American

The Stand - Encino

When it comes to hot dogs, the debate over who makes the best one in Los Angeles can get people pretty hot under the collar. 

You’ve got Pinks, Cupids, QT Chicago Dogs and Carney’s, just to name a few.  There are even those that will vouch for the tried and true Wienerschnitzel or Tommy’s. 

But there is one place that has something going for it that these other dog joints don’t - ambiance.

That right.  The Standin Encino not only serves up a mean dog, among other menu items, but it’s also bright and clean and cheerful.  They even have a lovely outdoor seating area surrounded by a small stand of pepper trees.

I’ve lived in the Valley for almost 30 years but only found The Stand about 3 years ago.   It’s a great little neighborhood place - perfect for a family dinner or even a casual date.  Hey - on Thursdays and Sundays they even have live Jazz music outside.

We went there last night to enjoy a leisurely nosh and a beer.

The menu has a big selection of hot dog and burger choices along with salads and sandwiches.  If you’re thirsty for something other then a soda they also offer beer and wine - burgers and dogs are comin’ up in style baby!

On this particular day I went for the loaded Stand Dog with kraut, grilled onions and cheese.

The grilled onions were great, nice and buttery tasting, but the kraut was almost non existent I’m sad to say.  Also, I do wish they would pony up for some heartier buns.  These are your classic whiteys and if  you ask, they will grill it for you. A much better choice if sogginess is an issue.   
You can also see that the dogs come with chips rather then fries.  They’re tasty chips - but for my money - fries and a dog are kind of like Forest and Jenny (you know peas and carrots, they just go together!)

Like I said they also have a small selection of salads - and we decided to try out the Mediterranean.

Good leafy greens, not skimpy on the feta and the garbanzos are a nice touch.  Pretty straightforward for a Greek salad.  Be warned though - definitely go for the vinaigrette on the side - it is SUPER SALTY.  Whoa! I mean the feta and the olives are salty enough as it is, in my opinion some simple oil and vinegar would be a better option.

Other times we’ve visited we’ve had the Bleu Cheese Burger which was fantastic and the Beef Brisket which had a nice little spicy kick to it.

On Mondays they have $1 Dog Night - so during football season you can watch Monday night football and have some cheap eats.

Does The Stand serve up the bestdog in Los Angeles?  I’m not even gonna get involved in that debate!  But they do serve a very tasty one and their other menu choices have been solid as well.   But like I said before I’d give up finding “the best”  and settle for enjoying a good meal and a cold beer on a warm summer evening outside in their picturesque dining area.

Oh, and for those of you “over the hill”  they have locations in Westwood and Century City.

The Stand - Encino:  1700 Ventura Blvd.  Encino, CA 91316   Ph: 818.788.2700

By Erinn (see more of her posts). You can find more of Erinn's writing at her own website Sunday Dish.

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