Coney Dog-Closed

Coney Dog
8873 Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood
310-854-1172

August 27, 2013 Update-Coney Dog is closed.  But, another restaurant has opened in it's place, Gabby's and still serves the coney dogs. 

About a mile west, on Sunset Blvd, from Carney's is a new hot dog place called Coney Dog. While many people may think coney dogs were invented on Coney Island, that simply is not true. Coney dogs were invented in Detroit. A coney dog has mustard, onions and chili on a natural casing hot dog, usually an all beef dog.

Now, I hate Detroit and all sports teams from Detroit. I hated the "Bad Boys" Pistons with Isiah Thomas and Bill Lamebeer. I hate the Tigers, and hope either the Indians or White Sox beat them out for the 2011 AL Central Division title. I especially hate the commie Red Wings. The Lions suck, so it's not a big deal to hate them. But, a coney dog maybe the only thing from Detroit I like, well besides a Pontiac GTO.

Anyways, I found out about Coney Dogs, on the site filled with arrogant assholes, chowhounds. The original poster that mentioned Coney Dogs, doesn't even understand the meaning of Grand Opening. Hey stupid, most restaurants have a grand opening, a few weeks after being opened. Then some idiot, who has an axe to grind with Coney Dogs, constantly posted some BS about the hot dogs and chili being a bad mixture of meats and horrors, the chili had beef hearts. Out of maybe 15 posts, maybe two posts actually talked about Coney Dogs. No wonder chowhounds if just full of assholes!!



Coney Dog, $3.95, chili, mustard and onions, grilled 80% beef and 20% pork hot dog. The hot dog was grilled, with some nice charring. It had a great snap. The hot dog was well season and was bursting with flavor. It's easy to tell they use a very good quality hot dog.

But, what got me was the chili. I normally don't order chili dogs. But, I figured when in Rome, I mean Detroit. This chili had no beans, just filled with meat. Good seasoned, well cooked beef!! It wasn't spicy at all, just thick, hearty, good chili. They use quality stuff here at Coney Dogs.

Service is very good. They are nice and friendly and the food comes out quickly!! There is free validated one hour parking on the roof or you can street parking. They are across the street from The Whiskey, so I imagine they maybe very crowded when all the bars on Sunset close. But, a good and welcomed addition to the LA hot dog scene.

I would go back to Coney Dogs, any time. But, go Indians or White Sox, win the 2011 AL Central!!!

Larry's Chili Dog

Larry's Chili Dog 

3122 W Burbank Blvd 

Burbank 

818-842-0244 

 I found out about Larry's Chili Dog on Yelp. I didn't realize it wasn't that far from Chili John's. Larry's is a small place that is easy to miss. They only have outdoor seating, but it's covered, a welcomed relief from this weekend's heat wave. Whenever I try a new hot dog place, I go for my usual hot dog; mustard and onions, $2.50. I figure if the hot dog is good, then I'll try other toppings. The hot dog is a steamed, all beef, natural casing hot dog. It's pretty good, with a good spice mixture and good quality beef. The snap is good and the flavors exploded with each bite. They were a bit light with the mustard, but there is mustard on the tables, so you can add as much mustard as you want. Overall, I am very impressed with the hot dog. I got the chili dog, $2.89, which comes with mustard and onions. The chili dog is the same, all beef natural casing dog, as the regular hot dog. The chili was very thick, a bit thicker than I prefer. I bet if you stuck a fork in a bowl of this chili, it would stand up! It will mild, not spicy, with beans and cumin was the spice, I tasted the most. The chili dog is ok but not my favorite. Service was pretty good. When I walked up to the window, I was greeted and the guy was friendly. The hot dogs came out quickly, though I told him, my order was, for here, but when my order was ready, it was wrapped in a to go container. I also noticed, after I left, I was overcharged for my order. The hot dog and chili dog would come out to $5.39 plus .54 cents tax, would be $5.92. I was charged $6.15. If they charge for mustard and onions, they should tell you. While the hot dog is good, I won't be coming back to Larry's Chili Dog, any time soon. The hot dog isn't so great, that I need to rush back.

