Charleston Hot Dog (sort of) Review - Eggs Will Roll

First of all, let me get this out of the way. This is not one of those posts like we do on our favorite day of the year. This is real life.

Eggs Will Roll is a Non-Traditional Egg Roll Pop Up Shop. It pops up in random places, sells a bunch of strange egg roll creations and then vanishes into the ether. Except for the outward appearance, their offerings are nothing like a traditional Chinese restaurant egg roll. They make egg rolls with fillings such as chicken and waffles, chorizo and egg, tater tots with sausage gravy and mac & cheese. One of their recurring specialties that we've heard about is their West Virginia Hot Dog roll, but due to the here today, gone tomorrow nature of their business, we've never been able to catch them to try it out.

Finally, though, we cornered them and procured the object of our desire.

We'll get to the review in a minute, but first, allow us to point out the dollop of mustard in the photo. There has been a raging debate over on the WV Hot Dogs Facebook page about the appropriateness (or more correctly, the disgusting inappropriateness) of ketchup on a WV Hot Dog. Eggs Will Roll, being high-brow culinary artists, seem to innately understand that mustard is the only acceptable condiment for a WVHD, even one that is chopped up, wrapped up in a wonton and deep fried.

But does it taste good? Does it taste like a WV Hot Dog?

We'll address the latter first: No. It tastes nothing like a WV Hot Dog. The  heat from the deep fryer makes the various elements of the filling hard to identify, so we can't be sure that it contains the right stuff, but we'll take their word for it. The finely chopped weenie is plainly visible, as is some finely grated vegetable that we assume is coleslaw. There seems to be onions, but I could see no trace of chili nor could I taste it. When dipped in mustard, the taste of the whole thing was more reminiscent of a corn dog than a hot dog.

Does it taste good? Yes. In the same way that funnel cakes taste good at a carnival, or the way a stuffed-crust meat lovers pizza tastes good when you've thrown caution to the wind, ignored your doctor's orders and just enjoyed some greasy, hot food. Sometimes you just gotta live a little.

We're happy that Eggs Will Roll honors our state's food culture with the WV Hot Dog Roll, but next time we're going to try something a little more mainstream -- like a chicken and waffle egg roll.

No Weenie Rating for this way-too nonstandard "hot dog."

Martinsburg HDJ Review - Dogs 11

For years we have been hoping to find a real WVHDJ in the Eastern Panhandle, and recently an Associate Weenie Wonk stumbled upon a place that gave us hope that we'd finally found it. Dogs 11, a self-described Artisan Hot Dog Joint has on its menu a "WV Classic Dog" with the following description: "This WV staple is an All-Natural Dog smothered in our homemade chili sauce, topped with our creamy homemade slaw, diced onions, and yellow mustard." Sounds good in theory, but there is often a big difference between theory and practice. 

The hot dog bun is big. Too big. Dogs 11 bakes their own buns and they are oversized to fit some of the other, more full-bodied hot dogs they sell like the Salsalito Dog (full of cheese and salsa) or the Fritatta Dog (cheese, mushroom, onions and bacon), but they are too big for a WVHD. The chili was dry (like most EP dogs we've found) but the slaw was moist enough to make up for it. The slaw is waaaay to coarse, though, as are the onions.  Fans of natural-casing weenies will be glad to know this one has that snap, but as real WVHD fans know, it's an unnecessary added frill if the other toppings aren't up to snuff.  Overall, this is just an effort to make a WVHD with inappropriate ingredients. 

But it is an effort, and for that, we will award Dogs 11 a 3.5 Weenie ranking, mainly because it's so rare to find anything like a real WVHD east of Keyser. 

Charleston HDJ Review- Super Weenie

Super Weenie began life as a hot dog cart that sold pretty good hot dogs on the corner of Lee & Capitol Streets in downtown Charleston. You can read our review from 2016 here. About a year ago, it graduated to a bricks and mortar location a block and a half away on Quarrier Street. We didn't mean to wait a whole year to do a review, but time happens and here it is.

With a slogan like "I'm serious about these hot dogs," we expected a great hot dog. HDJs that truly are serious about hot dogs are hard to find (even though many claim to be) but when you find one you know it because it shows in the care given to the various elements that make up a true WV Hot Dog. A HDJ that uses food service slaw, for example, can say they are serious, but any true WVHD fan can see right through their ruse.

We heard through the grapevine that since moving indoors, Super Weenie was making their own slaw, which was a good thing since the last time we reviewed them (while they were still a cart) their slaw was found wanting. So we went in, expecting and hoping that we would find that Super Weenie had found the missing ingredient to make their hot dogs truly super. 

They have.

Slaw purists, note the absence of carrots.

Every part of this hot dog is super indeed. The weenie was perfectly cooked, the chili deliciously complex (if not terribly spicy) and the slaw paired with it perfectly. The new slaw is perfect in texture and in taste: finely chopped cabbage sans core and just a touch of sweet. Onions & mustard did nothing to detract. The only possible thing over which we could quibble is that to get a steamed steamed bun you have to request it, but my bun was warm, soft, fresh and delicious so maybe it doesn't really need it because even without a steamed bun this is a Five Weenie superstar West Virginia Hot Dog . 

Congrats to the Super Weenie team on having a hot dog worthy of your name and your slogan. Arguably, the best hot dog in downtown Charleston. 

