Author: Brenda McNary
I would like to preface this review with an acknowledgment of my bias: I am a hot dog fanatic. I have overcome the stigma of ordering hot dogs in the Cooler and Marketplace. I frequent Dodgers games basically just for the dogs. I will snag a hot dog over a burger at barbecues any day. What was once a guilty pleasure has now become a source of identity in a world of hot dog haters. But I have to admit, those haters can be convincing. With artificial stabilizers and questionable cuts of meat (or “meat”), these are dark days for the hot dog.
Enter Wurstkütche: A self-proclaimed purveyor of fine sausages.
Tucked away in the “Art District” of downtown Los Angeles, the combination restaurant/beer garden has only been open for a year but has already gained substantial buzz, ringing in hundreds of reviews on yelp.com. Hearing about the awesome sausage place downtown from friends in the know, I set out to investigate the restaurant with high hopes. I was not disappointed.
The location is really quite perfect. A short drive away from Oxy and also accessible by the Metro Gold Line (although requiring a bit of a schlep or bike ride), the restaurant is conveniently located far enough away to feel like one has escaped the “Oxy bubble,” but is still closer than the Westside. I was also intrigued by its location to the east of Little Tokyo, an area of downtown I thought was reserved only for eerily vacant storage buildings.
Here I actually observed a pseudo-livable neighborhood, with an art/architectural supply store, coffee shops and loft conversion apartment buildings – nice territory for a post-sausage stroll. Also, there was ample parking. Need I say more? When I pulled up to the restaurant, I was excited to spot a line out the sliding barn door – always a good sign in Los Angeles.
As I waited and chatted in line, a friendly mustached employee passed out menus to the crowd. Unlike some other trendy eateries, the menu at Wurstkütche is beautifully simple. First, you choose a sausage from a vast array of options. For the vegetarians there are potato based versions filled with interesting spices such as sage, fennel and garlic and things like apples and chipotle peppers.
For the traditionalists there are bratwursts, Italian sausages and kielbasa. Not to leave out the foodies, there are sausages loaded up with mango, gourmet cheeses and regional flavors. For the truly adventurous, they offer a selection of exotic sausages with ingredients like alligator, rabbit and rattlesnake.
Once a suitable sausage has been chosen, you can choose two toppings from a list of itmes such as caramelized onions, sauerkraut, sweet peppers and spicy peppers to smother your dog, and order some fries with your choice from their fantastically eclectic dipping sauces, such as chipotle ketchup, bleu cheese walnut bacon and “sweet and sassy” BBQ. Also, if you are so inclined, you can order a beer from their lengthy list of imports on tap.
After a painless ordering process and reasonable prices (about 6 bucks per sausage), I thought it couldn’t get any better, until I saw the long communal benches I would get to sit at with my fellow patrons. My friends and I plopped next to a rowdy engagement party in from New Jersey. Perfect.
But the real showstopper was the food. Let me just say that the kielbasa with grilled onions and roasted red peppers I ordered was nothing short of a religious experience. Coupled with fantastically crispy Belgian style fries and the best barbecue dipping sauce I’ve had in a while, I was wowed.
My friends were equally impressed with their choices, and we all realized that we hadn’t been talking for at least 10 minutes after the food arrived – definitely a good sign. Since that first day, I’ve already been back twice, and I have vociferously recommended the place to everyone. It is just really good.
So if you like sausages, good beer and great company, head to Wurstkütche. Let every dog have its day.
Wurstkütche is located at 800 E. 3rd St. Los Angeles, CA. Check out their website for menus and hours at www.wurstkucherestaurant.com.
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