Otis Jackson's Soul Dog-Closed

Otis Jackson's Soul Dog
5166 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood
(818) 980-6847

As I mentioned in my review of Papaya King, which opened near Skooby's in Hollywood, Otis Jackson's Soul Dog opened near Vicious Dogs, in North Hollywood. What a great idea, combining soul food and hot dogs!!




I got the two piece fried chicken basket, $9.99 with double mac and cheese. You get your choice of pieces, so I got a breast and wing. Soul Dog mentions their hot dogs are all beef, natural casing with no nitrates and their chicken is free range chicken. One taste and you can tell the quality of the chicken and hot dogs!

The chicken was a bit salty but otherwise this exactly what fried chicken should be. Crunchy and flavorful on the outside, moist and tender on the inside. The skin was coated with a nice batter that gave it great flavor, though a bit salty. The inside of the breast piece was so moist and tender. WOW, I was very impressed.

The mac and cheese was a bit greasy, but had a lot of flavor. The macaroni was perfectly cooked and the cheese was baked right in.

The menu said hot water cornbread, and I was really looking forward to having hot water cornbread again, but I was told they no longer serve hot water cornbread. I like cornbread, but I LOVE hot water cornbread.



I also got the all beef hot dog with mustard and onions, $3.99. My game plan for any hot dog place, is to try a hot with minimal amount of toppings. If the hot dog isn't good, no amount of toppings can make up for it. But, the hot dog at Soul Dog is awesome; an all beef hot dog with a ton of snap and bursting with flavor. The spice mixture is right on, and you can taste the quality of the hot dog. The hot was lightly toasted and held up well. Next time I'll try a mac and cheese dog, a hot dog topped with mac and cheese. The hot dog is a bit pricey, but worth it. I would rather pay $3.99 for this quality hot dog, than that crap from Papaya King.

Service is great!! You are greeted when you walk into the restaurant by the owner, at least I believe he is the owner. He is very nice and welcoming. Then you are greeted by the cashier, who was a very nice young lady. In addition to greeting people, the owner brings your food to your table. The food came out quickly and was served hot.

I will be coming back to Otis Jackson's Soul Dog, very soon. I will try one of their signature hot dogs, but I may have to get another helping of their great fried chicken. What a great addition to the North Hollywood restaurant scene!!

Papaya King-Closed

Papaya King
1645 Wilcox Ave
Los Angeles
(323) 871-8799

With our worthless President, doing nothing about the bad economy, I was surprised to find that two hot dogs places have opened up near hot dogs places in Los Angeles, that The New Diner has reviewed. In North Hollywood, Otis Jackson's Soul Dog opened near Vicious Dogs.

And in Hollywood, Papaya King, a New York City institution has opened near Skooby's.



I got the original combo, $5.50, 2 hot dogs; one with New York onions and the other with New York onions and sauerkraut, and a papaya drink.

The hot dogs and buns are made by Sabrett, The hot dogs are ok, nothing great or memorable about them. The New York onions is a tomato based sauce mixed with onions. It's ok, nothing great. The sauerkraut was hot and had a nice tangy taste.

Service is terrible and slow. When I got the front of the line, the cashier, actually checked his text message, WTF? Who does this crap right in the middle of work? He was nice but checking your texts is just rude. I noticed that the menu price for my combo was $5.25 and I was charged $5.50, either the menu price is wrong or he charged me for a topping. It wasn't tax, because tax would have been about 50 cents.

Then I waited for my order, and even though there were at least six people working behind the counter, it took forever to get the orders out. I don't know why they are soodamn slow, but it's stupid. They need to train these employees much better and the employees need to work faster. I don't give a damn if this was their first week of business. They are sorely lack customer service!!