North Charleston HDJ Review - Huskey's Dairy Bar

After a bit of a dustup over on the  West Virginia Hot Dogs Facebook page a few weeks ago. we decided to go re-review Huskey's Dairy Bar in North Charleston. The reason for this re-review -- in addition to the fact that it’s been many years since we’ve reviewed Huskey's --was that several people took exception with our statement that another nearby HDJ was not as good as Huskey's. Several people chimed in on that discussion and said that Huskey's was not good anymore since the owners had changed.

This is a claim we hear often about HDJs that change ownership, and sometimes it is accurate. So just in case it was true, we decided to pay another visit to Huskey's to find out for ourselves.

Bottom line up front, those people who said Huskey's was not as good as it used to be are dead wrong. In fact, it might even be better.

The first thing that Huskey's gets points for is the proper toppings listed on their menu for what everything on a hot dog means: Chili, slaw, mustard & onions, just like God intended. The next thing for which we'll give them giant kudos is the perfectly steamed bun on which they laid the rest of their toppings.

Next let’s talk weenie; Huskey's is unafraid to use a smaller diameter weenie to allow more room for their other toppings. We have found over the years this is often the mark of a HDJ that is serious about its hot dogs. Some lesser HDJs put too much emphasis on the weenie and leave no room for toppings, which is usually a sign that those toppings don’t deserve the room anyway. Not so with Huskey's; these toppings are nearly perfect. The chili, while not terribly spicy, is perfect in texture and deliciously complex in taste. The slaw was great and a perfect complement to the chili, and it was lovingly applied in a perfect quantity. Lastly the onions were chopped well: Not too fine to be runny, not too large to be obnoxious. They stayed put when taking a bite out of the dog and were aromatic and delicious.

The only negative thing that I can say about Huskey's hot dog is their use of the dreaded Styrofoam coffin. We would prefer our dogs wrapped tightly in wax paper or plastic so it continues to steam the bun and keep it soft, but given that the bun was so perfectly steamed, the coffin did no harm this time.

We're going to give Huskey's a 4.5 Weenie rank and reaffirm our statement that it is definitely the best hot dog in North Charleston.

Pendleton County HDJ Review - Top Dog

Top Dog can be found in the Spruce Knob parking lot.

Perhaps the most aptly-named HDJ we've ever seen, Top Dog, situated near the summit of Spruce Knob, is unarguably above all other WV Hot Dog Joints. While a few feet lower that the 4,863 feet knob itself (the highest point in the state of West Virginia), Top Dog still must have an elevation of over 4,850, making it even higher than Cheat Mountain Dogs, one county over in Pocahontas.

But altitude aside, we wondered how Top Dog could serve a quality hot dog in such rare air and in such a remote location. One could argue that being the only food concession within a 40 minute drive (the closest being The Front Porch Restaurant at Mouth of Seneca) would be prime real estate, but the low volume of travelers that actually make the dusty 21 mile ascent up Forest Road 112 to the top of Spruce Mountain would seem to be a significant offset. Indeed the afternoon we were there, there were no other customers to be seen.

A Hot Dog with a View

Top Dog's menu offerings are obviously meant to ingratiate them to travelers from other places, with such specialty hot dogs as Chicago Dog, Classic Coney and two different kinds of Bratwursts. But we were pleased to find a WV Hot Dog with chili, slaw, mustard and onions placed in proud prominence at the very top of the menu, and fittingly called "West Virginia's Top Dog." Interestingly enough,  four spaces down the menu was a "Fairmont Dog" which was described as "A simple hot dog for the simple-minded, including overly spicy sauce, mustard and onions."

While we have to admit, finding a WVHD in such a remote spot was a real treat for us, the hot dog was just so-so. Apparently the altitude affects the slaw in negative ways. While I'm no scientist, I suspect that the lack of oxygen inhibits the uptake of complex sugars necessary for really creamy slaw, so the result was a little too sweet and a bit runny. The dry air also made the bun a little too stiff for our tastes. The chili was good. The view, however, couldn't be beat.

We'll give Top Dog a 4 Weenie score. It's hard to get to but worth the drive. Get an early start because you know how bad traffic can get on holidays like April Fools Day.

Charleston HDJ Review - Faithy's Corner Cafe

"Location, location, location" is the most common advice given to businesses. A great location can definitely help a restaurant overcome shortcomings, especially in a downtown business district. Faithy's has an ideal location, sitting on the corner of Summers Street and Brawley Walkway, halfway between downtown and the Town Center Mall. Serving basic lunch fare, it's been there for many years and has stood the test of time. With all of the hot dog competition it faces in the downtown area - most notably from Swiftwater Cafe and Super Weenie - one would think it's hot dogs must be at least passable.

We decided to find out.

 First, kudos to Faithy for wrapping up her hot dogs in wax paper. By the time I carried them back to my office they were soft and supple, just like a WV hot dog should be. Opening up the paper, it was clear that these were Utilitarian Dogs through and through: Built for taste, not for show. The heft of the dog was nice and all of the ingredients were wonderfully combined.

Sadly, "everything" on a hot dog at Faithy's includes ketchup. I didn't realize this and didn't ask them to delete it from my hot dog, so I tried my best to ignore the sugary tomato past taste and ate around it where I could. I found that Faithy's chili is fairly decent, with a strong chili powder flavor but not much spice. The slaw was too chunky, but the taste was OK, and it went well with the chili. The weenie was fine and the onions were reasonably chopped, but could have been a little smaller.

