PINK'S

709 N. La Brea Blvd. Los Angeles (323) 931-4223

One morning on a recent trip to Los Angeles, I awoke in my room at the Hyatt West Hollywood with one thing on my mind, food.  As I lay in bed, I pondered the possibilities for breakfast.  There were the usual suspects, eggs, maybe pancakes with a bowl of fruit, but this was Hollywood baby, they just didn't seem to fit the bill.  Then a vision formed, and suddenly I knew what would make the perfect Tinseltown breakfast,  hot dogs at Pinks!  I checked the alarm clock, 8:30am, Pink's would open in an hour, time to get moving.  After a quick shower and shave, I grabbed a waiting cab and told the driver to head for the corner of Melrose Ave. and N. La Brea Blvd.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Pink's, to say it is a Los Angeles institution would be an understatement.  In 1939 Paul Pink started selling his chili dogs from a large wheeled, perambulator pushcart, for 10 cents a piece.  The chili recipe was formulated by Paul's wife Betty, and is used to this day.  Now days, it is not uncommon to pull up to this family owned restaurant at one in the morning, and find fifty or more people waiting in line.  The clientele runs the gambit from Hollywood executives and celebrities, to budget conscious students, and includes everyone in between.

My cab pulled up in front of Pink's, and as I looked out the window I thought, cool, I am the first one here.  Since I had arrived early, I decided to order one item at a time, in an effort to enjoy everything as hot and fresh as possible.  This luxury is not an option once the crowds descend.  I first ordered a Chile Cheese Dog ($3.20) with a side Bowl of Coleslaw ($1.20).

After a few bites several things became clear.  The hot dog itself was fantastic.  The flavor was excellent and it also had that crisp snap I look for when biting into a dog.  Since the early push cart days, Hoffy has produced a hot dog specifically for Pink's.  They are all beef, and feature a natural casing which gives them the signature snap.  The chili is rib sticking robust, with a medium spicy bite.  If you like it spicier, there is plenty of hot sauce available.  The bun was very fresh, and extremely tender.  In my opinion, cheese is the perfect accoutrement for chili, and this certainly proved to be the case here.  Pink's chili cheese dogs are the stuff legends are made of.

Many restaurants that choose to serve coleslaw, try to gentrify this humble side dish.  I am not a fan of this.  I like my coleslaw along the lines of Kentucky Fried Chicken's offering, sweet, finely chopped, and wet with dressing.  With that said, Pink's version was my kind of slaw.  I ate some straight, but it proved even more valuable as a condiment for the chili cheese dog.

Next I stepped off the beaten path a little, and ordered a Mushroom Swiss Dog ($3.70).

This had the same hot dog and bun as the chili dog, but featured grilled mushrooms, swiss cheese, and mayonnaise.  These ingredients worked really well together, and I ate this dog just as it was prepared.  I know you probably don't think of mayonnaise and hot dogs as being a match, but paired together, the result was suprisingly enjoyable.

I had been at Pink's about 40 minutes at this point, and to place my next order I had to wait in a small line.  It is important to note that the menu posted at the restaurant does not include the "Super Specials" or as I call them, the insider dogs.  These unlisted menu items really step out of the box, and can only be found via word of mouth, or on Pink's website.  From this insiders menu I ordered the Ozzy Spicy Dog ($5.40), and from the posted menu, a side of the house cut onion rings ($2.40).  First, the rings.

As some of my loyal readers may recall from previous posts, I absolutely love onion rings.  I like them so much, I even enjoy the crap they pass off as rings at Jack in the Box.  But when a restaurant hand cuts the onions, batters them up fresh, and fries them to perfection, well, let's just say it takes me to a special place.  Pink's onion rings were all that, and should not be missed.  Now the Ozzy.

 

Just like the Black Sabbath vocalist turned reality TV star, this hot dog is over the top.  It features a spicy polish sausage, nacho cheese, grilled chopped onions, sliced fresh tomatoes, American cheese, and guacamole.  What might be the craziest thing about this dog, is how well the ingredients work together.  The spicy heat of the sausage blends well with the nacho cheese and tomatoes.  Grilled onions bring sweetness and depth, and the guacamole adds a creamy richness that I found irresistible.  If you ate four of these in one sitting, you might start biting off chicken heads too.

When I left Pink's at 11am the line was around 20 people long.  They have a loyal following, and it is easy to see why.  Pink's provides an extremely fresh, delicious, made to order product, at a very affordable price.  If you like simple, they certainly have that.  If pushing the envelope is more your style, you need look no further than the Super Specials.  Pink's has something for everyone (they even have a vegan dog).  While most folks probably don't view hot dogs as breakfast fare, a trip to Hollywood is just not complete with out a stop at Pink's.

Hours: Su-Th 9:30am-2am, F,Sa 9:30am-3am

San Diego Restaurant Reviews

Comments

[Kirk]

Hey CJ - So "Hot Dogs...it's not just for breakfast anymore...." Now did you really "only" eat 3 dogs????

[Jim]

Hey CJ,

That Ozzie looks great! This place opened up a spot in Vegas at the Aladdian. The dogs were quite good!

[Captain Jack]

Hey Kirk,
The breakfast of Hollywood champions. Three dogs plus the onion rings.

Hey Jim,
If you look in the background of the first photograph, Pink's is advertising about their presence in Los Vegas on the billboard next to their building.

[Little Miss Contrary]

I love hot dogs but haven't had any in California since Grey's Papaya in NYC! After your post, I will definitely make a trip to LA for Pink's. Also, I wanted to see what your suggestion would be for your favorite Italian place in San Diego.

[Chubbypanda]

The sign and stand look a little naughty, but those dogs are positively pornographic.

[Captain Jack]

Hi LMC,

I love Gray's. I ate at the one on Broadway back in October. If you like Gray's you will surely like Pink's. As far as Italian in San Diego, it is a bit tricky. I ate at Babbo in October and I can assure you, that level does not exist in San Diego. That said, Salvatore's downtown makes a mean osso buco con risotto Milanese. The menu is a bit spendy, but I have always enjoyed their food.

Salvetore's Cucina Italiana
750 Front St.
(619) 544-1865
salvetoresdowntown.com

Hey CP,

I know what you mean. I am actually glad Pink's is not closer. If it were, I would be there at least once a week.

[Gil]

Oh my friend... Jealousy cannot explain how I am feeling right now. Krista's grandparents live down the street from Pink's and I have not been able to go there yet! Hopefully, the next trip.

Oh! And man your ability to eat impresses me. If only I could put down that much food! I would never stop!

Bravo!

Gil

[Captain Jack]

Hey Gil,

Sounds like it's time for a road trip to Grandma & Grampa's.

Heh heh, I can put the food away, can't I? At least you know if I tell you portion sizes are large, you can count on it.