Charleston HDJ Review - Bogey's

We finally made it to Bogey's at Capitol Market to try their WV Hot Dog. 

Billed as "Award Winning" because some amateur hot dog influencers made a video a while back that concluded that Bogey's original location in Tornado had West Virginia's Best Hot Dog. Seems like every time we tried to get to the original location it was closed, but their new place has more predictable hours.

Bottom line is that it's absolutely NOT the best hot dog in WV, heck, not even in the best in downtown Charleston, but it is pretty, pretty, pretty good. We'd have added a fourth "pretty" except that the bun was stiff, having obviously been dry-heated instead of steamed. Even after traveling a few miles in the paper coffin it was still pretty crunchy on the outside. 

Bogey's WV Hot Dog

The slaw is a bit too coarse, but still very creamy and it tasted great. The chili was really very good. Very finely ground meat and terrific flavors. We say "flavors" because it was quite complex, with some sweet, some tangy and some savory notes. It paired perfectly with the slaw. 

We're going to give Bogey's a 4 Weenie rank because of the overall quality of the hot dog. A fine example of a "Genteel Dog," presented with care but missing the mark on flavor and textures by >this< much.

Barboursville HDJ Review - Dog Haus Biergarten

Editor's note: This is Wimpy's second review this week. Not bad for a beginning Weenie Wonk! Keep it up, Wimpy!

Opening in December 2021, Dog Haus brought its 50th location, and its first one in West Virginia, to Barboursville in Cabell County.

They currently have restaurants in 10 states, primarily in Texas.

They’ve had success too, as Entrepreneur Magazine chose Dog Haus No. 2 on its Top Food Franchises: Hot Dogs list for 2021, up from No. 4 in 2020.

With a variety of other foods, one might be tempted to order chicken sandwiches or burgers, but the company calls itself a Dog Haus, right?

And perhaps in an effort to ingratiate itself to its new fan base and customers, they immediately put a “Almost Heaven” hot dog on the menu, with chili, slaw, mustard and onions when coming to West Virginia.

Someone did their homework.

Dog Haus’ bun is unique for hot dogs found in our state.

For starters, it’s three Kings Hawaiian Rolls that have not yet been pulled apart. So it makes a big hot dog bun. It’s toasted only along the top, remaining soft and fresh otherwise. Still, it merits a slight point deduction for a non-steamed bun.

Grab a lot of napkins, because they don’t skimp on the amount of toppings.

The chili/sauce is a slight bit spicy but not at all overpowering while the slaw is creamy and finely shredded.

They pair together nicely.

The yellow mustard is served on top of the slaw, along with finely shredded onions. This Weenie Wonk prefers mustard applied first, but it still works.

The star of Dog Haus’ Almost Heaven is the weenie, dense and packed with flavor. And pretty good size, filling the remarkable bun size appropriately.

Proud of the quality of its product, Dog Haus displays a framed motto on its wall:

“Our Haus dogs are made from beef that is raised without hormones and antibiotics. Our proprietary recipe includes a unique spice blend of brown sugar, bay leaves, garlic, salt, and black pepper.”

One can certainly discern Dog Haus’ difference in the quality of the weenie. It’s stellar.

The Almost Heaven Dogs earns 4 Weenies

For those who enjoy a “cold one” with their hot dogs, there’s plenty of options at this location, a Biergarten serving craft beers and cocktails. There’s ample indoor seating and an inviting outdoor patio as well.

Kids meals are offered, so bring the little ones if you wish. There’s also soft serve ice cream, shakes and floats if you still have room for dessert.

Dog Haus is open:

10A-10P Monday through Thursday, 9A-10P Friday & Saturday,

and Sunday 9A-9P.

Dog Haus Biergarten

6310 US Route 50

Barboursville, WV 25504

St. Albans HDJ Review - Butcher's Black Angus

 

Editor's Note: This is the first review from Wimpy, our newest Weenie Wonk. Welcome to the team, Wimpy!