Overall,we can't say anything bad (except the ketchup) about Faithy's hot dogs. Clearly they are "also rans" to the two aforementioned HDJs, but nothing to apologize for. We'll give them 3.5 Weenies.

HDJ Re-Review - Griffith & Feil - Kenova

Consistency is the hallmark of a great Hot Dog Joint, and something we value at the WV Hot Dog Blog, because when we give a place a good review and our readers go and have a bad hot dog, it reflects poorly on us. So we celebrate consistency whenever possible.

It could be argued that Griffith & Feil Pharmacy is the King of consistency in the WV Hot Dog world. After visiting last week I went back and read the original review we did 12 years ago and I really don't need to alter a single word. Still great chili, better slaw and fantastic atmosphere in which to enjoy a hot dog. Still 4 1/2 Weenies, mainly due to the weenie size to bun ratio that limits the amount of toppings that the dog can hold. We also wish they'd steam their buns.

So rather than write another review, we'll just link to the one from January 2007 and tell you  that it's still great and still worth a visit.

PS: Also, the best onion rings I have had in many, many years.

Summersville HDJ Review - Fran's Restaurant

Fran's Restaurant and Coffee House, a Summersville Tradition

Fran's is one of those places about which  we've had dozens of emails claiming it is the best hot dogs in town over the years, but until recently, the stars never aligned for us to do a review. Perhaps it was this week's close approach of Comet 46P/Wirtanen, or simply the fact that I needed to make a rare mid-week trip through Summersville at lunchtime, but I finally made it.

Fran's has been a fixture in downtown Summersville for as long as I can remember. Offering lots of home-cooking options and just generally being the place to go for a hot meal or a cool piece of pie. In West Virginia, these kinds of places usually have hot dogs on the menu, so even if I hadn't receive lots of emails telling me so, I would have known that Fran's was a review target even before I walked in. The description on the menu gave no clues about how Fran's prepared an "everything" dog, so I had to asked the server: "Chili, slaw, mustard, onions...." she said, and then after a moment's hesitation she added "...and ketchup." I told her to keep the ketchup in the kitchen and just bring me two with the first four toppings.

Oops, no slaw.

When my hot dogs arrived, I first noticed the grilled split-top buns. Not a good start for a traditional WVHD, but it is a sit-down restaurant, so I can live with it. The grilling was well executed and the cook did a good job of not soaking the buns with butter which sometimes happens when West Virginians try to use New England buns. As a piece of bread, it was tasty.

I guess it was the combination of the dim lighting in the room, couple with the bright sunshine outside coupled with the me not wearing my reading glasses that made me take a bite of the hot dog before I realized that it had no slaw on it. I quickly brought this to the attention of the server, and she quickly brought me a bowl of slaw that I could apply myself, but before I did I had the opportunity to taste the chili alone. In typical Southern WV fashion, the chili had good texture, but was pretty bland. It could stand a doubling of the chili powder and maybe a dash of Cayenne.

A liberal slathering of slaw, self-applied.

Before I applied it, I had a few tasting bites of the slaw. Sweet, creamy and fine texture. It deserves better chili. Since I was applying it myself, and I had plenty to spare, I decided to really lay it on heavy to cover up the blandness of the chili.

Overall, the hot dogs at Fran's are underwhelming. Even if it had come properly dressed, the lack of synergy of the chili and slaw combination would make this an average hot dog at best. If you are a fan of grilled Lobster Roll buns you will probably like the bread, but didn't someone once say that man cannot live by bread alone?

We're giving Fran's a 3 Weenie rating. If they'd spice up the chili to better pair with the delicious slaw, it could be a 4. Could be the best in town, but with Fat Eddie's a short drive away, certainly not the best in the area. Of course, Eddie's is closed in the winter, so maybe Fran's is the best in town in the winter.

Marmet HDJ Review - Chum's Yellow Slaw Hot Dogs

While we consider creamy mayonnaise-based coleslaw with a slight sweetness to be standard issue for West Virginia Hot Dogs, we do allow for one micro-regionalized variation. In the little town of Marmet, just a few miles outside of the Capitol City, there is a long-standing tradition of Yellow Slaw on hot dogs. According to readers of this blog, Donald "Goat" Kinder was the person who originally developed the yellow variety, which he sold at The Dairy Post, located across the street from the old Marmet Junior High School. Now according to some people, The Dairy Post relocated to another part of town and changed its name to "The Canary Cottage." This is a matter of some dispute, however, because some folks have argued that the Canary Cottage was around before the Dairy Post. I'm certain that some Marmet folks will chime in here with their opinions.

Anyway, the Yellow Slaw tradition is now being carried on by one unique little HDJ called Chum's. We were there in 2009 right after they opened and found it to be just OK. But for the past few years we've heard that they had upped their game and have been trying to get back for a review, but they are not open on the weekends. Weenie Wonking is a part-time job, so HDJs that aren't open Saturdays or Sundays sometimes don't get a visit from us. Recently, though, Google erroneously reported that Chum's had Saturday hours, which got us obsessing about yellow slaw. By the time we found out that Google was wrong, well, we simply couldn't resist the obsession so we played hooky from work and made the trip. 

