Princeton HDJ Review - Grillbilly's Drive In

This little place caught my eye during a winter time visit but I didn't feel like standing outside in the cold to order, so I put it on my "to do in warm weather" list. This past weekend I found myself in the vicinity and hungry at the same time. The weather this time was perfect for not only ordering outside, but for eating outside in one to the four picnic tables that Grillbilly's provided and placed under a beautiful shade tree.

Grillbilly's has a reputation among locals for their hamburgers, but hot dogs is what I was after. I was little dismayed by the menu offering: "Hot Dog" and "Slaw Dog" as if there was really a difference! I was comforted a little though by the news that a "Slaw Dog" came with mustard, onions and chili; then comforted again when my dos showed up wrapped in wax paper. Dismay returned, though, when I got my dogs and they were on the dreaded New England Style buns.

The slaw, at first taste, was fair and had a nice texture. The chili was a little lifeless. In spite of the weaknesses of the parts, the chili and slaw had a real nice synergy and the resultant taste was quite satisfying. The weenie didn't detract, nor did the onions and mustard. Overall it was nice little roadside hot dog that scores a 3 on the Weenie scale.

Grillbilly's is located right along the road from Athens to Princeton, officially known as Rogers Street.

Charleston HDJ Review - Hog and Dog

Located in the former home of Tudor's Biscuit World on Bigley Avenue, this brand new HDJ has dared to set up shop 100 yards from a Charleston institution; Chris' Hot Dogs. Not that Chris' has no competitors close by, (The Grille, three doors west of Chris' and Freeman's Restaurant which is across the street and a few doors west), but to open up a place that is all about hot dogs and BBQ - two mainstays of Chris' - is suicide. Unless of course, your product is good enough to lure customers away.With that belief in mind, I walked into Hog and Dog expecting a really good hot dog.

I didn't get it.

This dog is weak all around. The weenie was grilled so much that it had a tough skin on the outside that was difficult to break with incisors alone. The bun was mediocre, the chili was tasteless. The slaw had chunks of green peppers in it.

Out the abundance of fairness and with deference to the newness of the place, I'm gonna give Hog and Dog a 2.5 Weenie score.

I know that there are people that have fallen out of love with Chris' who will probably try Hog and Dog, but I can't imagine that they can honestly prefer this weak effort to the classic that is served just a few steps away.

I will also point out that the menu and atmosphere leads me to think that Hog and Dog are somehow related to these two places - both of which served a better dog than this one.

Charleston HDJ Review - Wellington's Cafe

Folks in the Charleston area will remember the name "Wellington's" as being synonymous with fine dining for over twenty years. Located inside Scarlet Oaks Country Club in Poca, this was a fancy eatin' place if ever there was one and the owners also had a great catering business. With the economy making it hard for restaurants lately, Wellington's decided to close their restaurant and focus only on catering; or so we thought.

Now, far from Poca in the Meadowbrook section of Charleston, we find Wellington's Cafe. Open for lunch Monday-Friday, this place isn't fancy and has a radically different menu than the old place had. But they do have one important addition to their menu: hot dogs.

When I saw hot dogs on the menu, I was both hopeful and cautious: Hopeful because Wellington's - as already mentioned - is known for excellent food, but cautious because - let's be honest - what would a real chef know about WVHDs?

When I ordered my hot dog I found another reason to be both hopeful and cautious: "everything" does not include ketchup - but it also doesn't include mustard. I asked for one with everything plus mustard.

When I got my hot dog, it looked a little suspect. Served unwrapped in a basket, it was laying kind of flat with its toppings just kind of piled on the spread open bun. When I picked up the hot dog its heft was impressive and I was confused by the softness of the bun and it's toasted appearance. After a closer inspection I found that the bun had been grilled - not like the typical NES bun, but it had been spread open and grilled face down. This gave it a remarkable texture and added some nice flavor while still maintaining the integrity of a real WVHD soft bun.

Other than the piled up appearance, the hot dog looked good. The slaw was a beautiful color and texture and the chili looked dark and meaty.

It took approximately one bite to realize that Wellington's knows hot dogs.

The beauty of the chili and slaw is much more than skin deep, and the two go perfectly together. Actually, this slaw is one of those rare kinds that seemingly would go well with anything. A slight hint of dill was buried in its sweetness and it had a tarty finish. The chili was just plain good. Not terribly spicy but very complex and perfect texture.

All in all a surprising place to find a 5 Weenie hot dog. I am very glad I found it. You can find it on Greenbrier Street just past Capitol Flea Market.

Belle HDJ Review - The Lunch Box

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

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

This time it was "A".

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you for nagging me, Carol.

Letters. We get letters...

And comments on old blog posts, too.

The way that Blogger structures itself, some of the best and most entertaining comments are on old, archived blog posts. The blog owner is notified of their existence but for the mos most part regular readers never see them. Once in a while a comment or series of comments is worthy of more attention, and this past week two such comments showed up one of our old posts.

The first was on our review of "Crabby Patti's" in Ripley. I made the trip from Charleston for the crab cakes, but when I saw a hot dog on the menu, well, I had to. I immediately wished I hadn't: That hot dog was so bad that it scored a .5 out of 5 Weenies.

"Jimmyshooter," whom we will assume is the owner of Crabby Patti's posted these comments earlier in the week:

OK, as for Stanton the self proclaimed pork scrap molded in a skin connoisseur.The write ups in the Daily Mail,WV Living Magazine and 101 most unique places to eat were for our MD. Crab Cakes and soups. Crabby Patti`s has never marketed,wanted or wished to sell weiners.We do, for adventurers like yourself who drive many miles,use much gas and valuable time to eat off the dollar menu.

