Not your average hot dog: This food cart is taking Happy Valley foodies by storm
Bob Vogely is channeling his 30-plus years of culinary expertise into a new endeavor. A graduate of the New England Culinary Institute, with experience in the hospitality and catering industries, this summer he launched a hot dog cart dubbed Dog’s on the Run that’s been making the rounds in Happy Valley to much fanfare.
“I’ve been offering small catering, personal parties, home replacement meals — that kind of thing,” Vogely said of his catering business, Lost Moose Catering, “and then I decided to add the hot dog cart to the collection. It’s fun. I enjoy it. You get outside. You get to see people. It’s also fun for functions — parties, birthday parties, weddings and different events.”
The cart can typically be spotted around Happy Valley on Tuesdays through Saturdays, barring Vogely’s other business commitments. He starts his days out at a satellite kitchen where he compiles everything he needs for the day, and then he heads out with the brand-new, state-of-the-art cart to one of a handful of locations throughout the area. Past State College spots where Vogely has set up shop have included Your Building Centers, Levin Furniture and Mattress, Lowe’s and Tire Town.
However, where Dog’s on the Run ends up is reliant on factors like permitting and partnerships with local businesses. The day’s location can often be found on Facebook, either through the business’s own Facebook page or on the popular Foodies of State College Facebook page. As members there report, the hot dogs at Dog’s on the Run are “packed with flavor” — and for good reason. Vogely isn’t serving up just your average hot dog slathered with mustard and ketchup. Instead, alongside all-beef hot dogs, the occasional quarter-pound dogs and kielbasa served with onions and mustard, Vogely provides a range of specialty hot dogs.
A few specialty hot dogs are always on the menu, including a chili cheese dog and what Vogely calls the “local favorite,” the Mexi Hot with meat sauce, onions and mustard.
“Then I try to do one or two specialty dogs of the day. Last week I was (offering) some hot dogs from Maine — red-cased and very unusual, but a really good hot dog and I sold quite a few. People were really happy with those,” Vogely said. “I have probably 50 or 60 different (hot dogs), from a Frito dog to a coleslaw dog. ... I’ll do a Chicago dog. I’ll have a banh mi hot dog at some point, with jalapenos, carrots, cucumbers and sriracha mayo. I did a Boston dog the other day, with Boston baked beans and chopped onions. One day I did just a sliced jalapenos and cheese dog, and people really enjoyed that.”
In the future, Vogely has his eye on expanding the number of places he takes Dog’s on the Run, with possibilities including local farmers markets and spots where weather could be less of an issue, allowing for winter operations. Based on the positive customer response, the options are myriad.
“I seem to have repeat customers and get good feedback on the (Foodies of State College Facebook page). I think it’s a positive. It was something that was missing from State College,” Vogely said. “We don’t really have (a hot dog vendor) in town that I’m aware of.”
While growing Dog’s on the Run, Vogely is also still operating Lost Moose Catering, serving a range of functions including luncheons, private dinners, parties, picnics, reunions, tailgates and the like. He also says he offers quite a few home replacement meals for those who might need a helping hand in the kitchen.
“The (clients) contact me and we start building a relationship and (learning) what they might want or not want, and I deliver the meals to them. ... Then, all they do is heat them up,” he said.
For those interested in Vogely’s catering services through Lost Moose Catering, the best way to get in contact is via phone, at 814-933-7930. To catch Dog’s on the Run at the cart’s next location, follow Lost Moose Catering and Dog’s on the Run on Facebook or look out for the business’s posts on the Foodies of State College Facebook page.