Scooby’s

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery! In that cord, I have followed my hero Anthony Bordain into the bowels of “meat in tube form.” I’m just a sucker for it. Some of my fondest memories go back to hot dog days. The Hound Dog in Downtown Danville, Oakland Coliseum, Fourth of July, and many others set the tone and catalyst in which I fondly remember yesteryear. I don’t have one memory of eating a hot dog at work or crying while applying mustard.

The hot dog (now more sausage) is the oxymoron that has become my diet. As stated many times in the past (if you are new, welcome), my wife and I have exposed ourselves to truths about food that have forever changed the way we eat and what we feed our children. We have teetered on the edge of vegetarianism only to be pulled back by necessities like sushi, prime rib and for me hot dogs. I know what is in them and I know that my wife will never feed one willingly to my children, and for that I admire her and love her more. But hot dogs are nostalgic.

Let’s then go back down to the land of stars and food trucks from last month. Back to Holly-weird! I had less than an hour before I blew town and was contemplating my fuel options for my vehicle as well as myself. I reflected on my starry journey down Hollywood Blvd. the night before and remembered seeing a store front that differed from the rest. Not just because it wasn’t a tattoo parlor or 5 for $5 t-shirt stand, but because it was clean, colorful and had outdoor seating. Most businesses on Hollywood Boulevard decorate their outside with pee stains and pan handlers. So I went!

Scooby’s boasted the type of colors that are synonymous with hot doggeries and nostalgia. Bright red, white and yellows abound and most are in that shiny plastic composite material reserved for the construction of amusement part rides. Did I mention clean? Sparkling clean. A clean only accepted by their framed “A” rating by the health department.

A simple menu of 8 items (all dog minus the Philly cheesesteak (how did that get in there) and 6 ways to do fries). Chili, chili and cheese, cheese, bacon and cheese, you get the idea. I chose the Jalapeno dog and regular fries then went and took my seat next to the ponytailed local that had been coming here every week since they opened in 2002.

The dog had that classic POP in the casing that brings me right back to yesteryear and I experienced it just as ponytail was telling me about it. Also the bun was not a bun but three connected, square dinner rolls split down the middle. Brilliant! The fries were a collection of hand cut criss-cut fries and the traditional shoestring. I really didn’t know where to start.

So I just jumped right in. Applied my mustard (the only acceptable condiment for dogs) and listened to ponytail tell me about his Hollywood from the 1960’s. I floated down I-5 over the grapevine fueled properly on Scooby’s and stories and couldn’t wait to share it all with you when I got back.

6654 Hollywood Blvd.
323-HOT-DOGS