The hot dogs at Butcher’s Black Angus are carry-out only, but chances are, they won’t make it past the parking lot.

Sure, you can do some shopping at this small, neighborhood market. But you’ll want to saunter over to the deli case and order a couple of hot dogs to take home (or to the car.)

They’re delicious.

Hot dogs are “made your way” with chili, ketchup (!), mustard, onion and slaw listed as options.

Slight score deduction for the ketchup hiccup and the added cheese offering.

Be sure to upgrade to the all beef weenie, because of course, we go premium.

It takes a few minutes, no matter how busy the store is. They take their time steaming the buns and applying the toppings neatly. It’s a generous portion of toppings, yet they hold their place. Save the napkin for your mouth afterwards.

The chili/sauce is meaty, finely ground beef with a good proportion of spice. It marries well with the slaw, perfectly blended between creaminess and its shredded cabbage.

(The in-house made chili/sauce and slaw are also available fresh made daily to purchase from the deli cooler.)

This hot dog seemingly melts in your melt, yet with a crisp snap of the beef weenie. The taste of summer, available 12 months a year in fact.

Butcher’s Black Angus is known for its quality meats and specialty item availability. And there’s plenty of lunch meats, salads and spreads to choose from.

If it seems like a blast from the past when you walk in, I’m sure that it is intentional. Good stuff, that will likely take you back a few years.

4 Weenies.

Butcher’s Black Angus

722 Kanawha Terrace

St. Albans, WV 25177

304-727-1234

Fayette County HDJ Review - Skyline Drive In (Hank's Last Stop)

Most people in West Virginia know the story of Hank William's death: That he was discovered dead on New Year's Day 1953 in the back seat of his Cadillac when his driver stopped in Oak Hill; about that there is no dispute. But in Oak Hill, there are a lot of opinions about exactly where this final scene of the singer's life played out. Most reports say it was at the Pure Oil gas station on Oak Hill (that station no longer exists), but persistent local rumors say it was just outside of Oak Hill, at the Skyline Drive In located at Hilltop. The little diner has had many names over the years, but no matter how many times they change the name on the sign, almost everyone around here calls it "Hank's Last Stop." It recently reopened and the new owners have smartly reclaimed the name and added the nickname, so it is now known as "Skyline Drive In - Hank's Last Stop."

Now we're here to review hot dogs, not get into a revisionist history debate, but we would like to point out one key and seldom reported factoid that would make it more likely that the diner was the place: His driver -- when he discovered the lifeless body in the back seat--said that he was told that there was a hospital "6 or 7 miles down the road." If this had been the old Pure Oil station, that hospital would have been only a half-mile away, not six or seven. Most people around here say he stopped at the gas station to get directions to the hospital. But enough about that.

We made the trip to the newly reopened Skyline Diner recently because a recent newspaper article listed hot dogs as their specialty. Indeed their menu is very limited, but we didn't care at all. When asked what "everything" was, the server said confidently, "chili, slaw, mustard and onions" and then added "and I make my own slaw every day." Sold.

While waiting on our hot dogs we took in some of the Hank memorabilia that adorned the walls. There is far less of it than you might expect since they embrace their HDJ's history with a subtitled sign out front. A couple of album covers and a little shrine of sorts is all there is. You can't help but think that if they would go all out and make the place a kitschy roadside attraction that they would have a flood of cars pulling off of Route 19 to see it. If it were ours, we'd have an old baby blue Cadillac sitting in the lot and Hank Williams hits playing from speakers both inside and out. We'd have Hank Williams Karaoke, Hank Williams trinkets and tshirts, and maybe some Jambalaya, Crawfish Pie and Filet Gumbo on the menu. Son of a gun, we'd have big fun at The Skyline.

But what do we know? We just review hot dogs. Oh, and that reminds us:

When our hot dogs came we could immediately confirm that the slaw was homemade. You just can't get slaw from a tub that looks like that. And the first bite told us that it was good: Flavorful and creamy but not too runny. Slightly sweet. Unfortunately, the bun was a bit crusty - almost stale - but fortunately, that was the only negative we found. The chili was wonderfully complex and went well with the slaw. The weenie was big and beefy and the overall heft of the hot dog was great.