Chum's is a 12' x 20' roadside box that could be easily missed except for the line of hungry hot dog fans out front. A sign on the box displays a surprisingly long list of menu items, but the priority is clear with hot dogs at the very top. Regular readers will know that we are always impressed when a HDJ knows what "everything" means and is unequivocal. Chum's splits the vote here, though, as their menu confidently states it (Chili, Yellow Slaw & Onions), but the order taker was a little bit wishy-washy on whether everything included ketchup and mustard. I'm sure this is because the yellow slaw contains mustard already, and so many uninformed people order ketchup just because they don't know better. Bless their hearts.

Of course, I got mine with the true "everything" which meant adding a little mustard. 

It's been several years since I had partaken of  Yellow Slaw. The last time was at the bowling alley snack bar inside Galaxy Lanes, which being just a couple of miles from the Marmet line, had yellow slaw as an offering years ago (I'm not sure if it still does).  Before that, it was at Mr. C's, a small regional chain that had a location not far from Galaxy Lanes. The yellow slaw at Chum's was every bit as good as my previous tastings, and the chili underneath was far superior. 

Yellow slaw is sweeter that the white kind. That sweetness means that it needs a spicier chili to really bring out the flavor. Chum's accomplishes this well. Upper Kanawha Valley chili is typically very tame, but I was able to feel a little burn from the Chum's chili. Couple this synergy with a soft, steamed bun and a perfectly acceptable weenie, and you have a great hot dog. As I said, not completely standard by our normal measures, but it perfectly accomplishes what it's trying to do. It simply could not be any tastier, therefore earns a full Five Weenie rating.

Oh, and about the hours. Chum's is definitely not open on weekends but will soon be moving to their winter hours, which means they will close at 5:30 each weekday.

Gifts for the WV Hot Dog Lover from Liz Pavlovic Designs

Morgantown artist Liz Pavlovic has come up with another great gift for the WV Hot Dog lover in your life. "Slaw Thing" prints are available now in her Etsy Shop. 

Also look for the WV Hot Dog Pin but don't miss the other great WV themed art like pepporoni rolls, Mothman & more!

Jane Lew HDJ Review - Flying Dogs

Look at the picture on the left. I ask you, does this look like a flying dog? Is it just me or would it be more aptly described as a flying pig?

This seemingly obvious detail doesn't seem to bother the owners of Flying Dogs, a nice little eatery in Jane Lew (I assume that this animal ambiguity is also evident at the Weston location), but it kind of bothered me when I happened upon it. Was I walking into a BBQ joint or a HDJ? Do the owners not see the ambiguity, or are they intentionally playing a joke? Or is the pig some sort of emoji that is supposed to represent a word, so the name of the business is actually "Flying Pig Dogs"? I wonder about things like this.

Ah well, we'll save those musings for another time. Let's talk hot dogs, shall we?

Located just a few miles south of the Slaw Line, I was not completely surprised that an "everything"dog does not include slaw, but that slaw is available. This is pretty normal for what I think of as kind of the Slaw Line DMZ - that gray area that extends for a few miles in each direction where slaw availability is unpredictable. Thankful that slaw was listed as an option, I opted in, and once I got my hot dogs I was thankful again. This is a great hot dog.

There is really nothing but good to say about this hot dog. The bun was soft and steamy, the chili/sauce was delicious and just a little spicy, the onions and mustard were high quality and the slaw was nearly perfect in texture and in taste. Just fantastic. 4 1/2 Weenies.

One last comment about the town of Jane Lew: This is a very small town and yet it boasts - by my count - 5 locally owned restaurants. None of them look fancy, but the quality of Flying Dogs makes me want to try some of the others. Maybe some of them have hot dogs? A return visit is definitely in the cards.

Charleston HDJ Review - Hot Diggity Dogs

We've been getting messages about this new HDJ on Seventh Avenue in North Charleston for a few weeks. After waiting for the new business to get its sea legs, we decided to stop in for lunch today.

First, I have to say that I found it impossible to believe that the trade name "Hot Diggity Dogs" wasn't already taken in West Virginia. We have reviewed "Haught Diggity Dogz" in Morgantown (now defunct), "Mr Diggity" in Vienna, and a little stand inside a Nitro flea market called "Linda's Hot Diggity Dogs," but I was shocked to find out that nobody had thought to use the name "Hot Diggity Dogs" for a hot dog joint before; it seems so obvious. A quick review of the WV Secretary of State's site reveals that someone in Culloden had registered the name "Hot Diggity Dog" (singular) in 2013, but it wasn't until this year that anyone used the plural. Kudos to them. It's a great name.

I wish the hot dogs were as good as the name. They're not. They could be, though, with more attention to one key element.

The buns are soft, the weenie is perfectly grilled and tasty and the mustard is yellow. Check, check and check.

The chili: Hot Diggity Dogs has two kinds - regular and spicy. We got one of each. They should ditch the regular. It is virtually tasteless. The spicy is good, very good. It reminded me of Chris' Hot Dogs chili. It's not so overly spicy that it would be uncomfortable for anyone, especially if the slaw is right -  a nice sweet creamy slaw could really work with this chili.