Skooby's beats this crappy place by a mile. There is no reason for me to return. To be honest, I would rather buy a $500 plane ticket to New York, and see the sites of New York than stop in at this sorry Papaya King in LA.

Pee Wee's Famous Hot Dogs and Hamburgers-Closed

Pee Wee's Famous Hot Dogs and Hamburgers
5942 E Edinger Ave
Ste 104
Huntington Beach
714-846-3100

Simple customer service can go a long way. If people open a restaurant and lack customer service skills, they need to learn them quickly or get out of the business. The most basic customer service is just greeting customers with a simple; "Hi." How hard can that be?

For Pee Wee's Famous Hot Dogs and Hamburgers, it was too hard. The hot dogs are pretty good but customer service sucks.



Polish dog, $4.95- Mattern Polish sausage with mustard and onions on a baguette. I know I picked the polish, but then I got to thinking, I could just go to Mattern Sausage and Meats, and get a damn Polish sausage. I didn't have to drive all the way to Huntington Beach in the middle of pretentious jerk people.

The polish was grilled, with a good char. The sausage was fine, but when I got out to eat, I want something that I can't make myself. I could have gone to Mattern and grilled up the Polish, for much less.

The baguette was nice and soft, with a chewy texture. I like the baguette but it did overwhelm the sausage, even though the sausage was 1/3lb.

I'm not sure but maybe all their signature hot dogs and sausage are from Mattern. If so what's the point of going here?



Classic hot dog, Vienna beef hot dog, mustard and onions; $2.75. The hot dog was ok, but a bit overcooked, too much char. But Vienna beef hot dogs are good quality and this was no different. The bun was straight out of the bag, not toasted, but it was fine.

Service was below average. I don't believe that asking to be greeted when I walked into a restaurant, is asking too much. I walked in and there were two people in front of the counter, I asked if they had ordered, they had, and went to the lady behind the counter. She looked at me but never greeted me, never said one word to me. I placed my order, she asked if I wanted fries with my order, I didn't, and then gave me the total. Greeting me would have been nice and that's something all restaurants should do.

While I was eating, she came out to clean the area and she noticed me taking pictures of the hot dogs. She must have thought the pics were going on that other food review site, because when I left, she said Thank you for coming. Now, I bet she would have never said that, if she hadn't seen me take pictures. I mean, I was standing right in front of her and she didn't even greet me, so I know she lacks any kind of customer service skills. The only reason she thanked me, was in the hopes of getting a good review. Well, that didn't happen.

I wouldn't go to this place ever again. Bad customer service and a polish sausage that I can get from the source, why should I bother coming back?

Brats Brothers-Closed

Brats Brothers
13456 1/2 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks
818-986-4020

Just little east on Ventura Blvd., from Boneyard Bistro, is Brats Brother. I guess they were on that show with the loudmouth jerk host, Diners, Drive ins, and Dives. I didn't see the episode but I wanted some hot dogs, so I dropped in.

They make their own mustard; try the hot and sweet wasabi mustard, what great flavor and texture. But they charge for toppings, 75 cents for onions. Come on now.



Frankfurter, $3.75, all beef. This frankfurter was grilled, with a nice char and a good snap. The bun is huge, almost overwhelms the frankfurter, but I love the texture and chewiness of the bun. It works very well with any brats, sausage or frankfurter on the menu. But this was way too bland, almost as if there was no seasoning. The size is good but was almost like eating, those overrated, Dodger Dogs.



Polish sausage-pork, $5.50. Whatever seasonings that was missing in the frankfurter, must have been put in the polish sausage. This is the best Polish sausage I have ever had. It was huge, I would say close to 1/4lb. The first bite and there was a ton of flavor bursting through. This is a mild flavor, not a spicy Polish, but it's great.

Service is good. The guy who took my order was nice and friendly. A great thing about Brats Brothers; BYOB!! Yes, you can bring your own beer.

