New Orono restaurant features specialty hot dogs

ORONO – When most of us think of hot dogs, we more or less think of the same thing. A bunch of hot dogs on the grill, a bag of rolls and a handful of basic condiments – ketchup, mustard, relish. That tends to be our default thought process with regards to hot dogs.

But then you visit a place like College Dogs, located in the University Mall at 6 Stillwater Avenue in Orono. College Dogs is the kind of restaurant that reminds you of the true and epic potential of the hot dog.

“I moved here from Fall River (Massachusetts) about a year ago,” said Jody Blanchette, owner-operator of College Dogs. “I came up to visit some friends in the Old Town/Orono area and liked it so much I decided to move here with my family.

“I was looking for a way to make a living,” he continued, “so I decided to bring something that wasn’t around here; stuff like hot dogs, fried treats, steamed burgers, fried dinner plates and home cooked food.”