Skyline Drive In earns a 4 Weenie rating. It was a steamed bun away from being a 4.5, pushing a Five.

It's definitely worth a stop. Just hopefully not your last one.

Morgantown HDJ Review - Haught Diggity Dogs

Last year in a review of a new Charleston HDJ named Hot Diggity Dogs, we erroneously wrote that the phonetically similar HDJ in Morgantown called "Haught Diggity Dogz" was defunct. In our defense, we seem to have been partially correct, since according to the WV Secretary of State, the LLC that owned "Haught Diggity Dogz" was terminated in 2013.  But as a recent visit confirmed, there still a hot dog joint of the same name (albeit in Westover, not Morgantown) and they are selling very good hot dogs. We're not concerned with the legalities.

We are concerned with quality, though, and it seems that Haught Diggity Dogz shares this concern. But before we tell you about that, let's talk about a matter that has caused great controversy over on the Facebook Page recently.

Three kinds of "Chili," not "sauce."

We'd like to address this to all of those people who say that "nobody calls it chili" and insist that calling it chili is wrong and/or a southern WV thing. Please note the accompanying photo of Haught Diggity Dogz menu board. Here, just 10 miles from the Pennsylvania border, it is chili. It doesn't have beans in it and it is not eaten out of a bowl with a spoon. Now will you all please shut up?

Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about Haught's hot dog. It's good. It could be great with some very small adjustments.

First, the good things: The bun is awesomely soft. It didn't appear to be steamed, nor did it need to be. We'd love to know the brand of these buns so we could recommend them to other HDJs. It was slightly different in shape than the Heiner's product that is ubiquitous n the southern part of the state, and softer than any of those even at the HDJs in Huntington where they are sure to get the freshest ones.

The chili is fantastic. We got the medium and the flavor and spice was nearly perfect. Complex, meaty and just the right consistency. The slaw is good too, but had maybe a bit too much mayo and was served a bit too sparingly.

But the onions. Here's where we need some work. They were simply chopped too coarsely for a hot dog and there were too many of them. Most of them fell off the dog as soon as it was lifted from the tray.

Haught Diggity Dogz also gets a half-point deduction for not fully embracing WVHD culture, as exhibited by its failure to have a stated "everything" dog with all of the required elements. This is not unexpected this close to the northern border, but rules are rules.

We're going to give HDD a very respectable 4 Weenie score.

Clendenin HDJ Review - Frostbite Dairy Bar

Before the tragic 2015 flood, Clendenin was home to one of the truly great 5 Weenie Hot Dog Joints in West Virginia, the Clendenin Dairy Queen. Sadly, the flood waters took the DQ (and a couple of other good HDJs) and since then Northern Kanawha County had been without decent hot dogs. But lately, we've heard that another spot had opened up, just a few hundred yards from the old DQ spot, and -- it was rumored -- that it had the old DQ Chili recipe and was serving it to hordes of happy customers. It took us a while, but we finally made the trip to find out for ourselves if the rumors were true.

Frostbite is a grab and go place with no inside seating, but does offer several umbrella covered picnic tables for those who prefer not to eat in their cars and don't live close enough to go home with their hot (or cold) purchase. Per usual for this kind of establishment, there is a "order" window and a "pickup" window, and the service is fast and efficient. Friendly too.

The first test for any HDJ is always how they answer the question "what is everything?" As discussed and debated extensively on the WV Hot Dogs Facebook page recently, most West Virginians agree the only correct answer to this question is "chili/sauce, slaw, mustard and onions." Frostbite passed this first test, as the young order-taker confidently answered our query with confidence and precision. 