I loved the Polish sausage and wouldn't have any issues coming back, but I do think Brats Brother is on the pricey side. I also do not like the fact they charge for toppings. I mean, 75 cents for onions???

Big City Hot Dogs-Closed

Big City Hot Dogs
39 N Arroyo Pkwy
Pasadena
626-793-7203

Big City was my second stop on my hot dog tour of Pasadena, after going to Dog Haus. which is next just a couple miles west. Slaw Dogs is about two miles away.

Big City has hot dogs named after; big cities such as; New York, Chicago, LA, Atlanta, and Detroit.



I didn't see any plain hot dog options, so I got the New York City hot dog, $4.12, with sauerkraut and red onion sauce. The hot dogs here are 1/2lb dogs that are steamed. First bite and I wasn't impressed. No snap, but worse of all, the hot dog was mushy, bland and just plain bad. Whatever mixture of seasonings and meat they use, it's not working. The hot dog tastes the same as some supermarket brand hot dogs. Very disappointing.

The sauerkraut, was very good. Served warm, was tangy, and they used good quality cabbage. The red onion sauce was basically onions in some tomato sauce, not flavorful at all.

Service was good. The kid working was nice and friendly.

I would not go back to Big City Dog Hause. Costco is a better and cheaper option.

Dog Haus

Dog Haus

105 N Hill Ave Ste 104

Pasadena

626-577-4287

  I've never thought of Pasadena as a hot dog location. But there are now, three hot dog places within miles of Lake and the 210 freeway, that have opened in 2010. Dog Haus, Big City Hot Dogs, and Slaw Dogs. I decided to try both, Dog Haus and Big City, since both are within two miles of each other. I got a regular hot dog, with snap, with yellow mustard and raw onions, $2.74. I want to judge the taste of the hot dog and see how it rates before piling on all the toppings. I prefer a hot dog in natural casing, I love that snap and burst of flavor from a hot dog. This hot dog is pretty damn good, with a very good snap, well mixtures of seasonings and good meat. The hot dogs are steamed and served warm. I would prefer the hot dog to be served hot. I would also prefer my hot dogs on a bun, not on a Hawaiian bread roll. I like Hawaiian bread but not on a hot dog, these sweetness of the bread, doesn't work well with a hot dog. Service is good. Nice friendly people. There are very nice on the phone too. When I first found out about Dog Haus, I looked on that stupid review site and they had the wrong phone number listed. I called two days in a row, Sunday and Monday, with no answer. I thought maybe they closed. But then I found their website and I got the correct phone number. I called, they answered, and I told them about the error on their Yelp page. The guy said "Sorry" well it wasn't his fault, and I didn't call to complain, I called to see if they were opened and to let him know about the STUPID yelp, error. He knew about the error, but he thanked me for letting them know about the error. I would go back to Dog Haus, because the hot dog is very good, but I'm not sold on the Hawaiian bread.

Dog House-Closed

Dog House
14510 Towne Center Dr
Unit F1
Baldwin Park
626-939-8999

Mark, the city of Baldwin Park, off my list of cities that I have not reviewed to restaurant. The New Diner is trying to do restaurant reviews in cities that I have not been to. Dog House maybe the first ever restaurant, including fast food, in Baldwin Park that I have ever been to. I'm always up for a good hot dog place, especially one that uses Vienna beef hot dogs.



Vienna beef, 12in, jumbo dog, with mustard and onions, $3.95. I like to keep things simple, when I have a hot dog. Who cares about the toppings, if the hot dog isn't good. Vienna beef hot dogs are among the best hot dogs you can buy. They use good quality beef in their hot dogs.

Dog House has the hot dogs in a steamer and when you place your order, they will toast the bun on the grill, and then take out a hot dog from the steamer and grill it for about a minute or so. I liked the hot dog, but it was a bit overdone because they have been sitting in the steamer too long. The outside was a bit tough and chewy. There wasn't a natural casing.