And as for beans,we like em like that in MD.

As for the presentation of the weiner they like it loaded around here,broaden your horizons,pick up a fork.

Well then, Jimmyshooter, if you "never marketed,wanted or wished to sell weiners" then why, pray tell, do you? I sure didn't expect to find a hot dog on the menu when I went to your establishment. I would not have turned and walked out if I hadn't seen a hot dog on your menu. I would have, quite frankly, been much happier if there were no hot dogs on your menu. So, what part of that makes it a service to adventurers like me? I don't get it.

You say that in Maryland you like your hot dogs with beans in your chili; Why then are you selling them in Ripley? I would imagine that your neighbors over at Big Pete's sell hundreds more hot dogs and have many more satisfied customers - all without beans!  And thank you again, but my horizons are quite broad enough without resorting to a fork to eat a hot dog! Sheeesh!

Charleston HDJ Review - The Village of Otto

I have been driving past this little place on Pennsylvania Avenue for as long as I can remember, and for as long as I can remember I have wondered why it was named "The Village of Otto." I also wondered exactly what it was: It looks like a bar, but who ever heard of a bar named "Village of" anything?" People have told me that, yes, it is a bar, but those same people confessed to having never been there. So still I wondered.

On a recent trip up I79, I looked over and saw a new sign on the building that said "Hot Dogs $2.00." "Finally," I thought, "an excuse to go inside the bar." Now in the interest of full editorial disclosure, there was a time in my life that I needed no excuse to go into a bar, but these days I am a teetotalling goody-two-shoes who requires further inducement. Hot dogs - even expensive ones - will usually do the trick.

So I rolled into The Village of Otto late on a recent afternoon and apparently had missed the lunch crowd. When my dining companion and I walked into the bar the only people we saw were the bartender/cook and a woman who was waiting on her car to be repaired at the garage next door. After we ordered $8.00 worth of hot dogs with everything (onions, chil and slaw) plus mustard and two cokes, we settled into place and became familiar with our surroundings. Two pool tables dominate the room and generations worth of liquor and beer mirrors and posters cover the walls. The bar is well stocked and a smokers cage out back overlooks the Elk River.

The hot dogs took a while to get to us, but once they did I immediately noticed that they were on grilled New England Style buns. The chili was tasty enough (not spicy) but the slaw was way over mayoed. It was as if someone dropped a few pieces of cabbage into a jar of Hellmans. OK, not really that extreme but seriously too much mayo. The taste, despite the mayo overload wasn't so bad. Deducting a half-point for the NES bun, I'll give The Village of Otto an average 3 Weenie rating.

Oh, and about the name: According to the bartender, there are two stories about the name: One was that the little section of Pennsylvania Avenue where it is located was in the 1940's a heavily German community, and the bar name is a tribute to that ethnicity. The other story is that it is named after Beetle Bailey's dog.

The mystery continues...

Best baseball stadium dogs?

Clubhouse Cancer has an excellent round-up of the best hot dogs found at Major League Baseball stadiums.

The ones that look really good to me:

1. Atlanta's Georgia Dog with slaw & Vidalia onions. Closest to the real thing (as defined by us).
2. Cincinnati's Cheese Coney. The "when in Rome..." approach to hot dogs that we espouse is perhaps easiest when we're down the river in Cincy.
3. Houston's Most Wanted Dog with beef brisket. Chopped brisket. Pickles. BBQ Sauce. 'Nuff said.

and the one that gets a big WVHDB "no thanks:"

Seattle's Sea Dog (a glorified fish stick). Probably a pretty good West Coast snack, but not a hot dog by any stretch of the imagination.

Check out the full list here.

(Via SI.com's Extra Mustard)

Hometown Hot Dogs in Clarksburg is No More (sort of...)

A mid-morning business trip took me back through the Stealey section of Clarksburg, and I was shocked to find out that one of the better HDJs in the area had closed up shop. Hometown Hot Dogs' building had been renovated into a new Allstate office.

I was a little down about this fact, but I only had to tell one associate who was quick to tell me not to worry: this same crew had apparently set up shop a few miles away in the East View section between Clarksburg and Anmoore. However, they no longer go by the "Hometown" moniker. Instead, the new establishment is known as Smiley's Hot Dogs.

I now have a new mission to find this new hot dog haven and see if they can match or surpass the previously awarded 4.5 weenie rating that they had earned in the past. Be on the lookout for a forthcoming review of Smiley's.

Monongah HDJ Review - Dairy Kone

Ever since I was invited to contribute to the WVHD blog, I had made a mental note that at some point I would travel out of my way along U.S. Route 19 to pay a visit to the Dairy Kone, a quaint looking little red building that sits dangerously close to the roadway but at the same time beckons you to stop for a refreshment of some sort. I had always known that they had hot dogs available, along with other goodies like chicken sandwiches and their newest feature, ground chuck hoagies. Of course, they also had enough varieties of ice cream goodies to feed a small third-world country.

There is absolutely no substitute for friendly service, and fortunately the folks at Dairy Kone made sure I felt welcome, despite the fact that I was starving, had just endured several minutes of traffic stoppage, and probably had the look of a serial killer on loose in my eyes at that point. I was more than pleased that not only was slaw on the toppings list for their hot dogs, it was actually a standard ingredient. This is indeed a rarity for this area. While it's not hard to find places that offer slaw for hot dogs, it's extremely rare that it comes as standard equipment.