We didn't have to wait too long on our order, and took our bags to one of the picnic tables. We were thankful for the umbrella on this super-hot July day, but more thankful when we saw that our hot dogs were wrapped in wax paper - the 2nd big indicator of hot dog quality (and also another similarity with the old DQ). Unwrapping the paper, we found that the buns were soft and either had been steamed before wrapping, or had been naturally steamed inside the wax paper by the hot weenie and toppings. The Utilitarian Dogs were beautiful and covered with just about the right amount of toppings for our tastes. So far, Frostbite was holding up nicely to a comparison with the old Clendenin DQ.

Our first bites, however, did not bring back the memory of the old DQ. The chili does not have the same complexity that we remember. There was none of the tartness that we loved, and that which the slaw was perfectly paired. The chili might have been made from the same recipe, with the same ingredients, but it lacked the character of the DQ's. The slaw was just as we remembered it, but without the complex chili, the hot dog wasn't quite the same.

We're not saying that it wasn't good, it was very good indeed. It's just that when you're being compared with a legendary hot dog, it's difficult to measure up. The chili might very well have the same ingredients as the old DQ, but something is different. Maybe the chili needs to be cooked longer, or hotter, to bring out more of the flavor of the original. Frostbite is on the right track, but we think some tweaking is needed if it's going to assume the Queen's crown.

We're giving Frostbite a 4 Weenie rating and hope they continue to improve.

Charleston Area HDJ Review - One Stop Sub Express

I was in a hurry and had to stop for a quick lunch, so I thought I would drop in at the Sub Express inside the One Stop on Lee Street West. I was thinking turkey sub, but then I saw a sign advertising a hot dog special, so I figured I'd take a chance. Almost immediately after ordering, regrets started creeping into my brain.

First of all, I should have known better than to order a hot dog at a place where the toppings are completely undefined. Asking what "everything" meant was met with a blank stare, and a gesture toward the myriad of toppings available for all subs: Anything from lettuce to tomatoes to olives, to jalapenos and more are all considered fair game for these hot dogs. Thankfully among the cornucopia was chili, slaw, mustard and onions, so that's what I ordered.

The next regret came when I saw the weenies getting warmed up on a roller machine: Never a good sign.

The third regret was when I was asked if I wanted my bun steamed and when I said "yes" they were plopped into the microwave for a good nuking.

So by the time my hot dogs arrived at the register I had very low expectations that they were going to be good, I was just hoping for edible.

And I was surprised.

Despite the problematic beginning, these hot dogs were actually very good. The slaw was sweet, creamy and fresh. The chili was flavorful, if not spicy, and the roller-dog actually tasted more like a grilled weenie. The microwaved bun - usually a sure-fire way to make one tough and chewy - survived its torture and after being double wrapped in wax paper and aluminum foil, actually was soft and delightful. A completely surprising hot dog which earns a solid Four Weenie score.

Charleston HDJ Review - Suppers to Go / Stuck's Hot Dogs

When Facebook user Ranson J Stuck nagged us to check out the hot dogs at "Suppers to Go" on Bigley Avenue, we first thought he meant this place but soon found out that there were indeed two different carry-out dining places just a few blocks apart on the same street. So after trying the other place's mediocre hot dogs we were hopeful that these would turn out better.

The place is small and clean, and you can see everything being prepared from the ordering window. Service was fast and friendly the day I was there, and I had my order in no time at all. Peeking inside the bag as I left, I noticed that the dogs were wrapped in aluminum foil - a good sign.

Back at the office, I unwrapped the first hot dog and was greeted by a well-presented Utilitarian Dog, and the aroma of fresh cut slaw was unmistakable. Sampling a bit of slaw, I found it to be a nice texture and very sweet - much sweeter than is usually found in the Charleston area. Digging down to the chili, I noticed that it was not very spicy and had a bit of a ketchupy taste. Not bad, jut a hint.

My first real bite told me that some serious thought had gone into matching the slaw with the chili, as the combined tastes were definitely greater than the individual parts. I tasted onions, but they must have been finely minced because I could not see them at all.