Unfortunately, the slaw is where Hot Diggity Dogs fails completely. They have two kinds - regular and yellow. The regular tastes like small cabbage chunks in mayonnaise.  Not a good texture or taste, and it does nothing for the chili. The yellow slaw tastes like small chunks of yellow cabbage. It has virtually no other flavor. I don't even understand why it's yellow.

So even with a good bun, weenie and chili, given the importance of a proper chili/slaw synergy to West Virginia Hot Dogs, we can't give this hot dog more than a 3 Weenie score. With the Five Weenie Huskey's Dairy Bar just a short walk away, we would be hard pressed to give anything close to a recommendation. If Hot Diggity Dogs can up its slaw game, though, it could be a contender.

Marion County HDJ Review - Fox's Snacks and Newsstand

We have a lot of fun on this blog at the expense of those unfortunate souls from Marion County who live a slawless existence, while believing with all of their faith that a "real" West Virginia Hot Dog cannot be topped with coleslaw. They live in an alternative reality where their insistence on hot dogs with devilishly spicy chili sauce, mustard and onions is the only right way to eat a hot dog - and so in their warped, twisted minds (caused by the lack of decent hot dogs, we're sure) all West Virginians must think the way they do. It is a sad echo-chamber existence that they live, but once in a while a new HDJ will pop up in Marion County that affirms people's right to choose, and when that happens we like to celebrate it.

Fox's Snack Bar & Newsstand is bright and cheery,
but not much real news can be found inside.

So when we heard about Fox's Snacks and Newsstand and how they served hot dogs with coleslaw in downtown Fairmont, we knew we had to take a road trip and check it out for ourselves. What we found was interesting to say the least.

The little HDJ is well-hidden inside the lobby of the Altermont Building just down the street from the Marion County Courthouse. The four-story building houses several small law offices and not much else. Other than coffee, the only hot food that the newsstand serves is breakfast biscuits until 11:00 and and hot dogs from 11:15-1:00. April Fox, the owner, prides herself on having a variety of drinks, chips and candy to go along with the biscuits and hot dogs. After meeting the owner and chatting for a few moments, we ordered two hot dogs and thought we'd browse the newsstand offerings while we waited for our order, but we were surprised to find that for a place with "newsstand" in its name there was't much news; only one newspaper and one magazine on the rack. No matter, our hot dogs were ready in a flash, so we paid for them and took them to an unoccupied table to eat.

The first thing I noticed was the strange shape of the weenie. It looked less like a sausage and more like a thickly sliced piece of meat. After taking a bite, I went back over to the owner and asked her about it and she told me that it was actually a piece of bologna that had been cut into a thick spear. April said she felt bologna was a better meat product than the weenies she used to use. She then confided in us that she also used ground-up bologna for her chili/sauce as well. I was taken aback to say the least, but once I had thought about it, I said to myself, "why not?" All-beef bologna is still all-beef, and what is hot dog chili/sauce except for a beef-based product?

I was on my way back to my bench when I tasted the slaw. I stopped and went back to April and asked her about the exotic flavor it had. "Instead of mayonnaise, I make the slaw with Russian salad dressing," she explained. Again, it was non-standard, but not completely objectionable. It was very filling and strangely satisfying. I finished off the first hot dog and immediately decided that I'd had enough and decided to forfeit my second hot dog to the trash receptacle, but just before I dropped it, I felt a strange urge to have another bite. And then another. Each time I finished a bite, I felt strangely compelled to have one more. Even after the second hot dog was gone, I went back and asked April to make another. Strangely addictive. I'll give them a 3.5 Weenie rating just because they left me wanting more. It was kind of unsettling because I knew in my heart of hearts, that a WVHD couldn't be made from bologna, but while munching on this hot dog I couldn't remember what a real hot dog tasted like.

As I drove away, back down I79 toward Charleston it hit me: Just like those Marion County folks who live in an alternative reality caused by eating nothing but slawless hot dogs, I had fallen victim to Fox's Newstand hot dogs and completely lost my ability to understand that they weren't real hot dogs. They were imitations, filled with baloney and covered with Russian dressing, but while I was consuming them I not only couldn't tell the difference, I didn't want to tell the difference. But the more distance I put between myself and the Fox Newsstand, the more normal I felt. By the time I made it back to Charleston, I seemed fully recovered and realized that I was going to be OK and would probably go back to eating real WVHDs tomorrow.  But I felt sad for those Marion Countians and others who will continue to be subjected to what Fox News is serving up, completely oblivious that it's all filled with baloney.

It's hard for us to recommend the hot dogs at Fox's Newsstand, but if you don't mind being fooled we've heard that the best day to go is April 1.

Charleston HDJ - Tusie's

Tusie's is across Quarrier Street from the Civic Center

I read somewhere that West Virginia has more places to gamble than any other state, and that seems to be true - at least per capita - since you can barely round a bend in a mountain road without finding a video lottery parlor. I've long been convinced that there are more places to buy hot dogs here than anywhere else, since nearly every restaurant and convenience store has at least some kind of hot dog offering. Many years ago we noticed that some Hot Dog Joints were turning into gambling joints (Sam's in Marmet & Custard Stand in Oak Hill, just to name two), but this is the first time we've heard of a gambling joint being turned into a HDJ.

So here in downtown Charleston, just across from the Civic Center, we have the melding of two WV superlatives: a gambling joint that sells hot dogs. And these aren't just any old hot dog. What we have here is a Five Weenie WVHD.

