Dennis Foley of Chicago’s Beverly community ate more than 50 hot dogs in 50 days for his newest book.
The author, whose other titles include 2004’s “The Streets & San Man’s Guide to Chicago Eats” plans to release “No Ketchup: Chicago’s Top 50 Hot Dogs and the Stories Behind Them” on Sept. 1 through McBride & Roche Press.
“I’m a big hot dog fan,” said Foley, who had his first restaurant hot dog in 1968 at age 8 when his grandfather Michael Roche took him “somewhere on 79th Street” on Chicago’s South Side.
“From going around for years to different hot dog joints, I’ve gotten to know a number of people. With a mission of 50 dogs in 50 days I went back to my favorites. This was right before COVID-19.
“I did sit-down interviews with some of these people. I wanted to tell their stories. They have great Chicago stories. I just thought it was a pretty cool thing to combine my love for the hot dog with the stories about the mom-and-pop owners who sell them.”
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Dennis Foley’s son Patrick Foley, who designed the “No Ketchup” cover, suggested the rating system, which ranges from three mustards for good to four mustards for excellent.
Southland spots include Fat Tommy’s, 3031 W. 111th St., in Chicago’s Mount Greenwood community; Janson’s Drive In, 9900 S. Western Ave., in Beverly; Joey’s Red Hots, 11500 S. Western Ave., in Chicago’s Morgan Park community; and Nicky V’s (formerly known as Doug’s Dogs), 6200 W. 159th St., Oak Forest.
“The basic Chicago dog has its own ingredients,” said Dennis Foley about the “Magnificent Seven” of mustard, onions, relish, tomatoes, pickle (or cucumber), sport peppers and celery salt that should top a dog with snap in a steamed bun.
“Each place does something different. Sometimes at Fat Tommy’s in Mount Greenwood I like to get the Ditka.”
The specialty dog is a bacon-wrapped Polish sausage that is deep-fried and topped with mustard, grilled onions and cheese.
“These owners that are all running the show are characters,” Dennis Foley said.
“No Ketchup” features 13 interviews with mom-and-pop owners including Dan Coogan, who started D&T’s Cart in the Park in 1991 in Chicago and eventually opened Fat Tommy’s, and Nick Versetto, who bought the former Doug’s Dogs in October and is in the process of changing the name to Nicky V’s.
“The guy looks like he just got out of high school,” said Dennis Foley about 37-year-old Versetto.
“He’s about carrying on tradition. This guy has it where it’s even better. It had real good flavor with the dog but he does some cool things with the menu and also dropped the price of the dogs.”
“No Ketchup” also offers “Around the corner” suggestions for places such as Janson’s Drive In, which is in the vicinity of a dozen pubs, including Horse Thief Hollow, 10426 S. Western Ave., and Open Outcry Brewing Co., 10934 S. Western Ave., from 99th to 113th streets on the west side of Western Avenue.
The “Around the corner” suggestion for Joey’s Red Hots, is Beverly Records, 11612 S. Western Ave., which is one block south of the restaurant and features a vinyl selection that has been curated by the Dreznes family since 1967.
“There’s a feel-good vibe you get going up to a dog stand that has a good look to it. It can be a beat-up old shack like Fat Johnnie’s on Western Avenue or Joey’s over on 115th Street that’s got all the bright colors. All the stuff looks cool,” Dennis Foley said.
The Battle of the Fiberglass Hot Dog Mascots in “No Ketchup” pits cool-looking characters against each other.
The Launching Pad’s Gemini Giant in Wilmington faces Superdawg’s Maurie and Flaurie from Chicago’s Far North Side while Hot Dog on a Fork from Wolfy’s Hot Dogs on the Far North Side takes on Big Chief, an “Around the corner” suggestion for Windy City Hot Dogs in Chicago’s West Lawn community.
“For people that love hot dogs, there’s a lot of great hot dog info. There’s also some of the side stuff that goes with it,” said Dennis Foley about “No Ketchup,” which will be available at mcropress.com, Chicago bookstores including Bookie’s in Beverly and Amazon.
“People go to hot dog joints but they might not know the owner’s name. You get a good snapshot of the mom-and-pop owners that slap the mustard on the dog. People can relate to their stories because they’re Chicago stories,” Dennis Foley said.
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.