Sophie Petit

Jack’s Cosmic Dogs

Sophie Petit

Skoogie’s Chicago Style Deli

During “hot dog season,” which spans from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Americans typically consume more than 800 hot dogs every second.

This Fourth of July, Americans enjoyed 150 million hot dogs.

Although there may be nothing easier than throwing a hot dog on the grill, Mount Pleasant is home to some true masters of the dog. 

Jack’s Cosmic Dogs is a funky, retro-futuristic restaurant where everything is cosmic.

It all started with one rocket ship.

Owner Jack Hurley acquired a drop tank from a Vermont National Guard bomber while living in Vermont, which now hangs from the ceiling of Jack’s Cosmic Dogs.

Hurley always liked the word “cosmic” and the drop tank rocket launched the idea for a 30s view of the future, Flash Gordon-themed hot dog joint.

“Our food is great, but it’s also about theater. You’ve got to have a little theater and a character. I’m the character,” Hurley said.

Besides the playful décor, the food at Jack’s proves you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Hurley uses high-quality Boar’s Head hot dogs. Each dog is encased in a over-sized bun that’s just the right size to hold all of the toppings.

To give you a taste, Jack’s “Astro Dog” is topped with Jack’s onion relish and spicy mustard. The “Blue Galactic Dog” is covered with chili, cheese, Jack’s blue cheese slaw and sweet potato mustard, which is Hurley’s own recipe. All of the toppings are house made as well as their hand-cut fries, fried in peanut oil.

Coming from Vermont, Hurley said he, “knows the power of the vegetarian. If there’s six people in a car and one of them’s a vegetarian, then the car is going some place else.” Jack’s offers a variety of vegetarian options like the “Bunny in a Bun,” a grilled carrot in a hot dog bun.

About two weeks ago, Alton Brown from Good Eats on the Food Channel stopped by Jack’s while vacationing at Isle of Palms. “Everything is perfect,” he said. “The Neutron Dog is my personal fave.”

To put a spin on an old classic, next time you grill out make sure to have an array of toppings, Hurley explained. A good coleslaw is vital.

An easy way to recreate Jack’s blue cheese slaw is to slice and dice some fresh cabbage and dress it in a thick blue cheese dressing.

Dressing slaw in a mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream and some pineapple juice is also good, he said. Definitely have a variety of chili, mustards and fresh salsas. Many everyday toppings can be freshened up by adding fruit like mangos and peaches.

You can also mix things up by grilling more than one type of dog such as knockwursts or bratwursts.

The other top dog in town is Skoogie’s Chicago Style Deli, which specializes in Chicago-style hot dogs and deli sandwiches.

Owner Jeff Argenio takes pride in using only the finest ingredients, bought specially from Chicago, where the hot dog trend started.

He uses all-beef Vienna franks and poppy-seed buns and dresses them up any way you want them, with choices like homemade chili, tomato, onion or cheese. And for those with larger appetites, you can get the quarter-pound “Homewrecker” dog.

Argenio said that he sells thousands of dogs a week and “as many French fries as McDonalds,” which are served with your choice of three kinds of salts.

“What makes a hot dog is the meat and bread, which has to be of the highest quality,” said Argenio.

Although you can’t buy Skoogie’s Chicago dogs and buns in stores around here, you can make the perfect dog by starting with the best meat, “no Oscar-Meyer wieners,” he said.

Hebrew National all-beef kosher dogs are a good choice.

“After you get the staples right, you really have to use your imagination and be creative,” Argenio said.

Spice it up with some chopped peppers or chili.

“Just do what you want with it,” he added. 

And last, but certainly not least, is Johnny’s Hot Dogs, which for the past four years has won Moultrie News’ Best of the Best award, and has an outdoor-only seating area.

Johnny’s offers all-beef Boar’s Head hot dogs and as of next week 50 different toppings!

“You can always tell where people are from by what they order,” Owner Johnny Bamond said. “People from Chicago order kraut, onion and spicy mustard. People from South Carolina order cole slaw and chili.”

Although Bamond couldn’t disclose any of his top-secret recipes – his wife would kill him – he said what makes a dog is high-quality meat and toppings.

So next time you get the grill going set the patties aside and let the dogs out.