LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert got the “birds and the bees” talk from his dad in the drive-through of a Wienerschnitzel.
“I remember thinking, ‘Are we really doing this right now?’” Brockert said.
Afterward, they ate chili dogs.
Hot dogs have been a steady undercurrent in Brockert’s life — from awkward father-son talks, to discovering legacy hot dog stands while traveling the country with his former photo booth business, to his increasingly popular “Visitor Dog” series at his Dodgers-themed pizza and sandwich shop in Chinatown, in which Brockert re-creates an entire catalog of regional hot dogs during baseball season.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert builds a Cuban Dog in the kitchen at his Chinatown location.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Here’s how it works: When the Dodgers have a home game, LaSorted’s serves a hot dog from the visiting team’s city or region, available only while the visiting team is in town. Each one is made with a stewardly amount of attention to detail.
Of course, when the Cubs arrive, Brockert makes a true-to-form Chicago dog, poppyseed bun and all. When the American League‘s Tigers make the trek to Vin Scully Avenue once every two years, a warmly spiced Detroit-style Coney dog graces the menu. From there, however, things get more obscure.
LaSorted’s features lesser-known hot dogs from places like Miami, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Hot dogs topped with Polish sauerkraut, coleslaw, cream cheese, chile verde and crema, Provolone cheese and grilled onions, or barbecued ham. Sometimes they’re wrapped in pretzel buns, or dipped in a top-secret corn dog batter.
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From the bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to the classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s.
At LaSorted’s, though, Brockert has successfully and authentically corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
A temple to the Dodgers
Brockert was born in Tarzana and is a third-generation Dodgers fan. A nostalgic, neighborhood pizzeria built as a temple to the Dodgers, LaSorted’s was designed to feel lived-in, almost like a Dodgers fanatic’s basement, with dozens of pieces of memorabilia and family photos hanging from the wood paneling. It opened in Chinatown in October 2024 — right in the heat of a Dodgers postseason run that ended in a clean sweep of the Yankees to nab their eighth World Series title — selling pizzas, sandwiches, wings and salads.
At LaSorted’s, Brockert has corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Hot dogs weren’t a part of the initial plan. Now, LaSorted’s has become a hot dog hot spot. Everybody — restaurant industry, L.A. transplants, traveling fans and curious Angelenos alike — have come in to enjoy a regional hot dog served far away from its natural habitat.
“I have a unique opportunity to not compromise on quality and tap into nostalgia,” he says. “Just even training my staff on [each hot dog], I’m very particular.”
The idea is to get each hot dog perfect, so that if you’ve eaten it before, it’ll bring you back to a specific time and place.
“You can see it on people’s faces,” Brockert says of the customers who recognize each hot dog, “They’re having their ‘Ratatouille’ moment.”
Secret recipes
With each hot dog, Brockert secures a restaurant’s original ingredients and proprietary recipes, often getting brats and mustard flown in from across the country. “I don’t do it to make money,” he laughs. Still, it’s a job he takes seriously. “These brands are trusting me,” he says, “It’s a big responsibility.”
Time 50 minutes
Yields Serves 8 to 10
Each hot dog served during the “Visitor Dog” series is attached to a legacy business and its story.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town in late May, Tommy sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver, a family-owned sausage company that’s been in business for more than 100 years. He tops the chili cheese brats with his own green chili verde sauce, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and Mexican crema.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town, Brockert sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver. They’re topped with chili verde, cheddar and Monterey Jack, and Mexican crema.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
This August, when the Pirates come to Dodger Stadium, Brockert worked out a deal to partner with a 120-year-old Pittsburgh institution, Isaly’s, to serve a hot dog topped with its signature chopped deli ham slathered in barbecue sauce.
Some collaborations resonate more than others, like Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, a fixture at the State Fair of Texas since 1942. Of note: It’s nearly impossible to experience a freshly fried Fletcher’s corn dog outside of Texas. Fletcher’s ships their corn dogs nationwide via Goldbelly, but those corn dogs come already battered and frozen.
