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.
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.
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.
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.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.
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. 
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. 
I was really excited when I first found out late last summer that Hank’s Deli would open a new location in
Hank’s Deli occupies the former Long John Silver’s in what is now known as the
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
One glaring difference between the dogs at the
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.
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?
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.
For those of you who are facebook users (is there anyone left out there who isn't?) become a fan of West Virginia Hot Dogs on that insidious social media platform.
WV Hot Dogs facebook page
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.
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.
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
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.
Shame on me, then.
When I first reviewed Tricky Fish a year and a half ago, they had just opened and I didn't even give the hot dog a Weenie Rank because it was so non-WVHD-like. I've been back on numerous occasions, but I opted for one of their non-hot dog items, even though I did notice that they had changed their hot dog and the new version sounded much more WVHD like. On several of these trips I considered giving the new offering an honest review, but I was little nervous about it.
Nervous, you see, because shortly after I posted my review, another blog reviewed the place and the blog comments turned into a virtual battlefield complete with allegations of venomous attacks on a young artist and vicious counter attacks by the parents of said artist. I decided to steer clear of the row, less I become collateral damage in this war of words.
But I figured after a year-and-a-half the water was safe enough to go back into, especially since that other blog has seemingly decided to review only chains and faraway restaurants. [poke] [poke]
Tricky Fish has kind of recreated itself in the past year, adding a large front deck and the words "Urban Beach" to their name. The recreated hot dog also has a new name: "Nathans Famous." Yes, that's what they call it on the menu. I found this interesting; that an establishment would and could name a dish the name of another restaurant. Interesting, but understandable; I mean Nathans Famous weenies are pretty awesome and why not recreate yourself in the image of something awesome?
The first bad thing about ordering this or any of the other "hot dogs" on their menu (they have a veggie dog and an Italian Sausage dog) is that you have to sift through a large number of available toppings to get the basic WVHD toppings. Thankfully chili, slaw, mustard and onions are among the items on this list.
The second bad thing about ordering this hot dog is that it comes with a knife and fork. Really, people, how many times do we have to go over this? The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council and tasteful people everywhere know that you don't use utensils to eat a hot dog! Click here to watch the NHDSC Hot Dog Etiquette video.
The third bad thing about this hot dog is that the toppings are so overwhelmingly applied that one has no choice but to eat it with the knife and fork. Look at the photo: You can barely see the bun for the scads of chili and slaw poured over the poor little thing. There was absolutely no way to pick it up without losing half of the toppings.
Not that losing the toppings would have been such a bad thing: The taste of the chili was OK - fairly spicy and very meaty, but it really didn't taste like something that should be on a hot dog. The slaw was so bland that if it had been missing it would not have affected the taste one iota.
It's a shame to waste a perfectly good Nathans Famous weenie like this.
This time they do get a score: 1.5 Weenies.
I won't be fooled again.
Since my daughter is a student at UCLA (University of Concord Located in Athens) I frequently travel to the southern part of the state on missions of mercy - usually involving the delivery of vast sums of cash or other valuables. One recent trip found me arriving at just about lunchtime and so my starving daughter and I went looking for a bite to eat. On the road between Athens and Pipestem State Park sits the little wide spot known as "Speedway," and in this wide spot sits Sun Valley Country Store, and inside this country store there is a restaurant.
As you can see from the picture, from the outside this is not a place that you might expect to find hot dogs, and without the aforementioned letters from readers I am positive that I would have never darkened the doorway of this establishment. Not that it looks terribly scary, it's just that it looks like every small community market I have ever been in and I felt certain that I knew exactly how it would smell inside, and I knew that the people that worked there would recognize that I was not local and watch every move I made in the store - which was exactly what happened when I went in (every time I go into one of these places I feel like the guy working there just might be on the news someday, ala Norman Bates). 
was sparsely applied - so sparse that I really couldn't tell much about its taste except that it is heavy on onions. The slaw was finely chopped and wonderful tasting, but also served sparingly. The bun was nicely steamed and overall it was a good Utilitarian Dog, but hardly worth the trip to Page - even from Montgomery.
