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Corky's Hot Dogs

By John Graham

Metromix Orlando
May 7, 2008

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Hot dogs are one of the most reliable Cheap Eats out there, and they're filling too. Meat ... bread ... slap a little cheese on there if you want some dairy or nuclear-green relish for your veg. I'm always curious when I see a new hot dog place getting ready to open, and I'd been keeping my eye on Corky's since it was just a paper sign taped to the glass of an empty storefront.

Flash forward a few months and Corky's is up and running. There's even a little outdoor patio section. Inside, the walls are mustard yellow, ketchup red and I-have-no-idea-why blue. A cartoon mural of smiling sausages, onions and tomatoes runs along the front of the counter. On the far wall hangs a collection of showbiz photos signed by old-schoolers like Liberace, Jonathan Winters and Kaye Ballard. The 8x10s were autographed for the owner's mom, a professional singer during that era.

For the hardcore hot dog lover, a shop's supplier can make or break. At Corky's, sausages are from the Chicago favorite, Vienna Beef. A “Corky's Original” with mustard, relish and onions is $2.55. A New York dog (red onions and spicy mustard) is $2.70. Slaw dogs and kraut dogs are $2.70 as well.

The Chicago dog is a bargain at $2.80. Piled with the usual Chi-town toppings (yellow mustard, onion, relish, pickle slices, tomatoes, hot peppers and celery seed on a steamed poppy seed bun), you can add fries and your choice of slaw, baked beans, or potato salad for $2 more. (Yes, you can have both French fries and potato salad.) Sometimes, Chicago dogs come so overflowing with toppings that you end up with a salad in your lap. Corky's version had just the right amount of stuff, carefully constructed so I could have eaten it while walking down the street.

The Cor dog ($3.40) is a Polish sausage with spicy brown mustard and sauerkraut. It's really salty, but also has a black pepper kick; juicy inside with a wrinkly skin that's got a little chew to it. The Bulldog ($3.50) is a hot Italian sausage with mustard and relish. I've had dry Italian sausages at other places, but not this one. If you’ve got the extra scratch, I suggest the Italian sausage special ($6.95) which adds grilled onions and peppers, plus fries and a fountain soda.

Dish: The owner is at the register, taking customer orders and dishing out orders to staff, wearing what I'm going to guess is a trilby. (I don't know hats.) It's distinctive and certainly classier than a hairnet or baseball cap.

Damage: Corky's also serves the other Chicago classic, the Italian beef, but at $6.15 for a sandwich without side orders or beverage, it's outside my $5 price range. Still, to get a Chicago dog and fries and slaw for $4.80 is a pretty good deal.

Decision: Soda is a little pricey at $1.70, but the fountain is on our side of the counter so you can refill before you go. Add to that nine topping combos that are less than $3 each and this wiener is a winner.