I give credit to Dairy Kone for not coping out and going the standard styro-coffin route. Nope. In fact, they took the time to neatly wrap my dogs in wax paper, which is almost always an automatic half-weenie bonus in my book. Wrapping hot dogs in wax paper or foil is a sign of attention to detail and genuine concern for the quality of a hot dog.

The hot dog was about average size, but it was definitely loaded to the hilt with chili and slaw. The chili had a nice but not overbearing quality about it. It carried a good meaty flavor, but the didn't appear to be overloaded with spices or other hot flavorings. The slaw itself was fresh with crisp cabbage and carrots about it, but perhaps a bit drenched as far as the dressing was concerned. It had a pleasing taste to it that wasn't vinegary or sugary, but rather represented a comfortable balance between the two. I was very surprised by the quality of the otherwise tiny frank. It had the distinct taste of being grilled, but carried more of a smoky quality than you might expect from typical flat top grilling. I wasn't took excited about the buns themselves. They probably need a bit more steaming, but were still warm enough to make things enjoyable.

All in all, Dairy Kone is simply a nice family style ice cream parlor/stand that makes a good hot dog. I really feel that if that these hot dogs have the potential to hit the five weenie mark if given better ingredients, but they are still simply right up the alley for any self-respecting WVHD connoisseur. I give Dairy Kone a solid four weenie rating.

Lewisville HDJ Review - Scruples Restaurant

As everyone in West Virginia knows, Lewisville has become home to hard-left leaning democrats and pagans (the religion, not the motorcycle gang). With a demographic that could be best described as "Aging Hippies" there are probably more people who voted for George McGovern in this town than anyplace in the state. Lewisville prides itself on being progressive and seems to attract like-minded people. To further this identity the town council recently voted to add a motto to the "Welcome to Lewsiville" signs: Beginning July 1st, the town will be officially known as "The Little Town with the Big Conscience."

Scruples Restaurant, coincidentally owned by one of the town council members, also has a motto: "Serving Socially Responsibly Meals with a Sustainable Attitude." The menu is chock full of "fair trade" goods, locally produced organic foods and other things you would expect to find in the commissary at an ACLU convention in Oregon. They have the trendiest coffee, the hippest teas and are always at the cutting edge of the latest food health warnings and admonitions. You can get your Acai Berry & Pomegranate juice cocktail with a side order of wheat grass if you like.

On the surface, Scruples might not sound like a likely candidate for a hot dog review, but this is West Virginia - where Mountaineers are always free and hot dogs are obligatory.

Now unless you have been under a rock for the past month or so, you have heard about the hot dog choking controversy: the American Academy of Pediatrics has called for a redesign of the shape of hot dogs as to eliminate the possibility of choking small children. You can read about it here.

So Scruples Restaurant, home of all things knee-jerk, has joined the fight against tubular hot dogs. They are now offering their "Hot Dog Safety Wraps" as an alternative to the standard hot dog that they served until just recently. The process begins by grilling paper-thin slices of an organic weenie (a veggie version is also available with sliced tofu franks) and placing them on a fair-trade flour tortilla. A meatless sauce that is reminiscent of DQ Coney Sauce is spread over top and then a dollop of runny and coarsely chopped coleslaw is added. Mustard and ketchup are included on the everything version. Curiously, onions are not an option.

I was prepared to be totally grossed out by this odd little sandwich, but to be honest it tasted pretty good. The individual slices of weenie are grilled and it seems to unlock some extra flavor. The sauce was kind of tasty and the slaw, while I wouldn't want it on a regular hot dog because of its coarseness, was actually very good tasting. The whole thing was crunchy, which adds an unusual sensation to the hot dog experience. It was so surprisingly good, that I changed my plans on how I would write this review. I had first planned to ridicule the wrap and the whole idea of slicing weenies in the name of food safety. but I had to rethink my position after tasting how good it really was. Perhaps I have pigeonholed myself by my dogmatic insistence that hot dogs be made on a soft bun with the toppings applied in a certain way. Maybe I am missing out on a whole new way to do hot dogs. I think that I will use this experience to turn over a new leaf and become more accepting - more tolerant, if you will - the way the good citizens of Lewisville are tolerant and accepting.

So I give Scruples' safety dogs a nice 4 Weenie rank. I think that is a fitting score and nice tribute to celebrate this very special Holiday.

New "got slaw?" tshirt - just in time for Spring!

A fresh new version of a tired old classic!

Available now from WVHotDogs.com's online shop at CafePress!

Amazing Discovery - The Long Lost Marmet Yellow Slaw Recipe!

So there I was snooping through this random flea market and I happened to pick up a little recipe box. Inside the box was an old and yellowing index card with the following recipe typed as plain as day. Since Mr. C's demise, this recipe was thought to be lost forever.

With the possible exception of the Dead Sea Scrolls, there has never been a more significant discovery of the written word.

MARMET FAMOUS YELLOW SLAW

3 lb head of cabbage, shredded fine and drained

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper


Combine ingredients and leave overnight in refrigerator.

For all those readers who had been looking for a good WV Hot Dog slawrecipe, look no further! While it isn't traditional WVHD slaw, it is very tasty.

Here is a old photo of a Mr. C's yellow slaw dog and a regular slaw version.

