like to be specially considered for a revisit.

And you, the WVHD eating public, should reap tremendous benefits as you are certain to get better hot dogs for the next several weeks as all HDJs will be on high alert knowing that they could be paid a visit at any moment.

Huntington Area Hot Dog Joint: Hillbilly Hot Dogs-Lesage

While most of the co-eds at Marshall probably think of Hillbilly Hot Dogs as that kitschy place near campus on 3rd Ave.; most local folk, however, point to HBHD's Lesage branch as the original and superior location. My recent visit up Route 2, however, revealed that the downtown location may indeed have surpassed the original in overall quality.

The zany, soft hixploitation of Lesage gets points for being the more authentic incarnation in terms of decor and wackiness.

All was not perfect in eastern Cabell County, however. The first problem was the service. At the 3rd Ave. location, servers are friendly and chatty. Here, however, the window guy was somewhat curt and dismissive. Not that he was a jerk or anything, but it certainly wasn't the level of service that I'm used to from HBHD.

As for the dog, it was fairly similar to a dog purchased at the downtown location. The sauce was beefy and thick (if slightly too mild) and topped liberally. The onions were neither too strong nor too weak and mingled well with the sauce. The weenie was top notch and tasted like a quality sausage.

The slaw, of course, was sub-par. My wife, a native of Seattle, commented that the slaw reminded her of cole slaw from the west coast. It was very pretty, with large chunks of cabbage and carrots and visible pepper specks. However the taste---like the slaws of the Pacific Rim---was where it fell flat. Honestly, the slaw tastes more like a dry cabbage salad. There is very little mayo in there and I doubt that there is any celery salt or sugar in it at all. If they are really serious about expanding the HBHD brand, they need to ditch the slaw. It really isn't very good at all in terms of hot dog slaw (but it is pretty good on other sandwiches, for what it is worth).

But, I digress. Enough people must disagree with me, as the joint is doing well. Maybe I can smuggle some slaw in from Austin's next time.

While I did take up quite a bit of ink to complain about the slaw just now, that was not the main problem with the dog (I've come to accept that HBHD's bad slaw is part of the natural order of things), not by far. You see, everyone that knows their hot dogs in the Tri-State and Advantage Valley knows that a Huntington hot dog will and should always have the freshest of buns. In Huntington there is usually no need to steam the oven-fresh buns that were just loaded off of the Heiners truck, unlike in other parts of the state where steaming is a necessary step to turn their hard-as-stone buns into something palatable. These buns, however, more that failed the test. You could tell the bun was not only from an older shipment but also from a bag that had been left untied for sometime. Seriously, this was about like that "hard tack" stuff you read about in Civil War novels. Blech.

This is probably the most heart-wrenching review that I've had to write. I love Hillbilly (despite my objection to their interpretation of proper HD slaw) and the owners are two of the coolest human beings who you'd ever hope to meet. For the time being, I have to give Hillbilly Hot Dogs-Lesage a provisional 3 weenie rating. This still rewards them for great sauce 'n weenies and a cool atmosphere but also serves to put them on notice that I expect better buns and hope for better service next time. If everything is up-to-snuff by then, this score should climb into the 4-4.5 range.

I'm rootin' for ya.

DogCast Number 2

After overcoming some technical difficulties, DogCast Number 2 is now available for your listening pleasure. In this edition:

Bill Haley & The Comets
No Ketchup Please!
Reader Mail (from very far away!)
Gassaway Dairy Queen Review
Austin's Ice Cream Hot Dog Review

Enjoy!

St. Albans HDJ Review - OSKEES Family Restaurant

OSKEES Family Restaurant is a recent addition to the Kanawha Valley. Sitting alongside MacCorkle Avenue in the very same space where Mayberry's began, this little restaurant claims to have "comfort food with a twist." The menu has some interesting looking sandwiches and entrees, but obviously I wasn't after any of those. I walked in and picked up a menu and my eyes quickly found not only a hot dog, but a whole hot dog section! They have a regular dog, a foot long, a New England Style and a big 'ol hot dog with kraut and other strange toppings. The section heading brags that OSKEES has home made chili and slaw. This is a serious HDJ!

I settled for the regular dog which has chili, slaw, mustard, onions and ketchup. I had a strong urge to lecture my waitress on the inappropriateness of the red stuff, but I held my tongue. Instead I just ordered my dogs without it. Since it was dinnertime I went all out and got two dogs and an order of onion rings.

While I waited on my order I had a chance to look around and see how the place was decorated. In its Mayberry days it was all decked out in a 50's motif and had a television in the corner that played Andy Griffith Show DVDs non-stop. The TV is gone and a boombox now sits on the TV wall mounting bracket. Miscellaneous stuff is stuck to the walls and one entire wall seems to be dedicated to grade school writing papers. I tried to discern from the decor where the name "OSKEES" came from, but apart from a set of old snow skis on the wall I saw nothing that could explain it.

It seems that the name "OSKEES" is always printed in caps, so it could be "O'Skee's" or an acronym formed by the first initial of the names of the owners. It's really hard to tell.

While I was pondering this, my hot dogs arrived and they flanked the most gorgeous order of onion rings you can imagine. The tasted as good as they looked. But that' not why I came, was it?

The first thing I noticed was the deep brown color of the chili. This is a trademark of a cook that is serious about hot dogs, and with my first bite I knew that these were serious hot dogs. The chili was utterly delicious. I have been trying to come up with words to describe the flavor, but I simply can't describe it. It is rich, meaty, complex but only a tiny bit spicy. The flavor is so good that I would not be surprised to find out they had ground up a New York strip for the meat.

The slaw, while a little more coarsely chopped than I typically like, was creamy and flavorful. It was just slightly sweet and worked perfectly, I mean perfectly, with the chili. This is a hot dog put together by a hot dog lover that knows how to cook! Add a nicely steamed bun to the mix and you have a really good hot dog. But...

I have often written that we West Virginians don't care as much about the weenie as our hot dog colleagues in other parts of the country. I've even said that great chili and slaw can't be ruined by a bad weenie. Well, the weenie keeps this hot dog from a Five-Weenie rating from me. It was a small caliber frank, waterlogged from being kept in a pot of water no doubt. Perhaps because it was late in the day, but the weenie was yucky. No chili and slaw could completely overcome it, but OSKEES chili and slaw comes close. I'm going to give it a 4 1/2 Weenie rank in spite of the substandard wiener.