The bun was the downfall of this hot dog, as it wasn't quite as soft as it should have been, especially after being wrapped up in foil during the ride back to the office. It didn't taste stale, though, and wasn't a big detriment to the overall product.

Suppers to Go certainly delivered on having a good hot dog. It's not great - not the best in town - but it is certainly one of the best. I'm going to go 4 Weenies; softer buns might have bumped it it to a 4 1/2, but it's still a good hot dog in a very convenient location.

Based on the quality of the hot dog I am looking forward to going back and picking up dinner some evening.

Charleston Area HDJ Review - Ridgeview BBQ, Institute

In the spot formerly occupied by Jenn's Southern BBQ  - across Rt. 25 from the WV State University Campus - this BBQ joint also offers hot dogs and recently they posted on our Facebook page an invitation for us to come and do a review. I had already been there once several months ago and had their BBQ (which I found to be a little lacking) and was a little hesitant to try their hot dogs. But hey, it's what I do, right?

So I was passing by, had a little time and a hot dog sized appetite so I figured I'd stop. Hot dogs are fairly hidden on their menu, but with the help of the courteous order taker I soon saw their offering: Two all beef hot dogs and chips for $4.99. I was gratified to see they proudly listed the toppings as chili, slaw, mustard and onions; a good sign. A few minutes later and I had my order.

The first thing I noticed was the dark brown ends of the weenie sticking out from under the toppings, looking like it had been overcooked. Other than that, though, nothing gave me any pause nor any reason to think this wouldn't be a good hot dog.

The first bite, all I could taste was a smoky flavor. It seems that the chili and the overdone weenie together made the hot dog taste like it had been in the pig smoker that sits out front to the restaurant (not necessarily a bad thing, just a surprise). The chili had a lot of chili powder flavor but not much else. It was, however, nearly perfect in texture. The slaw was rather tasteless and a little too dry, but it seemed to work pretty well with the smoky chili. The bun was nicely steamed and overall this was good hot dog. I'm going to give it a 4 Weenie ranking since they got the standard ingredients right and the slaw and chili seemed to be designed with each other in mind; the sign of a real WVHD.

I'm glad to see that Ridgeview BBQ is at least trying to live up to the standard that was set by their predecessor in this location. While they aren't quite up to Jenn's 5 Weenie hot dogs, they are doing far better than most and serve one of the best hot dogs in the lower Kanawha Valley.

Grafton HDJ Review - T&L Hot Dogs

While it is not necessarily a 100% guarantee, you can usually take it to the bank that you will not get much variation between T&L Hot Dog outlets in terms of quality and consistency. While there are some T&L outlets that rise above the norm (see this review of the Clarksburg / Old Bridgeport Hill location), the majority do not deviate away from the formula that the chain has become know for. This is the case with the T&L located on the outskirts of Grafton.

The Grafton location is not necessarily in Grafton proper, but is actually situated between Pruntytown and Bridgeport at the junction of U.S. routes 50 and 250. This location is also annexed on one side by a banquet hall. There is no heavy population center immediately nearby, but this location has thrived and survived due to the heavy traffic flow from the aforementioned highways. The interior is warm and pleasing, featuring wood paneling throughout. Additionally, it is large enough to hold a good size crowd, yet spacious enough to allow one stretch out with plenty of room.

Like other T&L locations in the area, the motif is largely centered around 50's and 60's memorabilia. I noticed that all of the archived newspapers that were framed on the walls seemed to focus on rather morbid historical events: Pearl Harbor, the death of Elvis, John Lennon's murder, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the passing of FDR. Needless to say that made for some rather curious lunchtime reading.

As for the hot dogs themselves, I previously mentioned that the song remains the same here. As always, T&L delivered some of the best hot dog chili around, a rich meaty taste with a pleasing consistency. I ordered the medium chili this time out and found it to be warm in the tummy and pleasing to the palate. The slaw had a nice contrast of sweet and tang, but honestly didn't taste a fresh as I usually get from some of the other locations. This was a bit of a let down. Also, I thought the weenie was cooked to the bare minimum requirement. My serving seemed to be cooked to an adequate temperature, but lacked some plumpness. Overall, I thought the entire offering was good but not necessarily great.

