tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-206754232009-11-29T11:11:06.518-05:00A place to discuss the uniquely delectable gift from heaven known as the West Virginia Hot Dog.Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.comBlogger486125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-45729240901404741142009-11-27T22:46:00.006-05:002009-11-28T09:43:43.350-05:00

There's an old saying that goes "fool me once shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."Shame on me, then.When I first reviewed Tricky Fish a year and a half ago, they had just opened and I didn't even give the hot dog a Weenie Rank because it was so non-WVHD-like. I've been back on numerous occasions, but I opted for one of their non-hot dog items, even though I did notice that they had changed

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-16681587417540833682009-11-12T07:01:00.000-05:002009-11-12T07:01:00.200-05:00

Since my daughter is a student at UCLA (University of Concord Located in Athens) I frequently travel to the southern part of the state on missions of mercy - usually involving the delivery of vast sums of cash or other valuables. One recent trip found me arriving at just about lunchtime and so my starving daughter and I went looking for a bite to eat. On the road between Athens and Pipestem

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-19429328321099160112009-11-10T07:00:00.000-05:002009-11-10T07:00:07.003-05:00

Obviously for most West Virginians, the first question that we have to answer is "where in the @#?! is Page?" The answer to that is easy: Between Montgomery and Oak Hill. The REAL question should be "How in the @#?! did you find this place?" The answer to that questions is that a small email campaign waged by Fayette County readers persuaded me that this little place in this little place that is

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-21742118799753534212009-11-07T16:46:00.003-05:002009-11-07T17:16:21.609-05:00

I recently received an email from a publisher's rep who told me that WVHotDogs.com was mentioned in a new book and asked if we would help promote it. He graciously honored my request for a review copy of the book. I found this beautiful November day a perfect day to sit outside and read and since the book is only 144 pages including appendices, it was easy to finish in one sitting.The book is

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-43992593408304411772009-11-04T08:26:00.009-05:002009-11-06T07:46:33.538-05:00

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

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-34859839957920162702009-11-04T08:03:00.002-05:002009-11-04T08:25:33.372-05:00

The stench of the latrine filled my nostrils as I approached the camp. With all of the stealth I could muster I crept closer and closer to the sound - and now smells - of the enemy who would immediately assail me if my presence was detected. I realized that I was holding my breath as my senses were on razor's edge; "must breathe normally" I told myself. Through the brush I could see the dimly lit

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-51105862142389818302009-09-17T16:23:00.006-04:002009-09-17T16:55:23.820-04:00

Sitting alongside DuPont Avenue just outside the Belle city limits is this little HDJ that seems to want to be a family restaurant but is essentially a sports bar with a family section. The inside, especially the sports bar section, is much nicer looking than is the exterior which is bland cinder block painted with bland colored paint. I'm taking a complete guess here, but from the look of the

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-4404862473029300432009-09-07T10:01:00.002-04:002009-09-07T10:04:24.455-04:00

On this Labor Day, We at WVHotDogs.com would like to thank all of the folks who work their buns off all across West Virginia to make sure that a great hot dog is never than a few miles or minutes away.Hat tip to all y'all.

Chris Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145140282045200199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-52634796619736542672009-08-26T08:28:00.005-04:002009-08-26T08:46:31.158-04:00

This list was published a few months ago and since then it has definitely increased my desire to go on food road trips around the state. But I quickly found out that some of the places on the list aren't so unique and some might be qualified as "unique" but also are not very good. Somebody has started a new web site that asks for input on the subject in the form of comments, and you can also

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-69541079174163783542009-08-25T06:56:00.000-04:002009-08-25T06:56:00.181-04:00

While we have an FAQ page over at WVHotDogs.com, here are some that are somewhat frequent as well:Q. What kind of hot dogs do you think are best?A. This question is based on the faulty premise that the term "hot dog" means the same thing as "weenie", and is further misguided because a WVHD is not about the weenie.Q. So if you make hot dogs at home, what kind of weenie do you use.A. Why on earth

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-10276787790310687722009-08-22T13:12:00.000-04:002009-08-22T13:12:00.179-04:00

Right off of the Mink Shoals exit of I79, about 2 miles north of the Charleston city limit sign, sits this old favorite. Harding's brags about serving breakfast anytime (which prompted me to once ask for French Toast during the Renaissance; they didn't get the joke), has great home style food and is just a gnerally clean and dependable place to eat. It is usually overcrowded after church, but

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-91815200495541111302009-08-20T12:54:00.006-04:002009-08-20T13:10:02.723-04:00

Click to enlarge

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-41878209895269412732009-08-19T06:00:00.000-04:002009-08-19T06:00:04.069-04:00

This little corner eatery is the epitome of "nuthin' fancy", and yet it has sat on the same little corner on the same little street in the same little town for 57 years. It has survived the many floods that Marlinton has seen in those years (no doubt that the place has been submerged more than once) and has remained unchanged in the face of a town and county that has seen a complete change in its

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-74489813115247681532009-08-17T12:37:00.003-04:002009-08-17T12:44:37.364-04:00

I went to Ripley because of this list and this newspaper article.When I got there I noticed they had hot dogs.I got one.I regretted my decision.It had beans in the chili. Any questions?0.5 Weenies PS: The crab cakes were mediocre at best. The ones they sell at Fresh Seafood at Capitol Market are much, much better. And their hot dogs are better too.

