Pink’s Hot Dogs, Hollywood, California

http://www.pinkshollywood.com/
Some people remember where they were the first time they saw their spouse or where they were when Kennedy was assassinated. For me I will always remember the day I ate at Pink’s Hot Dogs in Hollywood. I have to say that this is a true Mecca for the art of encased meats. I felt inadequate to the task, the meal was so built up in my head that I felt I might order incorrectly or not get the full wiener experience. I was wrong; this was without a doubt one of the greatest meals I have ever eaten in my life. I have dined at some really high-class places like Charlie Trotter’s and Spago but this was an experience I will not soon forget. For me Pink's is on par with all the fancy restaurants and celebrity chef nonsense that I buy into. When you’ve been serving hot dogs since 1939 you pick up a few tricks! The line down the street is a testament to the greatness of the food.

Upon arrival at Pink’s one is struck by the line, it is literally down the street, probably seventy-five people deep. The food was worth every minute of waiting! Although cranky, Ian could not squelch my enthusiasm. For a half an hour we stood in line and mauled over the sizable menu. Hot dogs in three different lengths, six, ten, and twelve, inches topped with a myriad of different toppings that included: pastrami, sauerkraut, mustard, jalapenos, cheese, chili, onions, peppers, and coleslaw. I felt as though I could really botch my order and ruin my Pink’s experience. After much indecision I settled on the following order:

One Pastrami Rueben Dog
One Chili/Cheese/Bacon Burrito Dog
One basket of Onion Rings
One Stretched Chili Dog with Onion (for Ian)
One Basket of Onion Rings (for Ian)
One Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda (for Ian)
One Orange Crush
Total Price-$23.28

When we sat down I was overcome with joy looking at the delights I was soon to ingest. I could barely contain myself while photographing the meal. I felt it necessary to call my brother Ben several times and let him know about the progress we were making in regards to the hot dogs, he was appreciative of course. I started with the more traditional Rueben dog. The pastrami was hot off the grill and a perfect match to the tartness of the kraut. The dogs at Pink’s are all beef kosher dogs so that have that characteristic snap and deep beef flavor of a great wiener. As you can see from the pictures I was very happy.

Then came a hot dog that I can only describe as life changing. Two all beef kosher dogs smothered in chili, wrapped in bacon, topped with cheese and onion and stuffed into twelve-inch flour tortilla and grilled. This my friends is the burrito dog. A behemoth by anyone’s standards and a belly buster after you’ve already devoured half a basket of onion rings and an entire Rueben dog. But I am a man of conviction and I went to work. I came to Hollywood for a reason and I intended to take this monster down. I had to formulate a game plan, this thing is huge, I mapped my course and I began. I dove in with a twinge of fear I don’t often encounter when dealing with sausages of any kind. As I ate I was more pleased with every bite. As the sense of fullness hit my brain I soldiered on. I fought the good fight; I beat Pink’s hot dogs! I ate the burrito dog and it was everything I could ever imagine. Fatty, rich, spicy, greasy, cheesy, and huge!
Today I went to Pink’s Hot Dogs in Hollywood California; I will never again be the same person! Eleven out of ten! As I reread this I tear up a little bit...

El Compadre, Hollywood California

After an exciting morning at Engelbert Humperdinck’s mansion in Bel Air my group of traveling companions and I were famished. As we made our way back to Playa del Rey we drove through Hollywood and we stopped for lunch at El Compadre, a reasonably priced Mexican restaurant.

Ian, Stephanie, and I grabbed a booth in the very dimly lit, windowless, dining room and began to scarf down our chips and salsa. The chips were thick and crisp and not too salty. The salsa was smooth and flavorful but I felt it could have used a little more heat. Our server came by and got our drink order and then didn’t return for a long time. When she finally did we were able to order our entrees. I ordered huevos con chorizo, Ian ordered something known as “El Grande”, and Stephanie ordered the beef tacos.

When our entrees arrived I was pleased with the look and smell but I was not served the warm corn tortillas I needed in order to eat my entrée. Ian seemed pleased with El Grande if not somewhat intimidiated and Steph enjoyed her tacos a lot. When my tortillas arrived I dug into my lunch. Smoky spicy chorizo paired with rich scrambled eggs on warm corn tortillas topped with the house-made salsa and a few drops of hot sauce and I was in heaven! I have an affinity for all things pork but especially chorizo. This version was long on spice, with just the right amount of heat, and it had a touch of clove and black pepper that made it really well balanced. Also this sausage wasn’t too greasy as some chorizo has a tendency to be (see Mexi-Hole.) Stephanie ate her tacos with a smile, and then we come to Ian. El Grande bested my friend. Just as I was defeated the day before by Fogo de Chao, this huge plate of Mexican food destroyed Ian. He enjoyed the taste but the sheer quantity of the food was too much.

The service here was pretty subpar. We waited for the drinks, we waited for the entrees, we waited for the check, and we waited for the credit card slip to sign. In short, we waited. The dining room was maybe a third full and we were there during a slow part of the day after the lunch rush if there was any. The service staff had no reason not to be on their game. I enjoyed my meal and I enjoyed watching Ian eat himself into pain. I am enjoying my vacation. Viva chorizo! Seven out of ten.