At LaSorted’s, the corn dogs are fried on site in Fletcher’s original semolina batter recipe. According to Brockert, he’s the first person Fletcher’s has actually trusted with the recipe. He even offered to sign an NDA, but ultimately, Fletcher’s trusted him, and seemingly only him, to make the legendary corn dogs from scratch. The corn dogs were such a hit they sold out in a day. “A woman bought 10 just because she’s from Texas,” he says.
LaSorted’s Cuban Dog: a split-and-grilled all-beef Vienna Beef frank, Porto’s roasted pork and smoked ham, Genoa salami, pickles and special sauce served on Cuban bread flown in from Tampa’s La Segunda Bakery.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Partners for the “Visitor Dog” series have included legacy restaurants such as Skyline Chili in Cincinnati (1949), Caspers in San Francisco (1934), the Varsity in Atlanta (1928), and Walter’s Hot Dogs in Mamaroneck, N.Y. (1919).
“I have a lot of empathy for these legacy brands,” Brockert says. “These stories die at a certain point.”
During a time when so many iconic restaurants — both in L.A. and beyond — are shuttering, Brockert sees it as a duty to continue their narratives.
Perhaps the most influential regional hot dog in Brockert’s life comes from the aforementioned Walter’s Hot Dogs, which sits about 30 miles northeast of New York City. It’s a natural-casing hot dog made of beef, pork and veal — split down the middle, griddled face down in a buttery “special sauce,” then placed on a bun with a thin spread of Walter’s patented mustard.
The split flat-top hot dog with mustard.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Brockert went so far as to ship in Walter’s special blend of hot dogs, mustard and even the labeled wax paper used to wrap the hot dog itself. LaSorted’s served the hot dog earlier this year when the Mets were in town, and many customers took their wrapped Walter’s hot dogs to the game (LaSorted’s is just under 2 miles from Dodger Stadium, which allows fans to bring in outside food).
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s, to the Dodger Dog that’s a staple of the L.A. baseball experience.
“They really are a wonderful combination, aren’t they?” said Brockert of hot dogs and baseball. “It’s pure joy.”
(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)
LaSorted’s, 984 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 301-0339, lasorteds.com.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert got the “birds and the bees” talk from his dad in the drive-through of a Wienerschnitzel.
“I remember thinking, ‘Are we really doing this right now?’” Brockert said.
Afterward, they ate chili dogs.
Hot dogs have been a steady undercurrent in Brockert’s life — from awkward father-son talks, to discovering legacy hot dog stands while traveling the country with his former photo booth business, to his increasingly popular “Visitor Dog” series at his Dodgers-themed pizza and sandwich shop in Chinatown, in which Brockert re-creates an entire catalog of regional hot dogs during baseball season.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert builds a Cuban Dog in the kitchen at his Chinatown location.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Here’s how it works: When the Dodgers have a home game, LaSorted’s serves a hot dog from the visiting team’s city or region, available only while the visiting team is in town. Each one is made with a stewardly amount of attention to detail.
Of course, when the Cubs arrive, Brockert makes a true-to-form Chicago dog, poppyseed bun and all. When the American League‘s Tigers make the trek to Vin Scully Avenue once every two years, a warmly spiced Detroit-style Coney dog graces the menu. From there, however, things get more obscure.
LaSorted’s features lesser-known hot dogs from places like Miami, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Hot dogs topped with Polish sauerkraut, coleslaw, cream cheese, chile verde and crema, Provolone cheese and grilled onions, or barbecued ham. Sometimes they’re wrapped in pretzel buns, or dipped in a top-secret corn dog batter.
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From the bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to the classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s.
At LaSorted’s, though, Brockert has successfully and authentically corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
A temple to the Dodgers
Brockert was born in Tarzana and is a third-generation Dodgers fan. A nostalgic, neighborhood pizzeria built as a temple to the Dodgers, LaSorted’s was designed to feel lived-in, almost like a Dodgers fanatic’s basement, with dozens of pieces of memorabilia and family photos hanging from the wood paneling. It opened in Chinatown in October 2024 — right in the heat of a Dodgers postseason run that ended in a clean sweep of the Yankees to nab their eighth World Series title — selling pizzas, sandwiches, wings and salads.
At LaSorted’s, Brockert has corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Hot dogs weren’t a part of the initial plan. Now, LaSorted’s has become a hot dog hot spot. Everybody — restaurant industry, L.A. transplants, traveling fans and curious Angelenos alike — have come in to enjoy a regional hot dog served far away from its natural habitat.
