Fashion District Dogs, Hold The Onions.

By Ed Fuentes
Published: Tuesday, July 03, 2007, at 12:52AM

Randall Tampa Ed Fuentes [Flickr]

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — This will be the first 4th of July in recent memory where the distinct pungency of the Fashion District culinary staple–bacon wrapped hot dogs, grilled with onions and bell peppers– will not be sold.

“People come here for that L.A. ambiance” says L.A. Fashion District Operations Director Randall Tampa. Because of the Dog Wars of 2006, the ambiance is different. Only steamed dogs are allowed to be prepared and sold on the street. That came from a series of complaints from in-store merchants that led to carts ticketed, and sometimes towed-away; and as part of LAPD’s crackdown on ordinances long ignored.

With a January protest at City Hall declaring harassment of hot dog vendors––along with an understanding of the appeal of carts by just about everyone––a working agreement was slowly formed between the Cushman style hot dog cart owners, fashion merchants, city health officials, the BID and LAPD. Tampa gives much of the credit to Senior Lead Officer Randall McCain who brought in city health officials to determine how the carts can comply with current code. The BID paid for the health departments OT. Some things still need to be worked out, like creating a system where vendors can park for a daily fee.

As the Cushman style carts didn’t always comply with city health codes and parking ordinances, the pirate hot dog carts with flat pans and propane tanks placed inside a wire rack on wheels are worse offenders. “We had one merchant call in to say a baby was kept next to the tank,” says Tampa. Add that to the 60 and more of the larger carts that could be out at the same time–smoke was drifting everwhere.

Merchants like Henry Amir, a shop owner in the area for 17 years, was an early critic of the all the carts. “The smoke from the onions started at 8:30 am” he said curbside outside his store. “The smell stayed in my merchandise. Now … it’s all good,” he says, even as a cart was taking a parking spot nearby.

Child and Cart

Hot dog vendor Rosenda Ibanez owns two of the Cushman carts, and nods while saying it’s “mas limpia…much cleaner,’ pointing to the wiped-down chrome and covered food. Gina Wilson, who came in from Rancho Cucamonga to shop in the Fashion District, stopped for a dog at Ibanez’s cart. The new mom said “These are better. The other ones made me sick once.”

There will those who will seek the bacon-wrapped dogs, and they can be still found around Downtown. For now, in the Fashion District, everyone agreed to a solution so other problems can be solved.

Like what we saw near the hot dog cart. Someone was selling another potential foodie favorite; illegal DVD’s of Ratatouille.

Above: Randall Tampa in front of a now legal cart. Below: Gina Wilson with daughter Hailey next to a Cushman cart kept cleaner, according to Tampa, after a cooperative effort between vendors, the city, the county and LAPD. Photo: EF



Comments

1
Urban Bruin writes:

I miss the bacon wrapped dogs already. On our last visit to the Alley a few weeks ago I was told by one of the ladies that they can no longer sell them. Having grown up in the Fashion District as a child I ate my share of bacon wrapped dogs and I never got sick by them. Later on as an adult I’ve taken countless number of out of town guests to the Alley and despite what ever bargains they may have scored, the highlight had always been those dogs. Amazing how a tube of mayo can sit out in the sun all day long and not get anyone sick.

So if this is sign of the changing times for the new Downtown L.A., than so be it! But future trips to the Alley will never be the same.

# on Jul.03.2007 AT 01:54 AM
2
LA City Nerd writes:

Just remember, vending from the sidewalk is always prohibited. What IS legal is the victual carts, as Ed mentions, that are parked on the street attached to a vehicle.

More here.

# on Jul.03.2007 AT 07:16 AM
3
Whitman Lam writes:

City hall needs to take a page from New York City and encourage vending carts to bring some pedestrian activity. Manhattan hot dog carts are world famous !!!

# on Jul.03.2007 AT 08:03 AM
4
Ed Fuentes writes:

I know Urban, it won’t be the same for many. I think though, this was a good way to work things out so the carts can stay and the small business owner can keep these start up carts going. Maybe one will one break out and have an actual stand/cafe with ventilation. Imagine the lines they would have.

When is saw some of the more expensive merchandise damaged from smoke, it made sense how it needed to be regulated.

Nerd: If there is any part of L.A. that is ready for a vending district, it’s Santee Alley and the surrounding neighborhoods.

# on Jul.03.2007 AT 08:08 AM
5
Fred Camino writes:

Sad to report that the only time I ever go a bacon wrapped hot dog (damn the smell of grilled onions), I got a nasty bout of stomach sickness later that day. That, combined with the fact the the taste didn’t even come close to living up to the smell, means I won’t be missing these too much.

# on Jul.03.2007 AT 08:24 AM
6
Dennis Smith writes:

Perhaps the city should follow the same paradigm as was applied to the illegal tamale carts near MacArthur Park. Mama’s Hot Tamales, supported by grants and operated as a non-profit, has legalized the tamale trade, provided valuable training for operating a legal business in the city of Los Angeles and has helped contribute to the gradual rejuvenation of the Westlake district.

The city could rent out the unused commercial spaces in Pershing Square originally designed for food concessions. Following the model set by Mama’s Hot Tamales, illegal dog carts could be replaced by a city sanctioned business that provides training and experience in the food preparation trade. A restaurant like “Legal Dogs” could provide jobs as well as the the city’s signature street sausage and at the same time assist the city in bringing more people to the often neglected Pershing Square.

# on Jul.03.2007 AT 08:35 AM
7
Ed Fuentes writes:

Carts don’t bring necessarily bring pedestrian activity. They thrive where activity already exists, which in NY is just about everywhere. L.A. just have pockets of street life.

The food cart market in NY has tougher regulations than L.A.’s. No new permits have been issued since the 70s and vendors have to wait, or rent an already owned permit creating a black market value of a cart 3k a year.

Also in NY, you can’t vend within 20 feet of a business entrance. And nothing is grilled. Plus it’s against cart protocol to sell the same thing near the same corner.

All carts are required to have water supply for hand washing, which often missing from many of the LA carts until now.

# on Jul.03.2007 AT 08:59 AM
8
Randall Tampa writes:

Ed,

Small spelling typo in your story and I just wanted to again give credit where credit is due. The Los Angeles police officer who made such an important impact in the Fashion District is Senior Lead Officer Randall McCain. It was Randall’s perseverance and tenacity that solved this problem.

Also, as Ed has alluded too, the Fashion District is still working with the Cushman cart vendors and various entities within the city and county. We feel it is also worth mentioning, that without the cooperation of the many Cushman vendors themselves, this partnership would never have come to fruition.

To those readers that have made suggestions regarding this article, we thank you for your ideas and they have been noted.

Randall T

# on Jul.03.2007 AT 01:20 PM
9
Militant Angeleno writes:

As a Dodger fan who makes sure he gets his Dodger Dogs GRILLED, steamed hot dogs are a big thumbs down.

# on Jul.03.2007 AT 04:50 PM
10
Ed Fuentes writes:

Randall: Thanks for the clarification, “Randy” is changed to Randall

Militant: I remember back when Dodger Stadium took away grilled dogs for, oh about, two weeks. Everyone became militant.

As an aside, Dodger Dogs are grilled, but on a hot flat dry pan.

# on Jul.03.2007 AT 05:01 PM
11
Gina Wilson writes:

Ed I saw that you put me in the paper on July 3rd we met downtown great article .. Can you guide me to the pictures you took of me and my daughter Hailey Wilson.

# on Jul.05.2007 AT 11:16 AM

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