Even if you don't consider yourself a student of famous cuisine or the most fashionable of foodies, you can probably name at least a handful of restaurants in other cities.
We do have a theory that 80% of those restaurants are hot dog stands. Science may one day determine how we all know about Gray's Papaya in New York City and The Varsity in Atlanta and how other people outside of Southern California know (and want to visit) Pink's. And we hope that science releases its highbrow findings one year on July 23, because that, dear frankfurter-loving friends, is National Hot Dog Day.
Oh wait. And that day is nigh. Break out the relish! Or, erm, ketchup, if that's your thing. (It's totally not, right?)
Sonic is selling six-inch Coney Chili Dogs and All-American Dogs for a buck all day on July 23, but you can get your dog on in a variety of ways around the city (a metropolitan that consumes more hot dogs than any other hot dog-consuming metropolitan -- sorry, New York, but the Information Resources, Inc. says so).
Foursquare named the Top 30 Hot Dog Shops in America -- the list is based one "where 35 million users go to enjoy a frank" -- and well, well, well, lookie here: Wurstküche and Jeff's Gourmet Kosher Sausage Factory made the roster. Yay, LA! Hot dog bumps all around. (Hot dog bump=like a fist bump, but where you bump hot dog ends with your friends.)
So where do you go when you need something meaty in a long bun? Or a vege dog loaded with relish, celery salt, and mustard? SoCal's got the straight-up dogs and hot dogs served in pretzel buns and topped with fried eggs (we're looking at you, Fritzi Dog and Dog Haus, respectively). In short, the gamut on this topic is fully run, locally.
The classic Huell Howser at Pink's, though, is a sentimental favorite. Yep, it has chili, but there are two dogs, not one, on the bun. Maybe that's why Los Angeles consumes so many frankfurters -- we continually change it up and try something new.
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That California-quirky, do-your-own-thing spirit extends to our old-school hot dog stands, too. And thank goodness for that.