Charleston HDJ Review - The Leonard's Restaurant

Located in the rear of the First Baptist Church Business Annex on Shrewsbury Street, this little carry out can best be seen from the Leon Sullvan Way exit of I64 in Downtown Charleston. The proprietor, Minnie Leonard ("Miss Minnie" to people who know her) offers her loyal fans a steady stream of fried fish, okra, green beans and other assorted soul food favorites during lunch hours every business day. The restaurant has been open for a year and a half or so and I thought it was time to review their hot dogs.

Knowing that hot dogs, in these parts, are a necessary item on such food establishments I was supremely confident that they would have them on the menu and my confidence was rewarded. "All Beef" hot dogs for $1.50. Everything, I was told, included mustard, chili, slaw and onions so I ordered $3 worth.

Everyone seems to think that serving hot dogs in a coffin keeps them warm, but I promise you that I have had more lukewarm dogs from these styrofoam menaces than I can count. Leonard's adds to the total. Even though I witnessed the weenie and bun being nuked moments before, by the time I got these dogs to the car they were cool; nearly cold in spots.

But that is a minor flaw.

The hot dogs were really very good in spite of their temperature. The slaw was excellent (obviously freshly made) and the chili as dark and meaty with just a trace of spiciness. All toppings were served abundantly and the overall heft of the dog was substantial.The soft bun and good tasting weenie didn't detract.

This is a very good Genteel Dog and earns a solid 3.5 Weenie. It could have easily been a 4 if the temperature had been better.

New Merchandise at WVHotDogs.com Online Store

A while back Philadelphia artist Hawk Krall was kind enough to create a special version of one of his awesome hot dog art designs for our fans to wear on tshirts. The shirts are now available for purchase in our online shop at CafePress.com.

Just imagine yourself bellying up to the bar at your local HDJ sporting this design on your back: You will be the envy of the neighborhood!

The Age Old Debate: "Chili" or "Sauce"

After some considerable research, here is a graphic that visually illustrates where in West Virginia you order "chili" and where it's called "sauce." (For those new around here, there isn't a dime's difference between the two apart from the name.)

Wheeling HDJ Review - Munchies

In 2006 I thoroughly impugned the hot dog reputation of The Northern Panhandle, You can read the post here.

It's been more than three years and I really didn't expect to find anything different on my most recent visit north. I looked everywhere in Wheeling for a decent HDJ but found none. Then, quite serendipitously, I took the wrong entrance ramp to Rt. 2 and headed south for a few miles before I ended up having to turn around on the Benwood exit of Rt. 2. Hanging on the concrete overpass wall was a banner for a place called "Munchies" that said "Hot Dogs" with an arrow pointing through the underpass. I had to follow the arrow and soon I saw another "Munchies" sign on an otherwise abandoned section of a strip mall. The place looked open, thanks to a handful of cars parked out front so I decided to check it out.

The dominant feature on the inside of the establishment was not, as I expected, tables or chairs or a lunch counter, but a whole wall full of women's purses. There must have been well over a hundred of them: Not typical for a HDJ, at least those south of the Mason Dixon Line; who knows what's normal up there in that odd little geographical appendage. But honestly ladies, would you even buy a purse from a place called Munchies?


Anyway, after passing the dizzying array of purses and paraphernalia, I found the place where they serve the hot dogs and was so excited to see that the menu had a piece of yellow tape with the words "WV Dog" written on it. It even had the right ingredients listed! Here, in the previously barren Northern Panhandle I had stumbled on an honest to goodness WVHDJ!


My hot dog was delivered in the largest coffin I have ever seen and when I opened it up I was pleased to see the dark rich color of well cooked chili, and even though the slaw was coarse, it was slaw and so I counted my blessings. After one taste of the hot dog I was further amazed to find that there was actually some merit to the entire hot dog. The bun was nice and soft, the chili was like really meaty DQ Coney Sauce with a slight spicy kick. The coarse slaw actually tasted pretty good.


I am a believer in affirmative action, and so while this hot dog might only garner a 3.5 Weenie rank if it were served in Charleston, I have to bump it a half point and give Munchies a 4 Weenie rating just for being there and for proudly serving a real WV Hot Dog in this northern land that is anything but the real West Virginia.


Yeah, Wheeling readers, I know those are fightin' words. You wanna do somethin' about it? Get a real HDJ and we'll talk.

New England Style Buns - Not for a WVHD!

More and more I get comments about people preferring buttered and grilled slit-top New England style buns for their West Virginia Hot Dog. And the more I read those comments the more I come to believe that to use a New England Style bun and to call it a WVHD is an abomination.

These comments have been especially evident in the FaceBook crowd: It seems those people all like their buns fat and buttery (I will leave the jokes for you to make).

It is time to set the record straight and educate some people in the process.

First, let’s talk about the name: It is a “New England Style” bun, not “English”. I will admit that I am complicit in propagating the incorrect labeling of this product because I was always content to accept various HDJs labels. Not anymore. I’ve done my own research and have concluded that this item did indeed emanate from up north, and certainly not across The Pond (although German buns are remarkably similar). This bun shall forever more be known as “New England Style”.

Many hot dog joints plop a weenie on a NES bun and call it an “English Dog.” From now on this will result in a mandatory one-half Weenie deduction from the total score on a review. This is in addition to our existing policy of a mandatory one-half Weenie deduction for the use of said buns.

Now before we get too far, let me say that I really do like the flavor and texture of grilled NES buns; but I also like ketchup on my scrambled eggs but I wouldn't do that in front of strangers either! I also will confess that I mistakenly gave the 2006 Weenie Award for the Best Hot Dog Buns in Charleston to an establishment that prided itself in their buttered and grilled NES buns. So it's not like I don't appreciate the NES bun, it's just that it doesn't belong on a WVHD.

