'No one ever leaves here hungry'

New London - While others hunkered down during the holidays, Kenneth Hochstetler used the Christmas through New Year break to dramatically transform his three-year-old Kamp Dog restaurant across from the Huntington Street courthouse.

And now the former takeout restaurant on Broad Street has lost the huge island that previously dominated the place and has found space for a half dozen tables where patrons - ranging from attorneys to Coast Guard cadets to police and firefighters - can sit and enjoy huge portions of freshly cooked food at plebian prices.

"Everything he does is from scratch," said Kristine Takacs of Groton, a regular customer and former employee at the restaurant. "It's the only place you need a knife and fork to eat a hot dog."

Breakfast burritos, she said, feel like 4 pounds of food, and the three-pancake meal is so big they are deemed "mancakes" along with the two-stack "womancakes" and one-cake "wussie stack."

"I need to be hungry by the time I come in here, otherwise half goes back with me," said Carl Hochstetler, Kenneth's father and most regular customer.

Kenneth transformed the restaurant largely himself, spending only about $1,000 while using skills he developed in the construction industry. He repainted the space and with a friend built a brand-new counter that has the feel of an old-time Woolworth's.

He and girlfriend Anne Marie Pulsifer - the "amp" in "Kamp," as Kenneth likes to say - spent about $100,000 to open the restaurant with the intention of keeping it basically a takeout place. But the couple found they were having to turn away some customers who couldn't manage eating on stools at the large island, and decided a remake was in order.

He figures business is up between 8 percent and 10 percent since the renovations were completed.

"It's got people to stay longer," Hochstetler said.

For two summers running, Hochstetler ran the hot dog concessions at a beach in Niantic, and subsequently decided to open his own restaurant just as the recession was at its worst three years ago.

But the timing actually turned out OK, since Kamp Dog's no-frills but friendly atmosphere fit the needs of cash-strapped customers seeking a deal. And Hochstetler found the location a blessing, thanks largely to the 100 parking spots he shares with other businesses, including nextdoor neighbor Fiddleheads Food Coop.

"I'm glad I'm at the top of the hill and not downtown," Hochstetler said.

He's also proud to wear his pro-meat bias on his sleeve, donning a

T-shirt that proclaims Kamp Dog "the worst vegan restaurant in New London County." If that's not enough, there are these very un-Fiddleheads-like meals: fried bologna and cheese sandwiches and deep fried oreos.

"No one ever leaves here hungry," said customer Takacs.

l.howard@theday.com