All in all, the Grafton T&L Hot Dogs rate four weenies. While their formula for chili is usually spot-on, the slaw and weenie had a little room for improvement. The location is a little out of the way for most, but if you're in the neighborhood you will no doubt find a WVHD that fits the bill for your craving.

Charleston HDJ Review - The Daily Grind Computer Solutions and Coffee Shop

A "computer solutions" business that sells hot dogs? This place on Washington Street East just two blocks from the capitol complex does just that. Coffee too.

The first time I went to this place I chickened out at the door. The door itself is not very inviting (in fact it is a bit off-putting) and I was already skeptical about eating a hot dog made by a computer geek. But after my initial visit I posed the question to the Facebook mob and asked for their advice. They unanimously told me to go for it, apparently not giving one iota about my health and welfare. I'm thinking of taking them all out of my will.

So spurred on by the crowd, today I went through the door. Once across the threshold it wasn't nearly as scary as it seems from the outside. I placed my order at the window with two very nice and friendly people who looked nothing like computer geeks. "Everything" includes ketchup but it was easily deleted from the order.

The place inside looks much more like an office than it does a restaurant, with seating for 12 or so at two tables and a lunch counter. My hot dog was brought to my table and served with a smile and I was concerned about it right away because of the sparsely applied and very coarsely chopped slaw.

My first bite was surprising, not because of the taste but the texture and temperature. The buns were out of the bag room temperature (which was a little chilly today) but still very soft. The weenie was also very mushy as if it had spent several days soaking, as Chris James likes to say, in a pool of its own filth. But my negative remarks about this hot dog end here.

The slaw was delicious as was the meaty (but not spicy) chili; the two went together perfectly. And the weenie tasted fine despite its waterlogged condition. While the hot dog could have been better if the bun was steamy warm, it was still very good. 4 Weenies.

Surprising results from an unusual HDJ. Capitol workers, this is defintely the best hot dog within walking distance for lunch, so I encourage everyone to try it and tell them you read about it on WVHotDogs.com.

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.

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.

Smithers HDJ Review - Lopez Family Restaurant

This family owned restaurant has stood alongside Rt. 60 in Smithers for as long as I can remember. It's proximity to The Dairy Carte has prevented me from trying their hot dogs, because why would you pass a perfectly good 4.5 Weenie HDJ to take a risk on a dodgy looking roadside diner?

Recently, though, I was having lunch with someone who didn't want a hot dog (GASP!!!) and so we thought Lopez's was worth a try.

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.

Secondly, I have to confess that I have no idea what the name of this place actually is. The sign painted on the building says "Lopez and Son Big John Family Restaurant." It makes we wonder who Big John is - whether it is Lopez or Son. The menu just says "Lopez Restaurant"

Well, whatever the actual name, the actual restaurant is an interesting mix of Italian eatery and Applachian roadside diner. They have spaghetti and baked steak on the menu and the place is decorated with dark wood paneling and fake grapevine greenery. Loud, handpainted signs and an oddly placed Pepsi machine completes the unrefined tackiness of the place. Really, this is not the kind of place I would expect to find authentic Italian food in, but my dining companion raved about her dish.

But that's not why I went, now is it?

The Lopez hot dog bears no Italian influence that I could detect. I halfway expected the chili to be sweet, spicy and tomatoey but instead it was meaty and hearty without a hint of any spice other than chili powder. Very typical of Upper Kanawha Valley HDJs. The copious serving of slaw was coarsely chopped but was sweet and somehow creamy in spite of the coarseness. The bun was crusty from being heated in a dry oven: Not my preferred method of warming but it does show an intention that I admire.

Overall the hot dog was tasty and satisfying enough to warrant a 4 Weenie rating. Certainly not the best hot dog in Smithers, but a good effort nevertheless.