When NES buns are grilled in butter they add a lot of comforting bulk to the dog. Quite frankly, I find it difficult to eat two hot dogs on NES Buns in one sitting because of the extra volume. But bulk is not what we’re about here. Since they take up more than their fair share of the space and calorie budget, NES buns reduce the amount of chili, slaw and other toppings that one can consume and therefore makes these toppings more of a footnote than the main course. Not to mention that the buttery flavor tends to camouflage other tastes. I personally believe that any hot dog that uses NES buns should be suspected of simply trying to compensate for lesser quality weenie and toppings.

And come on people, this is West By God Virginia: How can we have a West Virginia Hot Dog with a damned Yankee sounding bun like that? What's next, Pinto beans and croissants?

Feel free to comment, you Yankee sympathizers, but prepare yourself to be ridiculed by those of who care about keeping our hot dog heritage pure.

Charleston HDJ Review - The Red Carpet Lounge

This little dive has been around 40 years or so, and has become the watering hole of choice for a mostly older and professional crowd. Since it is the closest drinking bar to the state capitol building it is not unusual to see small clusters of well dressed politicians and lobbyists engaged in after hours discussions; leaning in closely to talk discreetly about who knows what - most likely in gross violation of the Sunshine Law. Only just recently did the Red Carpet start serving lunch, though. Some folks I work with recently went there for lunch and told me that they had hot dogs on the menu so I decided to check it out.

When I walked in at a few minutes after noon on a Friday, I rather expected there to be a crowd. Nothing could be further from the fact: There were two people at the bar and three sitting at the gambling machines. The lights were off in one half of the room and I received no welcome or even a look of annoyed acknowledgment. It was like I was invisible. I looked around uncomfortable for a few moments, trying to figure out if I should sit or order first. I thought that surely one of the two women working behind the bar would say something if I stood there long enough, but nothing. I finally decided to sit at a table closest to the bar and try to make some kind of eye contact with the wait staff. I sat there in the half dark for almost ten minutes before the waitress finally came out from behind the bar and walked over to my table. She didn't say a word - just stood there. It was awkward. Very awkward. Finally I asked "what is everything on a hot dog?" This question was met with an exasperated explanation of what she liked on a hot dog, but never did shed light on what the establishment's "everything" dog had on it. She listed relish and ketchup among the toppings available (which I had already seen on the printed menu on the table) and of course I asked her to delete those two things and bring two hot dogs with everything else.

But loyal readers know that I don't worry too much about service if the price is good.

It isn't.

The menu listed the price of one hot dog with chip and a pickle at $3.70, and to add a second hot dog it was an extra $1.60. So $5.30 for 2 hot dogs and a one-ounce bag of lays BBQ - which I had to go retrieve myself after the waitress forgot to bring them. A can of coke was $1.10 extra. That's $6.40. I can get the sam thing downtown at Swiftwater for a buck and a half less.

OK, but loyal readers know that I don't worry too much about price if the quality is there.

It isn't.

The bun was stale, the slaw was coarse and tasteless (I'm betting it was from Sam's; not the HDJ, the wholesale club) and the chili was weak (probably Custard Stand brand - also from Sam's). The weenie was grilled, I think, but it was tough and chewy.

Even without the high price and the bad service, this hot dog would barely tip the scale at 2.5 Weenies. Add in those factors and I'm going to award The Red Carpet Lounge a 1.5 Weenie rank.

If you find yourself near the Capitol at lunch time and have a hankerin' for a hot dog, the self-serve hot dogs at the 7-11 around the corner is a better bet than the Red Carpet.

Stop Hot Dog Reform Now!!!

Yesterday NPR reported that some fat cats at a so-called "scientific" organization called the "American Academy of Pediatrics" is calling for a redesign of weenies to prevent children from accidentally choking on hot dogs.

Let's be honest. The debate on this topic is far from settled. The children choking is likely part of a natural process that has been going on for thousands of years and not the result of man-made sausages.

Let's not forget that this hot dog redesign will be a job killer. We shouldn't let these child-hugging extremists take away American jobs. Granted, many of these meat packers are immigrants, but no one gets worked up about that anymore, so we'll stick to what is convenient.

Here are some random links to pictures of old veterans and some guy hunting.

We need to make a stand against socialized hot dog design. Hot dog patties are simply not what our Deist Founding Fathers intended.

If you are a Real American, you will join us in taking a stand against Obamadogs. We can't let the welfare of future generations get in the way sticking it to some eggheads with fancy degrees.

We're Dogged Enough Already.

Parkersburg HDJ Review - Der Dog Haus

I've driven by this place on 7th Street a bunch of times, but not until it showed up on the "101 Unique Places to Dine in WV" list did I ever consider stopping in. I can't really explain why, but despite its name it just didn't look like a HDJ to me. But on a recent trip to P-Burg I thought I would take a chance and since it was on "The List" I figured even if it didn't have hot dogs I could still get something interesting to eat. So I took the completely unprecedented (and, I thought, somewhat pretentious) step of calling ahead for a reservation. I was surprised when they took my name and told me that they would reserve a table. When I showed up on a Friday evening to hordes of hungry diners waiting for a seat I was glad I had called ahead. Still not sure that it was a real HDJ, I was gaining confidence that it was a good place to eat.

In the few moments that I had to wait on my table, I looked over the daily specials written on the board in the packed waiting area: Salmon cakes & oysters? Really?