Long time readers know that we rarely give out a Five Weenie rank. In fact, it has been years since we ran across one. And certainly about the last place we expected to find one was in this little metal building across from the Charleston Civic Center whose primary business is taking quarters away from math-challenged people. In fact, we are very tempted to allow the unscrupulous business model - albeit perfectly legal - to disqualify this place as a HDJ; at least we were until we tasted the hot dog.

$3.50!

Ethics and morals out the window, I plead guilty to being corrupted by the steamed-soft bun, the delicious and aromatic chili and slaw combination and the obvious care and attention that went into making these hot dogs.

This hot dog is great study in the synergy required for a great WVHD. The slaw alone wouldn't make the cut and the chili is good, but not great on its own. But the slaw seemed to be the soulmate of the chili and vice-versa. And sitting on top of a nicely cooked and flavorful weenie that was nestled into a perfectly steamed bun, this is teamwork. A symphony of olfactory and taste delight.

Surprisingly inviting and comfortable dining area

And listen to this: No doubt due to the subsidy provided to the owners by the ultra-profitable gambling going on in the other room, the price of these hot dogs is low. Two dogs, chips and a coke for $3.50 (no doubt meant to keep hungry gamblers from leaving the premises for lunch).

Tusie's also surprised me with its atmosphere, which was much more warm and inviting than I expected. I ordered my lunch to go, but would not have felt at all uncomfortable eating there. The gambling room is separated from the dining area by a door, and the players were too engrossed in their activities to give me a first glance.

I'll be back. Maybe soon.

Huntington HDJ ReReview - Midway West Drive In

This venerable Hot Dog Joint has been getting more than its share of love lately on FaceBook reviews. It seems every time we review a less-than-stellar HDJ there is always someone commenting that we should check out Midway. They are right, of course, because the last time we reviewed this place it was shortly after it reopened in 2008. It didn't get good marks then, but we often give new places a second chance after they have some time to iron out the wrinkles. We usually don't wait 9 years, though. You'd think that after nine years this place would have its act together.

It does. Spectacularly so.

I made the drive to Huntington on Saturday and timed it out to arrive at lunchtime. Expecting it to be pretty busy, I was a bit relieved when I found it not so, and a grabbed a prime parking spot where I could see both the inside and outside activity (there is inside seating for a few folks at the counter). Almost before I could get my window down, the extraordinarily friendly and efficient carhop was there to take my order. I asked what "everything" was and he said it right: Sauce (being Huntington), slaw, onions and mustard. Perfect. I asked for two and side of fries and away the carhop went.

I thought I'd take some notes while I waited on my order to come out. The place look like it has been recently painted, is clean and...WHOA that was fast! I have no idea how they served me so fast. It was dizzying how quick it was. And I wasn't a fluke either; I watched while I ate and everyone was served fast and friendly.

But experience teaches me that fast dogs aren't always good dogs, so I cautiously unwrapped the first dog, which had a nice heft and temperature. Wrapped in paper, the dog was steamy and soft. It smelled heavenly. Nearly a perfect Utilitarian Dog presentation.

The slaw was beautifully chopped and quick taste revealed it to be slightly sweet. The chili was under the weenie - not the preferred placement but a sight better than those crazies who put it on top of the slaw - was rich and complex but lacked much spiciness. It paired well with the slaw, though, so we'll not penalize it much,

Altogether, this was simply the best hot dog I've had in quite awhile. The class of Huntington HDJs for sure, and a definite


contender for the next Statewide Top Ten list. We're going to rate it 4 1/2 Weenies primarily because of the lack of spice in the chili, er I mean, sauce. We never give extra points for service, but if we did they would surely get a bump. Likewise for the crinkle-cut fries which were perfectly crispy and delicious. 

A Sad, Sad Day for WV Hot Dog Fans

We've seen it happen all too many times. Tiger Woods, Brett Favre, Johnny Unitas just to name a few. People who were the best in the game and then sadly went downhill. People now remember them not  just for their greatness, but for the lackluster performance of their declining years.

It happens with Hot Dog Joints, too. And now, it has happened to the King of WV Hot Dogs.

A trip south this weekend gave me the opportunity to stop in for hot dogs at Morrisons Drive Inn in Logan (OK, technically Stollings). When I say "opportunity" I mean it in the most positive way: I look forward to a trip to Morrisons - which has topped every list of best WVHDs we have produced since 2007 - like a five year old child looks forward to Christmas morning. Or at least, I used to. It all changed this weekend.

Driving up to the curb-service parking area, my mouth was already watering. When the car hop came to my window I got my first inkling that this trip might be different when she asked if I wanted slaw on my hot dogs with everything. What? How's that? I did say everything, right?

I found this more than a little unsettling. It was like buying tickets to Disneyland and begin asked if I wanted Mickey Mouse to be included in the price. I expect this kind of behavior up north, closer to Fairmont, and I will tolerate it in Huntington, but please, not at Morrisons. Please, for the love of all things Holy, not Morrisons.

I shook it off.

After few minutes I began waiting on my hot dogs and remembering that they have never, ever disappointed me. I told myself that this "you want slaw with that" moment could be explained by the possibility that the car hop was new, or some other reason that didn't mean that Morrisons was slipping. I waited some more. And some more.  25 minutes for two hot dogs and fries, and they really weren't very busy.