Charleston HDJ Review - Donut Connection

While you might expect a donut place to sell this kind of hot dogs, I assure you that the hot dogs they are selling now at Donut Connection in Kanawha City are the real deal.

Other than serving them up in a coffin, I can't say anything negative about these dogs. They have a good amount of nice tasting chili (about average spiciness and texture for Charleston) and a huge helping of really good slaw (that has a slight yellow tint to it that makes me wonder if it's not influenced by KC hot dog joints past). It lacks a steamed bun, but it was fresh and soft enough to do without. The onions were about right in size and taste.

While nothing special was present that made Donut Connection a hot dog destination, I think they still earn a solid 4 Weenie rating. Surprising place to find hot dogs, especially good ones; but then again, there is a precedent for such things in the immediate vicinty.

New Martinsville HDJ Review - Scream n' Dogs

An old colleague in New Martinsville pointed out this little stand near the southwest end of the downtown business district. A pleasant fall day and a scenic overlook of the Ohio River were enough to make for an enjoyable lunch, but this place had two other bonuses going for it: first prize for probably THE most original name I've come across in the state yet (sorry Haught Diggity Dogz), and the for being the first place this far north that actually lists a West Virginia Hot Dog on the menu by name. I played dumb and asked exactly what comes on one. My friendly cashier put down what she was doing to use hand gestures to show me which layer had which toppings. Thankfully, they know what they're doing. Well, except for the styrofoam coffin. The price was a bit on the higher side at $2.00, but the upward prices are more likely the trend for the foreseeable future. I found the slaw to be of decent quality. The cabbage had a slight crispness to it, and a decent sweet/tang to the dressing. The consistency New England Style bun but didn't saturate it. I thought that putting the rather chunky bits of onion on top of the slaw instead of the chili was a rather interesting concept. Nothing wrong with it, mind you, just something different. The chili (and it was called "chili" here, not "sauce") was much sweeter than I'm accustomed to and seemed to be a bit skimpy in the amount of beef in it. Still, it managed to work really well with the other ingredients and was both enjoyable and satisfying. The service was very good. The hot dogs are very, very good. The name is certainly original. Scream n' Dogs is good enough to rate four weenies. This even takes into account the half-weenie deduction for the use of a New England Style bun instead of a regular bun. Beyond that, I'm still thrilled to find someone get the concept of a real West Virginia Hot Dog spot on, rather than just calling it a "chili dog with slaw".

Clarksburg HDJ Review - T&L Hot Dogs (Rosebud Plaza)

Sometimes there is nothing better than just playing it safe and sticking with something familiar and reliable. With that thought in mind, I took a trip to the outskirts of Clarksburg for a good ol' West Virginia dog from T&L Hot Dogs' Rosebud Plaza location. This location is (I believe) the second oldest location in the chain, with downtown Bridgeport holding the title as the original restaurant.

Considering how busy as this location seemingly stays, I've always found the staff to be friendly irregardless of how crowded it gets. As it should be, you can always walk into a T&L and ask for a West Virginia dog, knowing that they're going to get it right. Like the other locations, the Rosebud spot boasts a retro 50s/60s look that's eye-catching and charming. What separates the Rosebud location from the others is the annual Summer Car Cruise held here, which features a plethora of snazzy classic autos from around the area, classic 50's cover bands, and other family-friendly events.

For a change of pace, I ordered the hot chili this time out. Doing so served to remind me of two things: First, I'm not as young as I think I am, and therefore my ability to handle super-spicy toppings is really diminished. Second, root beer is no match for chocolate milk when it comes to washing down really spicy chili.

The chili was what it should be from T&L...hearty, filling, beefy, full of flavor, and totally satisfying. No, it's not the greatest of all time, but it can certainly hold its own. The slaw at this particular location seems to have an unusually abundant amount of carrots in it. Somehow, though, it manages to work. The dressing is still sweet, cool, and creamy. With all other things (steamed buns, weenie, and onions), T&L always seems to have a good game plan in preparation. It's comfort food personified.

