That being the case, is there any reason why that other staple of American backyard grill and picnic tradition, the hot dog, not should be treated with similar regard?

Of course not, yet high-end dog restaurants lag behind those of their burger brethren.

And is there any more appropriate venue for the hot dog finally to receive such star treatment than at one of Los Angeles’s new gourmet food trucks?

Such were my thoughts and expectations upon visiting Dogtown Dogs this past Friday outside 5900 Wilshire Blvd.

First off, owner Mike Rosá is a truly great guy, very amicable and enthusiastic. Service matters with any dining experience, and Mike was very welcoming, the type of person you want to frequent. Dogtown Dogs is his passion project, and his enthusiasm for it shines through in every detail.

I tried two of the six dogs on the menu, the Spicy Angeleno and the Trailer Trash Dog, and two side dishes, the fennel slaw and the Buffalo Tater Tots. Starting with the sides, the fennel slaw was excellent. With the exception of some barbeque-paired varieties, I am not a fan of mayonnaise-based slaws, preferring their vinegar-based counterparts. Mike’s slaw philosophy is right in line with my own. The titular ingredient is joined by roasted red peppers and a mixture of olive oil and rice wine vinegar. The result has wonderful balance, with the sharpness of the fennel offset by delicate sweetness from the peppers and vinegar.

The Buffalo Tater Tots had an interesting texture mixture that I quite enjoyed, but may not be for everybody. The tots were fried extra crispy, but where the Buffalo sauce permeated them, the exterior was soft and moist–saucy, but not soggy–a definite contrast to the crispiness of the non-sauce covered area. What I liked about the texture mixture is that it allowed for the potato to come through in the crispy pieces and the spice and flavor of the Buffalo sauce on the rest, without either overwhelming the other. However, I can see how the softness of the sauce-covered tater tots could be off-putting to those seeking perfectly crisp potatoes in any situation.

As for the main course, any good hot dog starts with a great dog, no matter how delicious the toppings may be. Dogtown Dogs uses all-beef franks with that snap-style casing that is so pleasing both to the ear and to the teeth when bitten. Needless to say, this is what most hot dog aficionados want, along with that special flavor that only all-beef franks have!

The Trailer Trash Dog is topped with chili, crumbled Frito’s and cheese–actually nacho cheese sauce, appropriate considering the name. The chili was nicely spiced, though not “fiery hot”, for those worried about burning their mouths. This dog is a definite marriage of various mouthfeels, with the snap of the frank, the soft particles of the chili beef, the viscosity of the nacho cheese sauce and the crunch of the Frito’s. That crunch really added a unique element rarely seen in a hot dog, and it stood out all the more so considering that the Trailer Trash Dog, as a chili dog, is the most “typical” frank on the menu.

Finally, the Spicy Angeleno: applewood smoked bacon, spicy pick de gallo, tomatillo ketchup and charred jalapenos. Perhaps the only thing better than topping with bacon is wrapping in bacon, and that’s what happens here. But what really sets this frank apart and into the realm of a gourmet hot dog are the jalapenos. The peppers are lightly dusted in flower and fried. This process slightly caramelizes them and bursts the seeds, thus adding sweetness and intensifying the heat. These characteristics serve to unite the flavors of the overall dog–absolutely delicious!

I greatly enjoyed my first Dogtown Dogs experience and look forward to frequenting the truck so more. I’d love to see Mike (hint, hint) add a side order of those amazing jalapenos–I could eat dozens of them on their own!

New Food Truck “Mobile Food Court” in Downtown Los Angeles

From The LA Times:

Downtown working folk and resident urbanites can rejoice. On Feb. 11, a mobile food court is slotted to open in the neighborhood. The lot will boast three to four trucks daily and “ample parking,” according to organizers.

“The lot will be on Alameda and Traction,” said Matt Geller, Vice President of SoCal Mobile Food Vendors Association.

To read the entire article, please visit: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2010/02/downtown-la-gets-its-own-mobile-food-court.html

1st Annual LA Street Food Fest on February 13th

The 1st Annual LA Street Food Fest is this Saturday, February 13th! Many of Los Angeles’s most popular food trucks will be on hand, including The Buttermilk Truck, Grilled Cheese Truck, Sweets Truck, Fresser’s, Frysmith, Slice Truck, Flying Pig, Fishlips, Komodo, and many more.

The details:
When: February 13th, 2010, 11 AM – 5PM
Admission: General Admission will be available at the door the day of the event on a first-come first-served basis.
$5 General Admission: Includes entry to the festival, a free drink ticket, cool giveaways. Food is pay as you go, with Food Fest sampling menus priced $1-$5!
Where: LA CENTER STUDIOS (Enter on 500 S. Beaudry Ave, LA, CA 90017)

For more information, please visit http://lastreetfoodfest.com

Crepes Bonaparte to Launch Custom-Built Crepe Truck on March 4th

Orange County, CA – February 3, 2010 – After two years of catering private
events throughout Orange and Los Angeles counties, Crepes Bonaparte French
Crepe Catering is launching its new custom-built catering truck, equipped
with a window so customers can watch Crepes Bonaparte owner and experienced
French crepe chef, Christian Murcia, create their made-to-order French
crepe.

Always proving a unique experience, Crepes Bonaparte chefs make sweet and
savory crepes priced between $1.99 and $4.99. The new crepe catering truck
will launch at the Anaheim Farmer’s Market on Thursday, March 4th and
will continue to be at the Farmer’s Market every Thursday from noon to 7
p.m.

Christian Murcia, a Fullerton native, graduated from University of Southern
California’s Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies in May 2008.

In addition to existing catering services, the crepe truck will also be
available for private events. Truck schedule locations, menus and catering
packages are available on Crepe’s Bonaparte’s website (CrepesBonaparte.com),
Twitter (Twitter.com/CrepesBonaparte) and Facebook
(Facebook.com/CrepesBonaparte).

Crepes Bonaparte welcomes truck route requests, which can be made at feedme@crepesbonaparte.com

Contact:
Danielle Law
E: danielle@crepesbonaparte.com
P: (714) 609-4123