The waiting didn't bother me. Some things, grandma always said, are worth waiting for. And surely, this had always applied to Morrisons hot dogs before.

When my order finally arrived, the first thing that I noticed was that my fries were stone cold. That's OK, I thought, I'm not here for the fries, They are but an accoutrement to the main course. And my hot dogs looked great, there inside Morrisons' signature cellophane wrappers. I expected that when I unfurled them that they would be the same delicious Utilitarian Dogs that I always had before, soft and maybe even slightly gooey from being steamed inside the wrapping.

They weren't.

The buns were hard on the bottom, almost to the point of being crunchy. The temperature of the hot dogs was not sufficient to create steam anyway. And the slaw that I was asked about? Barely there, and completely tasteless. The chili still tasted about the same as before, but it was a little bit cold and therefore had a greasy feel.

Morrisons, whose hot dogs I have never found to be deserving less than a 5 Weenie rating, has fallen so far since I was last there. This hot dog - even adjusting for my disappointment and being as objective as I can possibly be - would barely rate 3 Weenies, and that is generous.

It could have been an off day. But the King isn't allowed an off day. Part of why they were the King was due to the fact that they were 100% dependable for decades.

I am shaken to the core. The one thing that seemed so constant in my life has fallen from its pedestal. The King might not be dead, but he is certainly showing signs of mortality. And now, perhaps, it is a good day to start thinking about who will take Morrisons' place on the throne.

Nominations, please.

Cross Lanes HDJ - T&M Meats & WV Brick Oven Bistro

The bare-bones exterior probably scares away more customers than it attracts, but once inside you can't help but to be impressed by this meat that shop has evolved over the years into a bonafide restaurant. With a brick oven pizza menu, various bar food selections and a decent beer selection it has become a real hot spot in Cross Lanes. Refrigerated cases filled with just about any kind of meat you might want line two walls and in the center are tables and a bar for dining. The namesake beehive shaped "brick oven" sits prominently behind the bar.

I didn't go into T&M Meats for a hot dog review, but when I saw one on the menu listed for $2.00, I figured I'd order it as an appetizer to give it a shot. I saw that the toppings included ketchup, so of course I asked the waitress to delete it from mine. She informed me that the hot dog comes standard with two weenies and asked me if I wanted it that way or with only one. After taking a second to try to understand what a two-weenie hot dog would look like - a heretofore unprecedented encounter - I said "sure, why not?" and threw all caution to the wind. I spent the waiting time wondering how they could fit two weenies on one bun, postulating various theories.

It turns out that the two weenies were of the small caliber variety, so they fit on the bun just fine. They were made a little bit smaller by being over-grilled until they were dry and leathery on the outside. The bun, strangely enough, had a coating of poppy seeds, but was about the same size as your basic Heiners hot dog bun. The poppy seeds added nothing to the taste or texture of the hot dog.

The chili was sweet, with not much spice but super-fine. The consistency made me think that there might be some kind of meat substitute like TVP added, but I couldn't be sure. The slaw was slightly sweet and slightly vinegary. There is little synergy between the two.

There's really not much else to say about the hot dog at T&M Meats. We'll give it a 2 Weenie ranking for trying hard, but honestly, trying less hard would make it better. We would recommend ditching the double-weenie and replace it with one that is properly-cooked, and likewise ditching the poppy seed bun.

Davis Hot Dog Joint - Wicked Wilderness Pub 'n' Parlor

We discovered what might be the highest HDJ in the state. Both elevation-wise and price-wise.

If the Town of Davis' claim of being the highest incorporated town is accurate (and we have no reason not to believe them), and if there are no other hot dog joints in town (we couldn't find any) then indeed the Wicked Wilderness Pub n Parlor must be tops -- as it were-- in the State of West Virginia.

This recently-opened establishment has basic bar food and drinks and is an overall nice place. Located right next door to Sirriani's Cafe, which previously might have been the only bonafide restaurant in Davis (and a little more previously it might have been the only real restaurant in all of Tucker County), the WWPnP is in a good location to catch some of the the hungry hordes that are routinely standing outside waiting for a table there. The Saturday evening we were there they seemed ready for a large influx of customers with plenty of waitstaff, but business was slack early on.

I really wasn't there to do a hot dog review, but when I saw the lovely words "West Virginia style" under the "Wicked Hot Dog" title, I knew I had to check it out. At $6.50, this would certainly be one of the highest-priced hot dogs we've reviewed - a fitting companion to its high elevation, I guess. I hoped it would be enough to satisfy my dinner-sized appetite.

When my hot dog arrived, it was easy to see why it was so pricey - the thing was YUGE and I did not worry about leaving hungry. The weenie was as large as any I have encountered, and as a bonus, was quite tasty. It would have gone well as the centerpiece of a sausage-centric entree with a couple of vegetable sides. To give you a sense of the size of this monster, look at the photo: The bun was actually a standard-size hoagie bun, though, so it lacked the soft feel that one looks for in a proper WVHD bun. It also lacked any substance in that critical space under the weenie, so all of the ingredients started falling out of the bottom with the first bite.

The slaw looked great, finely chopped and liberally applied (yes, you anti-carrot people, it has orange flecks. Why are you SO against color in your slaw?), and tasted good if not great. That chili though...

