Japadog Makes It's Way To L.A.

As you all will probably find out, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Japanese food. I think if I put enough Kewpie mayonnaise (Japan's go-to mayo of choice) and Tonkatsu sauce on anything, it'll probably be good. You all probably think i'm lying but i'm dead serious and it's a bit scary. Anyway, a couple months back as I was channel surfing, I happened to stop on the Travel Channel, where Anthony Bourdain was in Canada munching on some hot dogs from a street cart. "No big deal", I thought to myself, until I heard the word "Japadog" and like a puppy reacting to it's master's call, my ears perked up and my eyes frantically focused on what he was actually consuming on this street corner in Vancouver.

These hot dogs are exactly what the name implies: Japanese hot dogs or "Japadogs" for short. They come in multiple flavors such as Ume (plum), Tonkatsu (pork cutlet), and Okonomi (Japanese pancake). My mouth started to water and yearn for one of these hot dogs and then it hit me that it would be damn near impossible... because they were in VANCOUVER. Unless I happened to have a whole week free and unlimited funds to travel up from L.A. to Canada for these delectable treats, I wasn't going to be able to experience a Japadog anytime soon.

Fast forward to yesterday. As I was running errands in Koreatown, my husband and I were driving down Wilshire towards Western, where during lunchtime finds many random food trucks up and down the street for nearby workers and passersby to indulge in. All of a sudden the words "JAPADOG" in white flash by and I immediately yell at my husband to park the car because, well, OMG Japadog is in L.A.!

The cart was manned by their two very friendly and super accommodating workers, one of whom I've seen in pictures for their publicity here in L.A. Lucky for us there wasn't a line since it was around lunchtime and as we placed our order, more and more people stopped to see what goods they were cooking up.

They only take cash as of right now so I was SUPER bummed to find out that I only had enough for me and my husband to share. Although the sign said $6 for a hot dog, he only charged us $5 which was very nice of him to do! I just had to think to myself that not having enough cash on me was a sign that I needed to come back again, so we opted to try the most popular dog, the Terimayo.

Bottom line: this dog definitely did NOT disappoint! It had all the classic flavors of Japanese street food: the juicy meat marinated with teriyaki, the mayo smothering the soft bun, all delicately topped off with Nori, or seaweed flakes, making the perfect lunchtime snack. The dog was big enough for us to share but don't be fooled, I had to walk further from my husband as I was devouring my meal so that I wouldn't be tempted to be a jerk and steal his half. It honestly made me want more! The Yakisoba dog, Ebi Tempura dog, and Okonomi dogs were all just calling for me to try, and I was sad to say that I had to wait till next time. So more I will get once I track down their cart again with a bigger appetite, an ice cold Japanese bottled tea drink and definitely enough money to support at least two delicious dogs :)

Hi everyone!!

Welcome to That One Spot, where I document the places my husband and I love to indulge in and around beautiful Los Angeles!

Just a little background on me- my name is Stefanie and I reside in the otherwise unpopular culinary area of Los Angeles; The San Fernando Valley (although you pretty much can't beat the ethnic gems here!) Yes, I am a valley girl, but I took my first little baby steps in the heart of Koreatown where I was born. I am a second generation Filipino American and I do cook and bake sweets on occasion. My mother is my main inspiration for getting out there and trying new things to eat, and twenty-something years later here I am roaming form place to place eating anything that looks interesting, and of course, yummy! I love trying new places to eat and many of my friends ask me where I am and how I got to wherever I am. More times than not, my husband and I just happen to pass by and go, "Hey let's give it a shot!" Not every place I visit is to die for, but as the old saying goes, "You'll never know unless you try!" You have maybe heard of a couple of the places that I mention here on this blog, but hey that's okay! Feel free to comment on the posts to tell me about YOUR experience and I'm sure it'll help our fellow Angelenos and visiting friends pick the right dish that suits their taste.

I just want to take this opportunity to let you all know that all of the pictures and words you see here are my own, and that I'm simply out to eat as much delicious food and write about it here so maybe one day you can try them for yourself, or maybe try something new!

Enjoy your stay and happy eating!!