All things considered, this spot rates no less than four weenies. T&L's Rosebud Plaza location has all the familiar flavors and friendly service that made T&L thrive in the area for the last couple of decades.

Nitro HDJ Review - Jake's Dawg House

Located inside Brandywine Flea Market on Rt. 25, Jake's Dawg House is one of those kind of HDJs that has unpredictable hours that you have to be fairly intentional about visiting. I tried three times before I finally found it open. The sign says it is open Wednesday - Sunday 9-5 but I had been there during those hours and found it closed. Such is the way of small HDJs. (I am forever getting mail from people who ask me to post hours for the places we review, but I have always resisted because most places are like this one: Open when they get there, closed when they leave.) The menu at Jake's is full of different combinations of hot dogs and toppings, and a request for "one with everything" got me a blank stare. So I special ordered one with chili, slaw, mustard and onions. The person behind the counter was friendly, but not too speedy. I was surprised by how long it took to get my order and disappointed to see it served in a coffin. Jake's buns are the split top New England Style variety and are nicely grilled. The weenie was hefty and had the distinctive all-beef flavor of a premium brand. I couldn't tell how it was prepared. On top of the weenie was a good measure of tasty, meaty chili. It wasn't very spicy, but was flavorful. The slaw was really creamy and nicely sweet. The whole ensemble worked nicely. It was a good, tasty and filling hot dog that earns a Four Weenie rating.

Fairmont HDJ Review - Underdogs and More

Underdogs and More on Speedway Avenue in Fairmont is one of those places where the M.O. is simpy hot dogs and hot dogs only. You won't find many other offerings on the menu (save for fries, bottled drinks, and pepperoni rolls), let alone any other frilly bells and whistles. I wouldn't recommend getting a sit-down meal here on account of the extreme lack of seating. Although there is plenty of floor space, I didn't count seating for any more than ten people at the most. Those seats were quickly occupied during the lunch rush from the employees of the Novelis plant across the street.

A hot dog with "everything" here will net you chili, mustard, and onions. In keeping with the slaw by-laws of Marion County, slaw is available as an optional topping for a little extra. I didn't see anyone walking away with wax paper or foil wrapped dogs, only a stream of styrofoam coffins. A little disappointing, but obviously the proprietors know what their regular customers want, need, and accept.

The hot dogs themselves were terrific. I was immediately taken by how fresh and perfectly steamed the bun was. It was one of those buns that melts in your mouth with every bite while still managing to soak in just enough of the flavors of the weenie, chili, and slaw to add to the whole experience. The weiner was cooked to jucy perfection. However, I thought that there was a bit of overload in the onion department. Needless to say a supply of breath mints was in order for me for the rest of the day.

I was struck by how complex the chili was. While I can't say it was the greatest I have ever had, it was nonetheless very flavorful and hearty. The seasoning of the ground beef was very pronounced, giving it more of a beefy texture than normal. At the same time, it had just the right amount of sauce to keep the overall mixture from coming off as clumpy. I detected a heavy amount of paprika and chili powder, but not enough to overwhelm the whole concoction. I went with the medium version (other choices are mild and hot), and found it to be more than adequate when it came to buzzing my taste buds. It wasn't enough to make my upper lip bead up with sweat, but it sure did make me think about it. I'd chalk that up to the red pepper flakes in the mix.

The slaw was clearly of the homemade variety, but not all that flavorful. Although the mix of the dressing seemed well balanced, the cabbage was watery enough that it made the other ingredients taste bland. After pulling some of the slaw off with a plastic fork to sample on its own, I determined that the taste was almost completely gone from this particular batch. Then again, a ho-hum slaw is usually better than no slaw at all. Remember, this is Marion County after all.

For keeping it simple and sticking to the game plan to put out quality hot dogs, Underdogs and More warrants a four weenie rating. This HDJ is a credit to the hot dog culture movement.