Ol' South's hot dogs stick to the basics

To open a hot dog restaurant in the greater Charleston area is to compete against a veteran set of Frankophiles. It's no boast, the Lowcountry doesn't hanker for great hot dog establishments. We're blessed with several. Among them, Jack's Cosmic Dogs, Johnny's, Perfectly Frank's, Skoogies and The Tin Roof.

So, certainly any newcomer must pass muster.

Enter Ol' South, "the new dog in town," according to its menu.

While its contemporaries can claim a laundry list of condiments and toppings, Ol' South sticks to the basics: homemade chili, mustard, onions, sauerkraut, slaw, relish and jalapenos. And say this for the chili, it's made with Black Angus ground chuck, a departure from most hot dog stands.

Now if only Ol' South could say the same about its frankfurters, which are made from a beef-pork blend, another departure from the area's favorite hot dog haunts. It's unfortunate, but Ol' South's offerings -- thin, rubbery and mild -- end up tasting an awful lot like the hot dogs one might make at home. Not to say the restaurant isn't trying; they're "looking into" providing all-beef hot dogs. Hope they hurry up.

In the meantime, the "Ol' South," the restaurant's signature hot dog, costs $2.09 with chili, mustard and onions. A kraut dog or slaw dog, both with mustard and onions, costs the same.

Otherwise, Ol' South serves only ice cream, available in at least seven flavors.

Like many other restaurants, there's room for improvement at Ol' South. Maybe the place will turn the corner soon.