YUM: Grading West Michigan's hot dog joints

I noticed the Pronto Pup of Grand Haven:

313 S. Harbor, Grand Haven (grandhavenprontopup.com)

Eaten: The Pronto Pup (only thing on the menu), a dog on a stick dipped in batter, cooked in 100 percent vegetable oil and served "naked," or slathered with ketchup or mustard

Verdict: A lot like a corn dog, but oh, so much better. The use of a wheat-based, rather than corn-based, batter adds an intangible sweetness to the dog. Another classic West Michigan item -- available seasonally and the third weekend in January -- that's nearly perfect in its simplicity.

Grade: A

The small Minnesota town where I grew up had a summer festival called the Pow Wow, and one of the top treats was the "Pow Wow Pup," which many people referred to as a "pronto pup." I've always thought that I liked the Pow Wow Pups more than I like standard corn dogs (which I do like very much) and wondered if it was a different sort of batter. This description of a "pronto pup" makes me think it was. Wikipedia says that the pronto pup had its origin at the Minnesota State Fair.