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-58595334638192306232009-08-12T11:43:00.000-04:002009-08-12T11:43:00.464-04:00

The T&L Hot Dogs in Weston is one of those infamous off-shoots that isn't included in the canon of the official T&L universe. Like Cindy's T&L in nearby Jane Lew, this branch doesn't seem to have any ties to main chain of stores in the Clarksburg, Morgantown, Bridgeport, or Grafton areas. And like the Jane Lew location, the Weston version has a different take on the original recipe for the chili.

Big Daddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17410976855049902115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-13091516137590571812009-08-10T12:04:00.000-04:002009-08-10T12:04:00.258-04:00

South Charleston is turning into a real dining destination lately, and even though the best HDJ in town (Romeo's Grill) recently closed down for good, another contender has popped up just around the corner. Happy Days Cafe sits in the same building as the hoity-toity team room restaurant on D Street just a stone's throw from The Mound. It has a 50's theme, with 50's decor on the walls, 50's music

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-89563734329553541092009-08-07T15:15:00.003-04:002009-08-07T15:25:24.401-04:00

But honestly, this graphic is worth every bit of the traffic we can send to to Serious Eats. For his foray into the WVHD world, the author ate at Marties, which is the northernmost 5 Weenie HDJ ever reviewed by WVHotDogs.com. I don't like the huge "slaw dog" label because everyone knows that in West Virginia you don't ask for a "slaw dog" - you just get one; but the graphic is awesome otherwise.A

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-8231685206111632222009-08-05T20:00:00.000-04:002009-08-05T20:04:08.918-04:00

Just outside of Weston sits a humble looking establishment with lists of ice cream goodies so long, they nearly cover the majority of the outer walls near the order window. Coke & Float has just about every imaginable variety of ice cream combination you can imagine (shakes, cones, sundaes, etc.). The hot dogs here are more in the "just alright" arena, meaning they're okay if you need a fix, but

Big Daddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17410976855049902115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-13476917907259976192009-08-03T21:48:00.006-04:002009-08-03T22:04:56.221-04:00

After foiling a major ballot box stuffing attempt by a small but noisy group of Fairmont emailers, WVHotDogs.com is finally able to confirm that this year's Weenie Award for the State's Best Hot Dog Joint goes to....................................scroll down(drumroll)scroll downMorrison's Drive Inn in LoganThe mere fact that we get more email from outside the state about this hot dog jont should

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-15080256855691627082009-07-30T03:00:00.001-04:002009-07-30T03:00:04.124-04:00

The 2009 North Central Region winners for the Weenie Awards contains some returning faves and a couple of new entries, including a new winner for in the Best Overall.Without further adieu:Marion County - Hank's Deli, FairmontMarion County has improved by substantial leaps and bounds in shedding the stigma of being a "no slaw" zone. The crew at Hank's never paid attention to this fictional "rule"

Big Daddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17410976855049902115noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-45271173536294665402009-07-29T08:27:00.005-04:002009-07-29T08:34:56.617-04:00

Due to severe budget cutbacks at WVHotDogs.com, we have had to restrict the far-flung tasting junkets of our Weenie Wonks. Their loss is your gain: We have decided to allow our reader's voices to be heard in an unprecedented way as we open this important questions to the whims and prejudices of our readership. You may post your vote for the state's best hot dog joint as a comment or email it to

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-59476017899935160652009-07-28T10:16:00.002-04:002009-07-28T10:39:32.223-04:00

For the second year running, Swiftwater Cafe takes the prize for Best Downtown Hot Dog Joint in Charleston. The decision wasn't as easy this year, since a couple of new discoveries were making some serious challenges to Swiftwater's Genteel Dog offering. Honorable mention goes to The Blue Moon Cafe.The main reason that Swiftwater was able to hold on to the trophy this year was because of their

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-72935949315198454772009-07-25T20:58:00.004-04:002009-07-26T12:08:05.871-04:00

Once again Huntington tried to play host to the West Virginia Hot Dog Festival. This year's event featured 9 hot dog joints, one wiener manufacturer and a whole bunch of various and sundry vendors, clubs, political action organizations and just general hawkers of meaningless crap.Here are a few pictures:This is the "Healthy Alternative" sold by Java Joint. It is a tofu weenie and served with

Stantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05358119762516515188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-49101685042592182352009-07-23T06:06:00.001-04:002009-07-23T10:20:37.999-04:00

While Big Daddy in still recovering from el dio de los perros and Stanton is fighting a Kazakhstani spambot (apparently the blog "iss very nice" and Stanton should sign up for DirecTV through them), I'll go ahead and pull the trigger on the first award of the 2009 Weenie Award season for best HDJ in the Huntington area:Sam's Hot Dog Stand of 8th Street.If you want to get the same great

Chris Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145140282045200199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20675423.post-53452507434578166152009-07-18T22:24:00.000-04:002009-07-18T22:29:28.511-04:00

On July 18th downtown Clarksburg played host to the first annual "Day of the Dog", which was a fund raising event to benefit the Harrison County Humane Society. The event was sponsored by local radio stations and Heiner’s Bakery. For $5.00, you got three tickets and a ballot with which you could vote for your favorite hot dog. There were contests for root beer chugging and, or course, hot dog

Big Daddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17410976855049902115noreply@blogger.com0