What I didn't like is the bun. The bun broke in half, which meant the onions dropped on the tray. I saw them toast the bun and they flatten the bun, causing it to break in half. I don't want a two piece bun for my hot dog, that would make it a sandwich!!

Something interesting that I found while searching for Dog House; as you can see the hot dog is bigger than the bun. I found somebody, on Yelp, actually complaining about the hot dog being bigger than the bun!!! What an idiot!!

The onions and mustard were fine.

Service is good. The guy who took my order, was nice and helpful. But I find their pricing interesting. A Jumbo chili cheese dog is $4.25, as is the onion ring dog-bbq sauce and onion rings on top. But a regular 12in jumbo dog is $3.95?

Just Hot Dogs-Chicago Style

Just Hot Dogs-Chicago Style
15223 Beach Blvd
Westminster
714-379-5200

While driving down Beach Blvd, today I saw, Just Hot Dogs-Chicago Style. I never knew or heard about this hot dog stand but I decided to give them a try.




Chicago dog, with fries, mustard, onions, tomatoes, relish and sport peppers, $2.99. For any Chicago dog to be a Chicago dog, it must be made with Vienna beef. This was a Vienna beef hot dog. So this is a good start. Chicago dogs are suppose to be served on a poppy seed bun. This was served on a poppy seed bun, though they could have put more poppy seeds on the bun. But it was there, so another good sign.

But when I got the hot dog, I was a bit surprised to see fries on top. I have never seen fries on top of a Chicago dog. I kept the fries to take a picture, then took them off to take pictures of the toppings and hot dog. I tried the fries and they were cold and soggy and pretty bad. They must have been sitting under a heat lamp forever. The fries can be a good item, if they were served right out of the fryer. But I wouldn't put fries on top of any Chicago dog.

The toppings were fresh and tasty. The Vienna beef didn't have that snap that I expect. It was nicely seasoned and flavored. But I thought they could use a bigger hot dog.

Service is good.

I wouldn't make a special trip to Just Hot Dogs, but if I was in the area, I wouldn't have any issues going back. They do have Italian beef sandwiches, for those of you who like that Chicago sandwich, which I never understood the appeal. But next time I get a hot dog, I will ask for no fries.

Berkeley Dog-Closed

Berkeley Dog
215 W Birch St
Ste 2
Brea
714-257-0988

Berkeley Dog, is related to Top Dog of Berkeley. Top Dog is a well known hot dog and sausage restaurant, in the bastion of protesters and communists in America; Berkeley, CA. Home to Cal-Berkeley. Since I am a Stanford fan, I have no reason to go slumming and go to Berkeley, so I have never been to Top Dog- thusI don't know what all the hype is about. But I figured I would try Berkeley Dog since they opened a location Brea. Interesting that Cal's main rival, Stanford, calls people from Berkeley, wienies, since they are the biggest douchebags, you ever want to meet. I'm surprised people in Berkeley didn't protest the opening of Berkeley Dog, since they have no life.

All gourmet sausages are $3.85. But they have the best combo, two sausages and a soda for $7.99. A great deal. All sausages are grilled!! Which always impresses me. They come plain, but there is a full assortment of condiments, from deli mustard to raw onions, to sauerkraut.



Combo #2, $7.99, with two sausages, frankfurter and kielbasa, and a drink. The frankfurter is a long skinny, all beef hot dog, with a natural casing. This is how those nasty, terrible Dodger Dogs should taste. This has a great snap and full of flavor. A good spice combination. This is well worth the regular price, $3.85 and a steal with the combo.

The bun is really a piece of bread with sesame seeds on top. Well toasted, soft, and chewy. This will hold up to any topping you put. I put a touch of sauerkraut on the frankfurter. The sauerkraut was in a heated container, was fresh, had a nice tangy flavor and well made.



The kielbasa is 2/3 pork and 1/3 beef, with the same, toasted sesame bun. A nice snap, that just bursts with flavor. It is indeed hearty. I would say it was a good sized piece of kielbasa.

