Pink's Hot Dogs Come to LAX
By Art Marroquin, Staff Writer
July 22, 2010
The distinctive snap of a hot dog casing enveloped by soft, fresh buns and topped with spicy chili drew dozens of foodies Thursday to Los Angeles International Airport.
The unmistakable taste of Pink's Hot Dogs have tantalized the taste buds of Southern California residents and tourists for more than seven decades.
And now, overseas travelers can take a bite of local culinary culture when passing through LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal, where Pink's Hot Dogs has opened its eighth stand since the eatery was established in 1939. It's the first Pink's in an airport.
"Our tour guide told us about Pink's hot dogs and that they are the most famous in L.A., so I decided to try it," Marianne Beeler said after ordering a mild polish dog and a side of french fries during a stopover between Honolulu and her home country of Switzerland.
"I guess it's one of those tourist things," Beeler said. "You know, one of those things you have to do while you're in L.A."
Fans of the landmark eatery don't need a plane ticket to order their favorite hot dog at the airport. Pink's Hot Dogs sits in a food court that's accessible before visitors reach the security checkpoint.
Anxious diners stood in a long line Thursday afternoon to get a taste of the renowned hot dogs. The scene resembled the throngs of fans who wait in front of the original Pink's Hot Dogs stand at LaBrea and Melrose avenues in Hollywood.
"When my parents started Pink's in 1939, they never dreamed they would be opening a hot dog stand at the greatest airport in the world, LAX," said Richard Pink, who now runs the family business.
"The whole idea of Pink's was to bring a bit of Hollywood to the airport, a bit of nostalgia," Pink said. "I think anybody that comes here is going to taste the same great hot dogs that they taste at our other store in Hollywood."
Among the menu's offerings is an "LAX International Dog," which was selected last November by the city's top dog, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The winning entry was submitted by airport employee Timothy Ihle, whose 10-inch hot dog was topped with chili, sauerkraut, bacon, shredded cheese and chopped tomatoes.
"The best things on a hot dog are either chili or sauerkraut, so I just put them together and added the other ingredients for a really good sandwich," Ihle said as he bit into his masterpiece.
"It's a really good mix," he said. "It was really cool to order something I created right off the menu."
Magaly Grimaitre had never heard of Pink's Hot Dogs, but ordered an LAX International Dog on Thursday while waiting for a flight back home to Switzerland.
"We just wanted something very American before we go home, so we decided to order a hot dog before getting on the plane," Grimaitre said after ordering.
A taste of Southern California - particularly Los Angeles - is just what city and airport officials are seeking in the latest round of food and beverage contracts under consideration for four terminals at LAX.
Pink's Hot Dogs was brought to LAX by Delaware North Cos., which was offered a proposed contract that also calls for new restaurants operated by celebrity chefs Masaharu Morimoto and Wolfgang Puck sometime next year. That deal, along with four other food contracts, is undergoing an intensive review this summer by a five-member City Council committee.
The Pink family and Delaware North on Thursday also donated $10,000 to the Greater Los Angeles USO, which provides meals, phones and Internet services to thousands of servicemen and women who pass through LAX on their way to military bases scattered across the globe.
"Pink's is a Los Angeles legacy," said David Shuter, a deputy executive director at LAX.
"What we've been trying to do is bring more of the L.A. taste into the airport," Shuter said. "And boy, after 71 years, if you don't have the L.A. taste by that time, you'll never have it."
Prev
Linear Mode
