Alligator in the rolls.

The typical residents of LA is considered to be aware of nutrition and sports. At the same time, the city is a stronghold of the hot dog culture. Moritz Piehler went out to find the best sausage rolls in town - for fans of diet is not suitable for his tour.

 

Tom Cruise was already there. Burt Reynolds and Barbara Streisand, too. And from the pictures on the walls look the grinning faces of countless other actors on the long snake down in front of Pink's "has been formed. At almost any time of day, the sausage-trailer en masse before the cult of hot dog stands in Los Angeles in the La Brea Avenue, for a Hot Dog "Lord of the Rings" (with many extra onion rings), or an extra-long "Rosie O'Donnel Long Iceland Dog "to order. Behind the bar staff scurry around between six huge pots full of sauerkraut, ketchup and Senfspendern and, of course, the steaming sausages in various designs. Pink's is the culmination of a hot-dog-tour through the city.

A Hot Dog is perhaps the most American of all snacks. It combines fast food, business efficiency and flexibility. In the U.S. there is a persistent dispute over her mother city of the snacks. Like in Germany is a dispute about the best currywurst between Berlin and Hamburg a harmless culinary conversation within seconds in an angry word skirmish transform can be found in New York is not better the quality of hot dogs from Los Angeles to praise.

For a self-organized hot-dog-tour of Los Angeles, you must first of the huge amount of stalls choose must criteria such as location, tradition and evaluation in online rankings into consideration. And of course the capabilities of one's own stomach, because even if a hot dog usually more of a snack than a meal, is the mass of bread and meat in the long run not to be underestimated.

Brat Brothers in lederhosen

Actually, it would be appropriate to the baseball stadium, the LA Dodgers to begin. Indeed, hardly anything is so closely linked with the self-image of American popular culture as hot dogs and baseball. But the ticket price would be in no relation to the sausage rolls are enjoyment. Therefore, the tour begins at the "Brats Brothers", the German tradition with their advertising. Proudly introduce themselves to their signs as "according to European standards trained butchers" before.

The two branches in Los Angeles are rather unremarkable from the outside, inside with some accessories such as Bavaria German flag and provide beer mugs. Roland, the younger brother Brat, is himself on the grill, he has in Munich, studied engineering and retired after his brother Peter, together with the idea for the gourmet hot dog stand developed. "I did not want to just sit at home. And the German sausages have given me has always tasted the best," says Roland, who, unlike the picture on the label of the store suggests, is not working in lederhosen.

With an ordinary German bratwurst stand Brats Brothers have little in common, so special is its range of variations. Classics are obviously also in the repertoire, but among the more than 20 different hot dogs bite especially exotics into the eye. The brothers have variants such as buffalo hot dogs or even ostriches and alligators hot dogs in mind.

In a whole battalion uniform hides bottles honey and chili ketchup, hot and sour sauce for any special request. Some of the leaflets are evidence of the German roots of the owners, sauerkraut and potato salad complete the meal. The ingredients are the brothers of the audience, all hot dogs are free of flavor enhancers, an important selling point in a nutrition and körperbesessenen city like Los Angeles.

Hollywood culture in the railway wagon

In much enterer prominent position is the "Carneys", a traditional hot dog and burger dinner directly on the famous Sunset Boulevard. Carneys is stylish in an old railway wagon located. The audience are families and firefighters, as well as movie stars and luxury tourists, in the trendy design hotel, "The Standard" to live.

The view of the Sunset Boulevard by Zugfenster the yellow wagon is hard to beat. The restaurant, founded in 1968 and part of the Hollywood culture, will also be limited strictly to the basics. Five different hot dogs will be offered with two sausage varieties and traditional ingredients: relish, onion, cheese and chili.

In Carneys believes is not much of wild culinary excursions into uncharted territory and will be rewarded. In the last year chose the residents of Los Angeles their hot dogs to the best of the city. Since then, the employees with even greater pride, the shirts with the little modest slogan "probably the best hot dogs in the world."

Toolkit for the perfect snack

New on the market is the "Skoobie's", which established the supremacy of the Hot-Dog-Koriphäen seriously threatened. The situation in the middle of the Amüsiermeile of Hollywood Boulevard makes for a not-so-illustrious audience that night, the Feierwütigen from nearby clubs. The narrow space is hardly reached the charm of an average-Ruhrpott Frittenbude. But in the travel bible Lonely Planet is the Skoobie's already tight competition on the heels.

Although the atmosphere at the souvenir shops and fast-food restaurants is adjusted, the Skoobie's own qualities. The special feature is the self-produced chips, to which a special Aioli sauce is served. Customers show their sausage bread itself, the extras for a self-built Hot Dog are available free of charge.

But for all the free ingredients should not now be cut to very strictly, because the conclusion of the tour still waiting for the Pink's: an icon of the hot dog stands, a family-run company since 1939, which deals with pride, not only the best chilli hot dog in the world, but also the first choice of Hollywood stars to be. The state was founded by Paul Pink, so the legend, in the depression following 1929 cheap food among the people to bring. And even in the economically uncertain times of today's America, the hot dogs, numerous customers.

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Pink's offers its customers a wide range of variants, although the basic components are constant. Especially in the naming of the creations is the old front-runner status, on the card will include an "America the Beautiful Dog" and "Dog Walk of Fame." And the long queue, which is also on a Sunday afternoon to the parking lot covers, speaks for itself. Those who have to pay once it has managed to decreases satisfied with his Pappkisten full of hot dog variations on his Plastikstühlchen. This makes research fun. But one thing is certain: Tomorrow is the day only salad.