Really. And how about sweet & sour Brussels sprouts as a side? The, I mean Der, Dog Haus has them.

Soon I was being shown to my seat in the PHS room (that's Parkersburg High School for those of you not savvy). On the way to the PHS room, I am certain that I must have passed the PSHS (Parkersburg South High School) room because anyone familiar with P-Burg knows that not giving equal time to each high school would be tantamount to stealing pigs and might start a war right there in your eating establishment. I was surprised at how big this place is.

As soon as I opened the menu I realized that this was a real HDJ: The first section of the menu is all about hot dogs. The fact that the rest of the menu look like anything but a HDJ menu is beside the point. In addition to the aforementioned specials, Der Dog Haus has lots of interesting food: seafood, salads, steak, ribs and much more.

But hot dogs is what we're about and hot dogs were the reason for my visit, so hot dogs is what I will now write about:

The first unfortunate thing about the hot dog part of the menu was that there is no "everything" dog. Too many toppings are offered and most of them are unnecessary: relish, cheese, kraut and grilled peppers. Thankfully I was able to assemble a real WVHD from the options list.

My dog showed up on a New England Style bun (minus 1/2 point), but otherwise was a good solid effort. The sauce (chili) was reminiscent of DQ Coney Sauce with lots of meat added. The slaw was fantastic in texture and taste, but a little too wet for its own good. The onions were very coarsely chopped. The mustard was yellow.

I'll give Der Dog Haus a solid 3.5 Weenie rank for its hot dog. If I were rating on a different scale, perhaps "Spoons" or something like that, I might give it a 4 or 4 1/2 for its overall quality, selection and service.

Hot Dog Cart Wanted in Charleston

We've been asked by a Charleston non-profit business to help them find someone who has a hot dog cart that might be interested in setting up at their location one day per week this spring and summer. They have good traffic and will help you promote your business.

If you have a cart and would like to operate it there, or if perhaps you have a cart that you aren't using and would consider renting it to someone else for this purpose, please contact us and we'll put you in touch with the right people.

Bridgeport HDJ Review - Hank's Deli

I was really excited when I first found out late last summer that Hank’s Deli would open a new location in Bridgeport. Though Bridgeport does have a few worthwhile HDJs, a true WVHD aficionado is rather limited in choices for quality. More often than not, one would need to travel across Route 50 to Clarksburg to get a better selection. But I digress.

Hank’s Deli occupies the former Long John Silver’s in what is now known as the Home Depot Plaza. Though the outward appearance would suggest this new abode is smaller than the original location at the Middletown Mall in Fairmont, the interior is surprisingly spacious and has been renovated to make the aesthetics more appealing. Upon entering, I was greeted by two huge menus on the wall touting a plethora of soups, salads, sandwiches, and such. But I quickly spied the subject of my quest: the Messy Dog.

The Messy Dog is the Hank’s Deli version of the WVHD. The menu states that it has both homemade slaw and chili, which in a past review were terrific. One thing that should be pointed out is that onions and mustard do NOT come standard on this particular dog (I can sense all of you shuddering right now). You do need to ask for them to be added to the dog, but fortunately there is no extra charge. I have visited more than once to make sure it wasn’t just a case of the cashier having an off-moment and forgetting to add them. Nonetheless, it is rather annoying to have to remind yourself to ask for something that should be second nature to ANY hot dog. Like the Fairmont location, the hot dogs in Bridgeport are on the pricey side.

One glaring difference between the dogs at the Bridgeport and Fairmont locations is the use of a standard hot dog bun. In the original review of the Fairmont location, Hank’s used an New England Style hot dog bun. It was very tasty, but it still broke the taboo rule of using the cheapest components to make the best hot dog. Bridgeport uses a standard bun, lightly grilling the interior to give it just a hint of crispness while still retaining the fresh flavor. This process lent itself to allowing the sauce from the chili and slaw to permeate into the bun, but not enough to turn into a handful of mush.

The wiener was of a super-plump high grade. Very juicy and flavorful, and lightly grilled. The chili piqued my curiosity. If I could put it into terms that our southern fans might appreciate, the taste reminded me of the deliciousness experienced during my one and only trip to Romeo’s with Stanton many moons ago. The flavor was beefy and tasted as though it had been prepared with TLC. Nothing in the mix reminded me of anything typically found in the northern region that I cover (i.e. heavily spice laden). The texture had more of a familiar home style consistency. Rather than finely ground meat, the beef was a bit more of a rough ground. This made the chili seem somewhat “clumpy”, but the portion was generous so as not to allow any part of the wiener to be uncovered.

The slaw quickly became one of my favorites. The consistency was just right, and the dressing leaned more towards a tangy flavor without drowning out the remaining ingredients. It was uncommonly fresh (which was a welcome change), and chilled to perfection. I wish I could’ve taken some home with me right then and there, but I guess that’s the hook to get me to come back again. At any rate, I found myself thinking that the chili and slaw were more like a ying-yang as far as the balance goes. They really needed to have one another to make the hot dog work as well as it did.

One big bonus: rather than the usual fries you can get just about anywhere, Hank's give you the option to get the best homemade potato chips around. I could enjoy a whole basket of those by themselves. All that said, I would have to give Hank’s Deli four and-a-half weenies. Were it not for the fact that the mustard and onions had to be requested separately, I think it would score and easy five weenies.

South Charleston HDJ - Betty Lou's Diner

"Have you heard the news ?

It's all over town
If you ain't heard it boys
You better sit down

"I got the story here
It's hot off the press
Brace yourself now
And take a deep breath
Grab a hold of something
Hold on tight Betty Lou's gettin' out tonight!"

