News
ENLARGE
It's official: Haute hot dogs have landed in Breckenridge.
Summit County couple Jess and Ryan Turano just opened The Sloppy Dog, a hot dog, chili and sandwich joint in the lower level of La Cima Mall. Customers can get everything from a plain, all-beef hot dog to one loaded with mac and cheese, green chilis, bacon and ranch dressing — aptly named “the outta bounds.” Another, “the far east,” includes pickled carrot, cucumber and daikon salad, while the “wicked good” has Boston baked beans, bacon and cheddar.
“We're trying to get creative with hot dogs,” Ryan Turano said.
Ryan, 33, has been working in restaurants since the age of 15. He attended culinary school at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, R.I. and has run the kitchens of restaurants on the East Coast, as well as in Colorado. In Summit County, he has worked for Hearthstone Catering, Peak 9 Restaurant and The Blue Moose. He and Jess have always seen themselves owning some sort of food establishment, but the idea for a hot dog place didn't come about until this summer. The original plan was to open a chili company, and produce product for store shelves (something Ryan still wants to do), but it just morphed into hot dogs.
“Hot dogs are a great addition,” Jess Turano said. “The idea just grew from there.”
“We're trying to pick stuff people like, that goes good with hot dogs,” Ryan Turano said. Ryan makes both a veggie and beef chili, and uses them both on hot dogs — the “sloppy dog” — baked potatoes, and in a special chili section on the menu. Customers can get it plain, or loaded up a few different ways, including with kettle chips, hot dog pieces, mac and cheese, bacon and a few other garnishes.
“It's actually served in a dog bowl. It has a little bit of everything,” Ryan said.
Besides bringing creativity to a few American staples, the idea behind Sloppy Dog is to make it fast; Ryan said many orders are ready before the cashier is finished. And, the couple is trying to make it a place people with special diets can eat — they've got gluten-free buns and tofu dogs — because “we're trying to have the menu open to a wide variety of people,” Jess said. “We just think good food is for everybody.”
In the few weeks The Sloppy Dog has been open, there has been “zero negative feedback,” and lots of regular customers said Ryan, who is there putting together his creations on a daily basis. They're open for lunch and dinner, and on certain days, late-night.
While the couple is happy with their new business, they see it as a stepping stone. Ryan still wants to move ahead with his chili business, along with a few other ideas they've got on the back burner.
“We're just really into food,” Jess said.
More info:
There's a grand opening from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at The Sloppy Dog in La Cima Mall, Breckenridge. The Breckenridge Resort Chamber will host a ribbon cutting, and there will be give-aways, a free keg of beer and happy hour pricing on hot dogs.
Summit County couple Jess and Ryan Turano just opened The Sloppy Dog, a hot dog, chili and sandwich joint in the lower level of La Cima Mall. Customers can get everything from a plain, all-beef hot dog to one loaded with mac and cheese, green chilis, bacon and ranch dressing — aptly named “the outta bounds.” Another, “the far east,” includes pickled carrot, cucumber and daikon salad, while the “wicked good” has Boston baked beans, bacon and cheddar.
“We're trying to get creative with hot dogs,” Ryan Turano said.
Ryan, 33, has been working in restaurants since the age of 15. He attended culinary school at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, R.I. and has run the kitchens of restaurants on the East Coast, as well as in Colorado. In Summit County, he has worked for Hearthstone Catering, Peak 9 Restaurant and The Blue Moose. He and Jess have always seen themselves owning some sort of food establishment, but the idea for a hot dog place didn't come about until this summer. The original plan was to open a chili company, and produce product for store shelves (something Ryan still wants to do), but it just morphed into hot dogs.
“Hot dogs are a great addition,” Jess Turano said. “The idea just grew from there.”
“We're trying to pick stuff people like, that goes good with hot dogs,” Ryan Turano said. Ryan makes both a veggie and beef chili, and uses them both on hot dogs — the “sloppy dog” — baked potatoes, and in a special chili section on the menu. Customers can get it plain, or loaded up a few different ways, including with kettle chips, hot dog pieces, mac and cheese, bacon and a few other garnishes.
“It's actually served in a dog bowl. It has a little bit of everything,” Ryan said.
Besides bringing creativity to a few American staples, the idea behind Sloppy Dog is to make it fast; Ryan said many orders are ready before the cashier is finished. And, the couple is trying to make it a place people with special diets can eat — they've got gluten-free buns and tofu dogs — because “we're trying to have the menu open to a wide variety of people,” Jess said. “We just think good food is for everybody.”
In the few weeks The Sloppy Dog has been open, there has been “zero negative feedback,” and lots of regular customers said Ryan, who is there putting together his creations on a daily basis. They're open for lunch and dinner, and on certain days, late-night.
While the couple is happy with their new business, they see it as a stepping stone. Ryan still wants to move ahead with his chili business, along with a few other ideas they've got on the back burner.
“We're just really into food,” Jess said.
More info:
There's a grand opening from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at The Sloppy Dog in La Cima Mall, Breckenridge. The Breckenridge Resort Chamber will host a ribbon cutting, and there will be give-aways, a free keg of beer and happy hour pricing on hot dogs.