I recently received an email from a publisher's rep who told me that WVHotDogBlog.com was mentioned in a new book and asked if we would help promote it. He graciously honored my request for a review copy of the book. I found this beautiful November day a perfect day to sit outside and read and since the book is only 144 pages including appendices, it was easy to finish in one sitting.
The book is well written and thoroughly researched. There is one sentence in the book about our beloved West Virginia hot dogs and WVHotDogBlog.com is listed as an authority.
The author, Bruce Kraig, does a very thorough job at telling his readers esoteric facts about hot dogs, including a very scholarly treatment of hot they came to be called "hot dogs". He also tells us stories that run the gamut from amusing to disgusting about how frankfurters are made and sold.
The biggest problem I found with the book is this: He talks about wieners, frankfurters and sausages and calls them "hot dogs." Chapter 2 is entitled "How Hot Dogs Are Made" and he goes into great detail about the manufacturing of frankfurters. He doesn't seem to ever quite disconnect the sausage from the sandwich.
You see, a hot dog is a sandwich. It is a sausage placed on bread. The sausage might be called a frankfurter, wiener, sausage or any number of other nicknames, but the meat alone is not a hot dog. Chapter 2 is completely about the meat. Chapter 3 (How Hot Dogs Are Sold) is even more confusing because it seamlessly switches back and forth between taking about how the meat is distributed, marketed and merchandised and then talking about the different kind of hot dog joints. He never makes the distinction between the meat and the sandwich.
This is extremely frustrating for us here at WVHotDogBlog.com because we have been trying for years to make people understand the single most important truth about a West Virginia Hot Dog - It is not about the weenie! While I think this might be truer for WVHDs than it is in other regions, I feel certain that the toppings are at least as important for every regional manifestation of the hot dog. I am sure that Kraig knows this, but he never mentions it in his book.
But that gripe aside, this book is worth the $10.95 Amazon.com price just for the history lesson it provides. I've included the link so you can order it for yourself.
First of all, we need to address the odd fact that Lopez's is first and foremost an Italian restaurant. Odd, I think, because the name might evoke images of torillas and enchiladas, but in this neck of the woods, you see, Lopez is an Italian name. Don't ask me why or how, just accept it. 
The stench of the latrine filled my nostrils as I approached the camp. With all of the stealth I could muster I crept closer and closer to the sound - and now smells - of the enemy who would immediately assail me if my presence was detected. I realized that I was holding my breath as my senses were on razor's edge; "must breathe normally" I told myself. Through the brush I could see the dimly lit faces that belonged to the people who wanted to cause me harm. It was the first time that I had laid eyes upon their evil flesh, and the sight made my blood run cold and boil at the same time. Here I would wait until they were asleep. Then I would make my move, and what a move it would be.
Silently I made myself comfortable against the base of a tree, not knowing how long I would have to be there. Close enough now to hear their breathing, I would wait until it achieved the measured rhythm of slumber, and then I would wait some more. To keep myself from also falling victim to Morpheus' spell, I began to think of stressful things that would stimulate my adrenal gland into releasing its magic hormone that would keep sleep at bay. I thought about my earlier near death moment, then about the time when I had been tortured to within an inch of oblivion; these two thoughts helped to stay my furor and fuel my will of revenge against these mongrels that lay just on the other side of the bush.
Then I thought of an even more stressful thing: It has been months since I last posted a decent entry on the hot dog blog. This thought became an over arching presence in my brain and I could not escape it. How could I engage in the battle that lay ahead with such a distraction hanging over my head? After a long internal struggle I decided that my nemeses' demise must wait for another day: I had more important things to do. Just as stealthily as I came, I retreated.
I promise, dear readers, this week there will be new reviews and other hot dog stuff posted.