Ever since hearing and reading about this new restaurant opening a few weeks ago, I have been humming this Bob Seger song to myself. Perhaps that's what has fueled my eagerness to check it out, or perhaps it was because the namesake "Betty Lou" claims to have "legendary" hot dogs, and claims to have sold 1.5 million of them from her former location in Cedar Grove. Whatever it was, I was indeed eager to go and finally today I had the opportunity.

The new diner is at the top of the hill on Central Avenue in South Charleston, and occupies a building where another HDJ dwelt several years ago. You can read an early review of that HDJ here if you are at all interested.

The building has been completely renovated and now looks every bit like a real WVHDJ. From the obligatory checkered floor to the photos of pop culture celebs from the 50's to the changeable letter Coca Cola menu board, this looks like the real deal. Further encouragement was found on the menu in the list of standard hot dogs toppings: Chili, slaw, mustard and onions. If I had to look further for encouragement, it could be found in the limited menu that had hot dogs, pinto beans and little else. Hot dogs and pinto beans? How much more West Virginian can you get?

When my hot dogs arrived I felt even more encouraged: The slaw looked almost perfect in texture: finely chopped and not a bit runny. I couldn't wait to taste it, so I took a bite from the top side but the taste didn't seem to match the appearance. Thinking I had just missed and perhaps bitten into air, I took another and large bite: Still no taste. OK, there was a taste, but it was so slight as to not be there at all.

OK, well I have had hot dogs before with lifeless slaw and they somehow still worked, so I took a real bite from the business end of the dog. Better, but still a little weak. I dug out some chili and found it to be fairly typical Upper Kanawha Valley (the region from whence Betty Lou is said to hail) chili with a slight chili powder twinge but not much else.

And oh yeah, the weenie was waterlogged. So much so that the liquid soaked throught he bottom of the bun of the second hot dog before its turn to be eaten came around, nearly resulting in a catastrophic bun failure incident.

Now I never had a single one of the 1.5 million hot dogs that Betty Lou claims to have sold prior to today, nor do I know of anyone who ate one of them. But if what I experienced today is any indication of her efforts heretofore, it is difficult to understand how that kind of volume could have been achieved. Perhaps Betty Lou ain't what she used to be, or maybe she entrusted the keys to her kingdom to the wrong weenie chef. Whatever the explanation, Betty Lou's Diner gets a so-so 3 Weenie rating on this day.

Resistance is Futile

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Frametown HDJ Review - Granny's Kitchen

Listed on the "101 Unique Places to Dine in WV" website is this little greasy spoon that sits a mile or so off of the Frametown exit of I79. I am certain that had it not appeared on said list that I would never have found it. It is as unassuming a roadside eatery as you are likely to find, and because of that fact I take issue with its inclusion on the 101 list: It's not at all unique - there are dozens of similar places around the state.

While I argue that it's not unique, I won't try to take anything away from it. It is friendly, cozy, clean and the food is good. What more could you want in such an out of the way location?

OK, there is one thing that I did find completely unique about it: It is absolutely the first HDJ I have reviewed that had a horse tied up in the parking lot. That's right, on this snowy day someone had decided to ride their horse to lunch and she was hitched in the parking lot right beside the pick up trucks and SUVs of other customers.

When I first walked into the restaurant it didn't take me long to figure out which of the patrons belonged to the horse, as there was only one person dressed appropriately, and I do mean appropriately right down to the cowboy hat. Because he also had an outgoing personality I also learned that the horse's name was "Fancy". It also didn't take me long to find out that they served hot dogs, since that was what Fancy's owner was eating.

After hearing a list of standard toppings and excusing ketchup from my order, I became somewhat acquainted with my surroundings and listened to the conversations between the 6-8 other diners. I wasn't eavesdropping; this was the kind of place where everyone seemed to know everyone else and their conversations were loud enough to intentionally include everyone in the room; including a stranger like me. Interestingly enough, while Granny wasn't present at the restaurant, several times she was mentioned in conversation (or perhaps it was another Granny and not the restaurant's namesake). Eventually the conversation became about me and my dining companion as Fancy's owner finally asked us if we were "from around here." I said that we were just passing through but did not commit to saying where we were passing to or from. That much mystery led the horseman to conclude, and to offer up his conclusion as an assertion, that we must be from New York. When I told him, no that we were from Charleston he then went into a long list of "do you knows?" that included nobody that I did know. All in all in was a very friendly and unobtrusive conversation.

And then my hot dogs arrived.

Two things were immediately noticeable about these hot dogs: First, the tips of the weenies were protruding from under the toppings and I could see that they were small caliber and very pink; so pink that it prompted me to test the temperature of the the weenie before I bit into the dog. It seemed fine and so I still have no explanation for the color. The slaw looked great and upon tasting it I found out that it was great tasting with a nice texture. The chili was very flavorful with lots of chili powder but little other spice. The chili was a little tart and had a rich tomatoey flavor. The onions were barely there and since the whole thing was on a New England Style bun it was very voluminous and filling.

Because I am obligated to deduct a half weenie for the New England Style buns, I am going to give Granny a 3.5 Weenie score. It didn't knock my socks off, but the hot dog was very good and a classic Genteel Dog.

New Year's Hot Dog Existential Angst

What I really lack is to be clear in my mind what I am to do, not what I am to know, except in so far as a certain knowledge must precede every action. The thing is to understand myself, to see what God really wishes me to do: the thing is to find a truth which is true for me, to find the idea for which I can live and die.