Service was good. Nice and friendly people.

Finally!! I found something good about Berkeley. I may have to go visit Berkeley and try Top Dog. But in the mean time, Berkeley Dog is one of my favorite hot dog places in Orange County.

P Dogs-Closed

P Dogs
13610 S Garfield Ave
South Gate
562-630-7634

I was surprised to hear that a hot dog place; PDogs, had opened up in South Gate. South Gate has a ton of taco stands but I wanted to see what PDogs was all about. Located right off the 105 freeway, P Dogs has a wide range of hot dogs. From turkey dogs to Dodger Dogs, to Polish dogs.

I judge a hot dog place by the hot dog. The toppings maybe nice but who cares if the hot dog is crap?



All their hot dogs and Polish dogs are grilled!!! I got the beef dog, $3.25, with mustard and raw onions and the Polish dog, $3.25, with just mustard.

The beef dog was on toasted/grilled bun. There was nothing special about the bun. The hot dog was pretty good, a skinless dog with nice spicy flavor. It was a pretty thin hot dog, not a 1/4 pound. The mustard and onions were fresh. While I did like the hot dog the $3.25 price is a bit pricey.

THe polish dog was huge, it was easily a 1/4 pounder. I was impressed with the mild flavor of the Polish. This was not spicy at all. But a nice texture and flavor. This was worth the $3.25 price. But I couldn't get over the feeling this Polish is the Polish from Costco. If you have a hot dog restaurant, you can't use Kirkland hot dogs.

If you didn't know, Costco, changed their hot dogs and polish dogs from Hebrew National, to their own Kirkland brand hot dogs and polish dogs. The Kirkland brand hot dogs and polish aren't as good now but still a great value, $1.50, with a refillable soda.

Service was very good. The young lady was very nice and friendly. They have been opened for about three months but the sign is still a work in progress.

I would go back to P Dogs if I'm in the area, but I don't think I would make a special trip out there.

Arthur Treacher's/Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs-Closed

Arthur Treacher's/Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs
5050 W Rosecrans Ave
Hawthorne
310-355-1048

If you're from Maryland, like I am, Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips is an old school, fast food fish and chips place. They had very good fish and chips, using cod but then switched to a cheaper fish; pollock and combined with changing tastes, some locations started to close down. But they reinvented themselves and are now franchised along with Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs. Still based back east. But they made it out to LA!! When I heard they opened an Arthur Treacher's in Hawthorne, I knew I had to go.




My standard bearer for fish and chips is England Fish and Chips, in Long Beach.

Fish and chips, $5.99. Two pieces of pollock, fries, cole slaw and hush puppies. This was a huge amount of food and well worth the price. The pollock was fried with a nice golden brown batter. The pollock was nice and flakey and tender. The batter was light and crunchy. I still prefer cod but the way Arthur Treacher's fried up their pollock was damn good. An extra piece of fish is $1.99, but has to be ordered with an entree but I think it is a fair price and I would pay it.

The tartar sauce was great! Much tangier than other tartar sauce I've had.

The hushpuppies were very good too. Fried just right, with a light crunchy outside and nice flavorful cornmeal inside.

The fries were a bit undercooked, if I asked for well done fries, they would have been perfect. Crinkle cut fries and a large portion.

I didn't care for the coleslaw, that was drowned in mayo. But with so much food, who can finish it all?



Since the last Nathan's on Pico, closed, I figured I should try a Nathan's regular hot dog, $2.99. The hot dogs are served plain and their is a condiment table, with spicy mustard, raw onions, and that red onion sauce.

The hot dog was pretty good. Nice snap and well cooked. The bun held up pretty well, when I put mustard and onions on the hot dog, but wasn't toasted.

Service was very good. The young lady who took my order was nice and friendly.

