yeah but copied everywhere now
Well, a) clearly you and I have different opinions re: Pinkās, but b) itās not about the specific quality of _______________, but rather the experience, the atmosphere, the whole gestalt. There is only one PinkāsĀ¹ ā nothing else is like it. Same with the original first LA locationĀ² of Barneyās Beanery.
Ā¹ The Las Vegas location has as much in common with the original as Vegas locations of Nathanās have in common with Coney Island . . .
Ā² Barneyās actually opened up in Berkeley, CA in 1920, but moved to the Santa Monica Blvd. location in whatās now West Hollywood in 1927.
Black truffle gohan is a dish thatās featured at various modern kappo places in Japan, e.g. Azabu Kadowaki. I think it might be Kadowakiās most famous dish. Shunjiās agedashi tomato, however, is more uniquely his own. Really nice umami by pairing tomato with dashi - brilliant!
N/nakaās abalone spaghettini is also quite uniquely hers, as this dish takes itameshi to some new heights you donāt see elsewhere. To me, itās a signature dish of hers and it makes perfect sense at a modern kaiseki place in LA.
Kogi korean tacos are quintessentially LA for me, as they distinctly reflect not only the taco truck movement which really took off in LA, but also the intersection of two cuisines - Mexican and Korean - which are so emblematic of the city of LA. That method of mixing different cultures is so Californian, too (see Peruvian-Japanese a la Matsuhisa), so Kogi tacos capture the feeling of āLAā to me. Itās āmade in L.A.ā because to me Kogi tacos can only really originate in L.A.
Thatās fair enough, but I wish somebody would have noted that to me before I came to LA and waited in that hour line for what I thought would be an excellent hot dog.
Oh, yeah ā Iād NEVER wait in line that long . . . but I do have a nostalgic fondness for Pinkās, based largely on the fact my high school was nearby. But, still, if and when I go, I only go at āoff timesā to avoid the line . . . but when I go to LA, 9 out of 10 ties, Iām going to hit Philippeās rather than Pinkās.
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Heard location got bought and may close. Beanery.
cmon, man. is there a hot dog in la county worth waiting an hour for? is there one anywhere?
No, but if the hot dog at least tasted good I wouldnāt be as bitter about the whole experience.
i hear you and believe you. but iāll repeat what ive said before:
i bet if i lined up hot dogs from any number of regarded places, and included pinks in the lineup, and did a blinfolded taste test, the results would be unpredictable and surpising.
i think the experience at pinks has a significant effect on peopleās opinion of the hot dog.
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Weāll agree to disagree - just like old times. 
I had a pig in a blanket dish at Alma that I wouldāve waited at least 59 minutes for.
An hour? Thatās tough to say.
Are you aware of any places doing it in less random locales? Iād never even heard of Colton and have been living in LA/OC for 20 plus years!
Try Sushinaloa int the South Gate / Lynwood area on State and Long Beach Blvd.
Culichi Town also does it and has multiple locations.
YOLO!
side note: never been to Culichi Town and only recently heard about it from second hand knowledge of an unreliable source, so TIFWIW
Check out all the Culichi Town locations!
Ironically, there is a location in Colton!
I was not so impressed by Culichi Town. The sushi is all rolls, and they all include cream cheese.
fair enough, amigo. and i enjoyed a just fine costco dog
on saturday.
new style sashimi
chili cheese dog, LA style
pastrami burrito.
Langerās pastrami.
toro tartare with triple zero beluga caviar
the Shunji tomato thing and yes the elusive fucking truffle gohan that I still really really want to try for fuckās sake.
Agreed on ānew style sashimiā - the ubiquitous āyellowtail in garlic ponzu with jalapeno/serrano chileā (and maybe avocado) is entirely Nobu. Perhaps also his ārock shrimp tempuraā with mayo/aioli?
Toro tartare with beluga is something very Masa NYC as well - though, I guess one might say that he did such things at Ginza Sushiko where Urasawa now is.
Shunjiās agedashi tomato yes. But to my knowledge, the truffle gohan is not an LA-original dish - itās been the signature course at Azabu Kadowaki in Tokyo for a while (and I think Iāve seen pics of it at a few other kappo counters, too).
Pastrami burrito just sounds gluttonous (not saying thatās a bad thing here).
Kimchi Quesadilla. Great example.
Ah, how could I forget the crispy rice with spicy tuna a la Katsuya.