There’s just something very American about hot dogs.Is there another dish that consumers routinely devour despite scientific research showing each serving takes about 36 minutes off your life, at least according to the University of Michigan?While Costco is known for its rotisserie chickens, pizzas and jumbo everything, it’s the $1.50 all-beef hot dog that is routinely cited as the warehouse company’s top dish.I feel fortunate to live about 20 minutes away from one of the only two California locations for Chicago’s famed Portillo’s hot dogs and its divine jumbo tomato-pepper-pickle dog.If you love a great hot dog, our Food Team has curated a list of delectable delights from around Southern California for your sampling pleasure this summer. You’re reading the Essential California newsletter Sign up to start every day with California’s most important stories. By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy such as personalizing your experience and ads. Here’s a look at four selections from the full list, since you’re going to need to save every minute.Amboy (Chinatown) (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times ) The chili cheese dog at Amboy may be the most decadent (and certainly the messiest) hot dog in the city, according to colleague Jenn Harris.It starts with a wrinkled, wonderfully snappy dog that extends well beyond the buttery brioche bun.It’s smothered in rich, beefy chili and a house-made cheese sauce that lands somewhere between queso and melted American cheese. And it’s crowned with a smattering of diced raw onion. It’s a once-in-a-while indulgence worth the chili stains at the corners of your mouth, the mountain of soiled napkins and the need to lie down.Cupid’s Hot Dogs (Winnetka) (Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times) Few L.A. hot dog spots feel as quintessential as Cupid’s, where the food is just as steeped in family lore as nostalgia, according to my colleague Stephanie Breijo.The Walsh family’s been slinging hot dogs across the Valley since 1946, with sisters Morgan and Kelly Walsh serving as third-generation stewards. Their thin, steamed all-beef dogs still snap with each bite. The signature Cupid dog — a creation of their father’s in the 1980s — is punchy with mustard, chili and onions, and the chili here is so thick it’s practically a flavor-packed paste. Drop by Simi Valley for newer digs, or by the old-school Winnetka location for a walk-up window and that iconic red heart-shaped sign.Larry’s Chili Dog (Burbank) (Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times) Larry’s Chili Dog has been serving glizzy-hungry patrons since the early 1950s, and its dogs and breakfast burritos can be purchased as early as 7 a.m. from a busy walk-up window, Breijo wrote.The little yellow shack under a vintage puppy-in-a-bun sign is one of the region’s oldest and most classic roadside hot dog stands, and it specializes in house-made chili: You can find it on the signature chili dog, atop fries, in a cup by its lonesome, or smothering a spicy grilled link in a tray.For all of Larry’s classic items, there’s plenty of room for modernization. There are corn dogs, Chicago dogs, bacon-wrapped dogs, pastrami-laden dogs and sauerkraut-topped dogs, and any signature snappy dog can be swapped out for a Louisiana hot link, a Polish sausage, a turkey dog or a veggie dog. Just be sure to get your fix on the early end: Larry’s closes at 3 p.m.Wezzarepas (Whittier) (Angela Osorio / Los Angeles Times) Hot dogs are a popular late-night craving you’ll find at any street food stand in Colombia, known for loaded toppings and an array of sauces, creating a chaotic but delicious combination of sweet, savory and tangy flavors, wrote my colleague Angela Osorio.At the Wezzarepas food truck, you’ll find a choriperro (dubbed the “Mastiff” dog) stuffed with spicy chorizo sausage instead of a hot dog frank and topped with shredded mozzarella, bacon, crumbled potato chips and a drizzle of in-house sauces: creamy cilantro aioli, pink sauce (mayo and ketchup), and a sweet, tangy pineapple sauce. Also worth trying are the arepas de choclo, sweet yellow corn cakes filled with gooey mozzarella.For more, check out the full list.The week’s biggest stories Crime, court and policingWest Hollywood floodingBay Area newsEnvironmental issuesWhat else is going onMust-readOther must-readsFor your downtime (Illustrations by Lindsey Made This; photograph by Christina House / Los Angeles Times) Going outStaying inL.A. AffairsGet wrapped up in tantalizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage.Have a great day, from the Essential California teamHailey Branson-Potts, staff reporterHugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break deskKevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorAndrew J. Campa, weekend writerKarim Doumar, head of newslettersHow can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.