The chili, or rather I should say "chili," because it was not really chili. It was browned ground beef with almost no seasoning whatsoever. Maybe it was a bad batch, but it was absolutely the most bland tasting chili-like substance I have ever had on a hot dog. With a name like "Wicked Hot Dog" I was really expecting something spicy, but nothing could have been further from the truth.

The bottom line is that, despite the menu's claim, this was not really a West Virginia style hot dog. It was an attempt at a meal-sized facsimile of a WVHD but fails primarily due to the lack of seasoning in the "chili," but also because of the overall size and lack of a real bun. We'll give it a 3 Weenie score for effort, but we'll keep looking for a real hot dog in the Davis/Thomas/Canaan Valley area.

Barkersville HDJ Review - Le Chien est Chaud French Bistro

We have long maintained on this blog that the West Virginia Hot Dog is an art form unto itself, but never before have we found a hot dog joint that embraced the idea more than does Le Chien est Chaud in Barkersville. To call this lovely restaurant a hot dog joint might be seen as a disservice to some, but not to Claude de'Avril, the friendly owner and chef of Le Chien.

"Not at all!" de'Avril said with a chuckle. "When I came to West Virginia I was delighted by the culinary landscape, and what would it be without the West Virginia Hot Dog? We are honored to be called 'hot dog joint'"!

Le Chien est Chuad's signature dish!

With menu items ranging from a hand-cut Delmonico steak to New Orleans Style Bouillabaisse, you might be surprised to find hot dogs on the menu, but there they are right between the Coho Salmon and the Veal Scallopini. Listed as the signature dish, the entree that takes the bistro's name as its own is no ordinary WVHD, but  "two deconstructed West Virginia hot dogs. Delicately grilled frankfurters served with moutarde jaune, onions, chili con-carne and koosla."  Deconstructed dishes are all the rage in fancy big-city restaurants these days, but we were still surprised to find this dish in a small town like Barkersville, even though this little burg has surprised us before with its culinary offerings. We were eager to try it.

While Claude was preparing our dish, we looked around the interior of the restaurant with great interest. A neat display of old photos and newspaper stories from the 1920's illuminated the impact that French immigrants had on Barkersville. According to one of old newspaper clippings, at one time there were so many native Frenchmen on the town council that it almost changed the name of the town to "Poisson," in recognition of the great fishing that could be found in Barker Creek which runs through the middle of town. The native locals, however, though the word was off putting since it was only one "s" removed from a very negative English word. The locals won, evidently.

Culinary artistry!

 After a reasonable wait, our entree arrived and we were simply stunned by its appearance. Certainly this WVHD was far different from any other we had encountered. While the weenies were presented in their entirety, the bun had been carved into bite size pieces and lightly toasted. Small mounds of chili and "koosla" (slaw) were placed nearby on the plate and an artistic stripe of moutarde jaune (yellow mustard) brought color and life to the plate, which was made complete by a beautiful arrangement of delicately sliced onions. After beholding the artistry for a moment we were eager to dig in.

Chili, slaw mustard and onion was our favorite combination

Not wishing to commit a faux pas, we asked Claude how he had intended the dish to be eaten, whether with fingers or knife and fork. He suggested we use utensils, but to vary our bites so different combinations of the ingredients could be tasted. We definitely found the best combination to be a bite of bread, a cut of meat dipped in mustard and dredged through the complex chili and sweet cole slaw. Delightful.

We also took the chef's suggestion for a wine pairing, the 2013 Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet. The wine's rich, hedonistic core of wild berry, blackberry, plum and currant, with a graceful, elegant mouthfeel and supple, caressing tannins leading to a long, powerful and refined aftertaste was the perfect complement to the entree.

So rich! We couldn't finish the meal!

At $21, these are the most expensive hot dogs we've ever bought, but the dish would have been a bargain at even a higher price point. Deceptively rich and filling, it didn't leave us room for dessert; a shame because the Moon Pie Flambe' sounded so tempting! Perhaps the next trip - and there will definitely be a next trip for this Weenie Wonk.

While we never give an official Weenie Rating to hot dogs that are so non-standard as these, we do give Le Chien est Chuad our highest recommendation as a fine dining restaurant and a great place to dine on special occasions, like April Fools Day.

A partial list of some HDJs that have closed since our last review

The Hot Dog business in West Virginia is tough since most every locally owned restaurant includes some kind of hot dog on its menu. Perhaps this is the reason that a lot of promising HDJs have closed in the last few years. Whatever the reason, we feel it is our duty to report the casualties from time to time. Here is our most recent list of formerly great HDJs that have bitten the dust:

Hog and Dog - Charleston 

Sistah's Rib Shack - Charleston

Sammy's Chili Dogs - St. Albans (now called Bammy's)

J's Grocery - Bluewell

Not Franks Pizza - Shrewsbury (we're not sure if the Montgomery location is still there)

Five Corners Cafe - Charleston

The Blossom Dairy - Charleston

Maggie Moo's Ice Cream- Charleston

The Daily Grind - Charleston

Sister Act Cafe - Charleston

Wild Flour Bakery - Fayetteville

In addition to these that succumbed to the natural pressures of competition, we also lost two well-known HDJs to last June's floodwaters: 

Mumsey's Iron Skillet - Richwood

Dairy Queen - Clendenin

On this first day of spring we can only hope that the newness of the season brings us many more great HDJs to take the place of these fallen heroes.