I only wished this was closer combination of Arthur Treacher's and Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs, was closer to me. Maybe it was a great trip down memory lane but I really did enjoy the fish and chips at Arthur Treacher's, I think it was even better than what I remembered them!!

Johnny's Pastrami-Closed

Johnny's Pastrami
4331 W Adams Blvd
Los Angeles
323-734-6003

Not far from Phillips BBQ on Crenshaw is Johnny's Pastrami, that came with high praise from people in line at Phillips. So I decided to give Johnny's Pastrami a try. Please note, this is not the same as Johnnie’s Pastrami in Culver City, they have different spelling.



Pastrami, $7.45. The pastrami sliced thin, piled high on a bun that is dipped; much like The Hat. But unlike The Hat, the pastrami was dried out,even though it was soaking in it's natural juices, tough, chewy, with lots and lots of fat, and just plain bad. It tasted like it's been sitting around for the entire week. Not good at all.



I noticed they had a hot dog, $2.45, on the menu and decided to try it. The hot dog is made by Hoffy, which I think is a second rate hot dog, because of the poor quality of meats and seasonings used. Anyways, I asked for the hot dog with raw onions and mustard. The hot dog is grilled but was so overcooked, the outside was tough and chewy. The inside wasn't any better since it's a second rate Hoffy hot dog. The bun was straight out of the package, not toasted and pretty poor quality. The onions and mustard were fine.

Service is terrible. First, I walk up the window, the lady sees me but never acknowledges me for about five minutes. I know she is busy, but it doesn't take much to say Hi, I'll be right with you. Taking my order was fine but I can't stand not being acknowledged when I walk up there. Then my total came out to $11.70 for a pastrami, $7.45, and hot dog, hot dog, $2.45. Even with sales tax, that total would be $10.88. So I was overcharged about a $1. Now people may ask, why didn't I question them about the price, right then. I should have but that is still no excuse for them to overcharge people. TERRIBLE service.

I would never go back to this rip off place again. Of the two other pastrami places, I have reviewed, this is the worst, by far. I much prefer Johnnie’s Pastrami in Culver City and The Hat. Terrible service, terrible food. Why bother?

Pink's- Buena Park-Closed

Pink's 8039 Beach Blvd Buena Park 714-220-5084 Why the OC would want to copy LA, is beyond me. Ok, I know I rip the pretentious, jerk people of the OC but they have their thing. The OC is different than LA. So why they would want a LA institution, is beyond me. As readers of The New Diner know, I am not a fan of Pink's Hollywood. Yes, everybody should go there once to experience it but Pink's isn't a good place for hot dogs. Pink's opened in Knott's Berry Farm Marketplace, around Thanksgiving of 2009. They closed up, in January for some renovation or whatever. They reopened on Jan 30th. You do not have to pay for admission or parking to Knott's, if you want to eat at Pink's. There is a free parking for the marketplace, the same are where Mrs. Knott's Chicken dinners have been served!!! Mrs. Knott's restaurant is actually five years older than Pink's, having opened in 1934, compared to Pink's in 1939. I got the 10" stretch chili dog,$3.90, with chili, mustard and onions. The hot dog is pretty good with a nice snap, good amount of seasonings, and flavor. But the chili is bland, flavorless and they put too much of it on a hot dog, that it overpowers the hot dog. Ok you may ask, why then didn't I order a chili dog. Well Pink's doesn't ahve just a plain hot dog. They want to dress up every hot dog, instead of keeping it simple. Pink's should offer plain 10" stretch hot dogs, instead of the chili, which is a wasted. Service was pretty goood. Since this Pink's is fairly new and many people do not know about it, there are no long lines, like the Pink's in Hollywood. I wouldn't go back to Pink's. But knowing the pretentious, jerk people of the OC, they are going to love this place, since it will be the "in" thing to do.

The Slaw Dogs-Closed

The Slaw Dogs
720 N Lake Ave, #8
Pasadena
626-808-9777

Even with all this rain, I've been waiting for baseball season to start. So what goes better with baseball? You got it, a hot dog. I found The Slaw Dogs whiling driving around Pasadena. I had to check and see what they had.

