“As when a man besides a great fire has filled a sausage with fat and blood and turns it this way and that and is very eager to get it quickly roasted” - Homer’s Odyssey
The history of the sausage dates back to 9th century BC. It’s a bit of a mystery when they first made it into a bun and were deemed “hot dogs”. It is rumored that a German immigrant by the name of Charles Feltman first sold frankfurters with sauerkraut and inserted them into milk buns from his cart in New York sometime in the 1860’s.
Like any type of specific food, people have their varied opinions about who has the best hot dog. New Yorkers say there is nothing better than a Nathan’s, those from Chicago swear by Hot Doug’s. Here in LA, there are those who hate Pinks and those who love it. I am somewhere in between. I’ve been on a bit of a search lately for my favorite dog in LA, when I checked out Let’s Be Frank with some co-workers.
Most hot dogs contain nitrates. Nitrates are used specifically as a preservative but also add flavor and coloring to the meat. The dogs here don’t contain nitrates, or hormones, or any other chemicals for that matter. The result is beef with more than twice the omega-3 fatty acids of feedlot grain-finished beef.
The Frank Dog at Let’s Be Frank
The natural flavor of the meat really shines through here. This mild beef dog was very delightful, not overly salty, just a natural flavor with a nice crisp skin. The grilled onions are a must, along with a couple of Sue’s delicious home made pickle chips and brown mustard. Their bratwurst, made of 100% family farmed pork, had a very distinct pork flavor and reminded me of a breakfast sausage. I would definitely get one of each on my next return.
Dogs were a bit pricey at $5 each. They have a small selection of gourmet sodas for $2.50 each. You can also take home a 4 pack of dogs for $7. In a couple of weeks you’ll be able to grab a hot dog from the cart, then a beer next door at Father’s Office. What could be better than that?
What my coworkers are saying about Let’s Be Frank:
“I like a more aggressive wiener – it would be nice to see a spicy dog added to the menu. The ingredients are very high quality (no hoof or snout that I could discern). I recommend the Bread and Butter pickles to add a sweet zest to the somewhat bland Frank Dog.” -JB
“Ordering the second frank was easy. Identifying the best route back to the office was the hard part.” - Eric
“Great for a sunny afternoon… To enjoy the sun, that is.” - Victor
Let’s Be Frank
Helms Ave
Between Washington Blvd & Venice Blvd
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