Simple pleasures at Sam’s Hot Dog Stand

Once a coffee kiosk, the little building sitting in the parking lot at 1715 N. Franklin St. in Christiansburg is now the home of one of the simple pleasures of the culinary world: the hot dog. Sam’s Hot Dog Stand puts a paper bag of savory delights into customers’ hands through their drive-through window.

We enjoy eating at many restaurants , but this is the only one where we’ve eaten just about every item on the menu.

Sam’s Hot Dog Stand is a franchise that began in Huntington, W.Va., in 1983. Randall Burch owns the Christiansburg location, and his son works in the kiosk, which features the drive-through and a few picnic tables outside.

Sam’s gained its following because the chili on the all-beef hot dogs is something special.

For $1.55, a hot dog comes in a soft bun with your choice of mustard, ketchup, onions, coleslaw and chili. For 17 cents extra per topping, customers can add cheese, sauerkraut or relish. The dogs are not monstrous ; they are standard-sized hot dogs on squishy buns you can easily bite, and the chili comes close to being the perfect hot dog condiment. Adding kraut or slaw makes it a little bit messy, but adds another layer of flavor.

Need a cheap lunch? For $2.89, you can drive away with a hot dog, chips and a canned drink. Sam’s offers Coke, Pepsi, and Dr Pepper products.

The designated gopher at lunchtime can get a six-pack of hot dogs for $7.75 or a 12-pack for $14.50. The next time it’s your turn to “go fer” lunch, Sam’s would be a good choice.

There is no smoker to be seen at Sam’s, so the barbecue must be made somewhere else. No matter, it is just juicy, sweet and tangy enough to make both of us say “this is good barbecue.” The barbecue sandwich ($2.69) can include coleslaw; for only $3.91, you can have that sandwich with a bag of chips and a canned drink.

We are not afraid to admit our affection for corn dogs. What’s not to like about a hot dog on a stick wrapped in cornbread? Sam’s corn dogs cost only $1.55 . The coating is sweet and not particularly crispy , but when dipped in mustard, they satisfy that guilty craving.

Side orders of coleslaw ($1.39), potato salad ($1.49), and macaroni salad ($1.49) are available in sturdy little containers. While they are not the real reason you go to Sam’s Hot Dog stand, they are creamy and a little sweet , and can round out a lunch-break picnic.

There is nothing fancy about the wax paper-wrapped hot dogs, but they have an abundance of flavor and are a simple pleasure. There is absolutely nothing pretentious about Sam’s Hot Dog Stand — it is a hot dog stand, and a very good one.

Once you order, you will pray for green traffic lights so you can get home quickly and bite into those dogs.

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