Frametown HDJ Review - Granny's Kitchen

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

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

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

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

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

And then my hot dogs arrived.

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

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

Flatwoods HDJ Review - Custard Stand

I had been reminded that I was far behind on conducting a review for the blog, so I was eager to get on the road for an impromptu business trip to Flatwoods. I had recently heard that the Cowger family had opened a new shop just off exit 67 of I-79. It stands to reason the convenient location will serve this franchise well in the future. Ironically, the restaurant is located in what was briefly a Sam's Hot Dog Stand.

The interior is small, with enough seating for about 16 or 17 people. The outside features a covered patio area with a walk-up window. Custard Stand has a lot of variety on their menu, including several sandwiches, funnel cakes, ice cream treats, broccoli n' cheese poppers (!), chicken, fish, and something I would never expect to find at a hot dog joint...Buzz buttered steak. Very interesting. They also have prepackaged containers of their famous chili available for

purchase. You can get small, one-pound containers, or industrial sized five-pounders. This was also one of the few places that offers a chili dog...without the wiener.

Good service here. I got the eye contact, thank yous, quick prep and delivery of my meal, etc. As I've said time and time again, good service is key to making your HDJ worth coming back to.

When I got my order back to my car, I was pleased as punch to

see that they didn't just wrap it up and toss it in a bag, like I've suffered with before. They carefully balanced the toppings around the weenie, placed it in a paper boat, and delicately wrapped it in wax paper (bonus points) so as not to crush it. When I unwrapped this little hand-held treasure trove, there was a waft of the freshly steamed bun that immediately let me know I was in for a treat.

Indeed, in the first bite I was impressed by how fresh and perfectly steamed the bun was. I took a look at the slaw and found that it was shredded extra fine. Fortunately, it was not doused in too much dressing so as to make the bun soggy. The slaw didn't suffer from an overdose of sweet or sour. It had the "just right" balance that made the perfect compliment to the dog.

I've had Custard Stand chili before, having picked some up at a local grocery store. My take on it is that is truly a southern West Virginia formula, favoring a good simmered beef flavor versus diverse spices, which are more typical of the

northern formulas. There was a nice texture to the beef and just the right amount of sauce mixed in. Like the slaw, it doesn't go overboard in the liquid department, but emphasizes a nice, flowing consistency throughout the whole mixture. I found the whole concoction to be both savory and satisfying.

If I were forced (and I would have to be forced) to point out any flaw, it would only be that it was a little heavy on the mustard for my taste. Still, this was easy to overlook as it melded nicely with the chili. The onions were diced a little coarse as well, but again they only served to compliment the whole package.

I give Custard Stand five weenies. It seems as though the Cowger's have the art of the hot dog down to a science. The chili they serve has captured the essence of what homemade should taste like. In the future, a visit to the original Custard Stand in Webster Springs will be in order.