—Søren Kierkegaard , Letter to Peter Wilhelm Lund dated August 31, 1835

When I started blogging about hot dog four years ago it was easy. The vast field of HDJs lay before me just waiting to be reviewed. In the first year Chris and I were able to review 100 hot dogs. The next year, after adding Kevin and then his replacement Big Daddy in North Central WV, we equalled the first year's production. Now, after more than 300 reviews I know I speak for the other Wonks when I say that is getting harder to find a new HDJ to review.

Some of the problem lies in the economy: A lot of small mom and pop places closed last year before they could be reviewed. Some of the problem lies in the personal economies of the Weenie Wonks: Too little money and time to travel to far-flung HDJs -especially when they might or might not be open because of the aforementioned macro-economic uncertainties. And then there is the simple fact that we have reviewed all HDJs that are well known enough to show up on our radar.

No point in spending a lot of time on the reasons. The bottom line is simple: "We review West Virginia Hot Dogs, therefore this blog exists."

Absent a good supply of HDJs to review, there really isn't much point in continuing.

I've thought about my options: If I chose to do so, I could go to every gas station and convenience store and sample their self-service dogs. I could go to Target snack bars and places of that ilk. I could attend church hot dog sales and probably find a few good hot dogs. I could also just post when I run across a new HDJ. I am not excited to do any of these things because all of them are in opposition to what this blog has always been about.

It seems to be the lesser of the evils to, for now, simply remove any expectation of regularly posting reviews; not because of laziness or inattentiveness on our part but simpy a supply issue. Who knows what the future holds? Perhaps the President will institute a hot dog stimulus program and we will be flooded with new HDJs opening up in the spring? If so, expect to see us rise to the challenge. But lacking that, expect this blog to be quiet for a while.

Charleston HDJ Review - M&M Sandwich Mart

M&M Sandwich Mart has been just about my favorite place for sandwiches for several years now. This little market and deli sits in a very convenient place in Kanawha City, has easy storefront parking and sells the freshest Boar's Head Meats in the area. They also don't skimp on helpings (they put a good half pound of liverwurst on my favorite of their sandwiches), so I was pleased when I drove by recently and saw hot dogs advertised on their marquee sign along McCorkle Avenue. I thought that with their demonstrated commitment to quality that a decent hot dog would be a given.

I was half right.

Allow me to begin at the end: The hot dog tasted pretty good. Probably 3 Weenies worth of good.

The problem is that these are self-serve dogs. I was hugely disappointed to find when I went in that the dogs were not going to be prepared by the deli chef behind the counter, but by me on the sales counter! A cutesy little Boar's Head hot dog cart sitting on the counter had two kinds of weenies sitting in pools of their own filth, a tub of lukewarm and mediocre tasting chili and a chilled container of so-so coleslaw sitting alongside. A bag of room temperature Heiner's buns sat there waiting for me and anyone else to paw around inside to pull loose the proper number of buns to begin the assembly process.

In M&M's defense, the owner was standing there behind the counter and offered to help me, but I was disinclined to submit to his assistance.

Since it is my standing rule that self-service hot dog stand gets an automatic 1 point deduction, M&M only nets out a 2 Weenie rating.

Still the place to go for my beloved liverwurst on rye, but unless it can run with the big dogs and have its hot dogs fixed by the professionals behind the counter, M&M needs to stay out of the hot dog business.

Closed HDJs

After more than 250 reviews, it is inevitable that there are going to be some Hot Dog Joints that have succumbed to economics and closed their doors. Some are re-opened soon with new names, but some just quietly fade away.

Here is a list of HDJs we have reviewed that are confirmed to be no longer in business. Feel free to add comments with others you might know about.

Charleston Area

Romeos - Alas, one of two 5 Weenie HDJs on this list. It finally succumbed this past summer after two closures and two re-starts. Stanton wept.

Mr. C's - Will we ever see yellow slaw again? Nobody did it like Mr. C.

Delish - Most people miss it for the satay, but the Delish Dog was a taste treat.

The Valley Bell Store - Nostalgia died when this throwback to the 1960s went out last year.

The Southern Kitchen - Although it was rumoured to be re-opening, it has been dark too long now to have any hope that it will. I still think their slaw had applesauce in it.

Deli Fresh - Bullit Street - Essentially the lunch room for the BB&T Operations Center. When BB&T downsized the operation Deli Fresh went with it.

Mrs. Winkles - A classic example of someone who can cook well but has no business or customer service aptitude.

RPM Restaurant - This place was on life support when it opened and never recovered.

Power Alley Grill

Dee's Delights - Pinch

Meadowbook Diner

Chasers Boulevard Cafe

The Movie House Cafe

Dairy Belle

The Comfort Station

Grandy's Deli

Cock of the Walk

Big Daddy's Fish and More

Charleston-Huntingon Corridor

Wing World Plus Hot Dog Heaven WV - Closed, I am convinced, by bad karma from employee abuse.

Hillbilly Hot Dogs - Culloden The first franchised location of the Lesage institution failed quickly and was replaced by ...

The Hound House - Culloden - Which didn't last long either. I think the place is a gambling joint now.

The Hottest Dog - Hurricane - This is now Mayberry's Restaurant.

Carmen's Diner

North Central WV

Mountaineer Brunch - Bridgeport

Dairy Queen - Grafton.

Hot Dog Barn - Morgantown - The other 5 Weenie HDJ - Closed by City bureaucratic meddling.