At The Slaw Dogs, the hot dogs are served steamed but you can get them charbroiled or rippered, if you ask. Then you can top your hot dog with three standard toppings for free, .39 cents for each additional topping after three. You can also get custom toppings like bacon, fried egg, and many others for $1 per topping.



I decided to stick with the basics, getting a Vienna all beef dog, $3.49. I wanted the jumbo all beef, $4.49, but they were sold out. I got regular mustard, raw onions, and sauerkraut as my three toppings.

The hot dog itself was great. Nice flavor and spices, though it lacked a snap. The toppings were fresh and good but they put too much sauerkraut, which made the bun soggy.

But overall a very good hot dog.




So then I decided to try the natural casing dog, rippered, $3.99, with regular mustard and raw onions. WOW, this was great. The hot dog had a nice fried texture, a bit different than the ripper I got from Fab's, but still good. The spices and flavor were great. Again the toppings were great too.

Service is great. A mother and son run The Slaw Dogs and they are nice and friendly and helpful.

What a relief, I don't have to drive all the way into the Valley for a great hot dog, I can just go to Pasadena. A very welcomed addition and one I will be back very soon.

The Infield Hot Dog Stand-Closed

The Infield Hot Dog Stand 

14333 Ventura Blvd 

Sherman Oaks 

818-501-1850 

With about 70 days until Opening Day, I wanted to get back that baseball feeling. The rush of going to a game and seeing that beautiful green field for the first time. Eating hot dogs at the game. Why do hot dogs taste better at baseball games? So I found The Infield Hot Dog Stand in Sherman Oaks. This used to be a pastrami place, called The Dip. I thought about having a dip but I came out here for the hot dogs and got a hot dog. There is only patio seating. What great patio seating it is. The seats are actual seats from older stadiums.

 

Dodger Stadium seats, from the blue reserved level.

 

Exhibition Stadium seats, former home of the Toronto Blue Jays.

  Tiger Stadium seats, former home of the Detroit Tigers.

 

Sandy Koufax dog, $4, with regular mustard and raw onions. The hot dog is a 1/4 lb kosher, Hebrew National hot dog. Why is it named Sandy Koufax dog? Sandy Koufax is a legend and happens to be Jewish. Seriously, if you don't know who Sandy Koufax is, please do not read my blog. I love Hebrew National hot dogs, they don't have a snap because there are no casing, but they use quality meats and seasonings. The hot dog was steamed and tasted great. The onions were so fresh, just awesome. They could have put a little more mustard but overall it was good. October 6, 2010 will mark the 45th anniversary of Sandy Koufax, refusing to pitch in Game 1 of the 1965 World Series. Koufax took this stance, because Oct. 6, 1965, fell on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews. Koufax who was already revered, became a LA icon. If there was a Mt. Rushmmore for LA athletes, Sandy Koufax would be one of the four athletes picked. Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor would be the other three athletes on my Mt. Rushmore. I can't believe there are some younger Jewish kids in LA, who do NOT know who Sandy Koufax is!!!!!!! Rabbis need to teach these kids about the legend; Sandy Koufax.

 

The New Yorker, $3, with regular mustard, red onion sauce on a Sabrett hot dog. I liked the hot dog but they put a ton of red onion sauce that just overwhelmed the hot dog. The red onion sauce was sweet with a little hint of spice, served hot. They could have cut the amount of sauce in half and it would have been great. Sabrett hot dogs to me has a more mild seasoning than other hot dog, no casing, so no snap. Service was good. The guys taking orders are nice and friendly and helpful. I would go back to The Infield Hot Dog Stand. Monday nights, is 50 cent Dodger Dogs. I hate Dodger Dogs but at 50 cents, that's not a bad deal. I would like to try the pastrami sandwich.