“I have a unique opportunity to not compromise on quality and tap into nostalgia,” he says. “Just even training my staff on [each hot dog], I’m very particular.”
The idea is to get each hot dog perfect, so that if you’ve eaten it before, it’ll bring you back to a specific time and place.
“You can see it on people’s faces,” Brockert says of the customers who recognize each hot dog, “They’re having their ‘Ratatouille’ moment.”
Secret recipes
With each hot dog, Brockert secures a restaurant’s original ingredients and proprietary recipes, often getting brats and mustard flown in from across the country. “I don’t do it to make money,” he laughs. Still, it’s a job he takes seriously. “These brands are trusting me,” he says, “It’s a big responsibility.”
Time 50 minutes
Yields Serves 8 to 10
Each hot dog served during the “Visitor Dog” series is attached to a legacy business and its story.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town in late May, Tommy sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver, a family-owned sausage company that’s been in business for more than 100 years. He tops the chili cheese brats with his own green chili verde sauce, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and Mexican crema.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town, Brockert sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver. They’re topped with chili verde, cheddar and Monterey Jack, and Mexican crema.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
This August, when the Pirates come to Dodger Stadium, Brockert worked out a deal to partner with a 120-year-old Pittsburgh institution, Isaly’s, to serve a hot dog topped with its signature chopped deli ham slathered in barbecue sauce.
Some collaborations resonate more than others, like Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, a fixture at the State Fair of Texas since 1942. Of note: It’s nearly impossible to experience a freshly fried Fletcher’s corn dog outside of Texas. Fletcher’s ships their corn dogs nationwide via Goldbelly, but those corn dogs come already battered and frozen.
At LaSorted’s, the corn dogs are fried on site in Fletcher’s original semolina batter recipe. According to Brockert, he’s the first person Fletcher’s has actually trusted with the recipe. He even offered to sign an NDA, but ultimately, Fletcher’s trusted him, and seemingly only him, to make the legendary corn dogs from scratch. The corn dogs were such a hit they sold out in a day. “A woman bought 10 just because she’s from Texas,” he says.
LaSorted’s Cuban Dog: a split-and-grilled all-beef Vienna Beef frank, Porto’s roasted pork and smoked ham, Genoa salami, pickles and special sauce served on Cuban bread flown in from Tampa’s La Segunda Bakery.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Partners for the “Visitor Dog” series have included legacy restaurants such as Skyline Chili in Cincinnati (1949), Caspers in San Francisco (1934), the Varsity in Atlanta (1928), and Walter’s Hot Dogs in Mamaroneck, N.Y. (1919).
“I have a lot of empathy for these legacy brands,” Brockert says. “These stories die at a certain point.”
During a time when so many iconic restaurants — both in L.A. and beyond — are shuttering, Brockert sees it as a duty to continue their narratives.
Perhaps the most influential regional hot dog in Brockert’s life comes from the aforementioned Walter’s Hot Dogs, which sits about 30 miles northeast of New York City. It’s a natural-casing hot dog made of beef, pork and veal — split down the middle, griddled face down in a buttery “special sauce,” then placed on a bun with a thin spread of Walter’s patented mustard.
The split flat-top hot dog with mustard.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Brockert went so far as to ship in Walter’s special blend of hot dogs, mustard and even the labeled wax paper used to wrap the hot dog itself. LaSorted’s served the hot dog earlier this year when the Mets were in town, and many customers took their wrapped Walter’s hot dogs to the game (LaSorted’s is just under 2 miles from Dodger Stadium, which allows fans to bring in outside food).
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s, to the Dodger Dog that’s a staple of the L.A. baseball experience.
“They really are a wonderful combination, aren’t they?” said Brockert of hot dogs and baseball. “It’s pure joy.”
(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)
LaSorted’s, 984 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 301-0339, lasorteds.com.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert got the “birds and the bees” talk from his dad in the drive-through of a Wienerschnitzel.
“I remember thinking, ‘Are we really doing this right now?’” Brockert said.
Afterward, they ate chili dogs.
Hot dogs have been a steady undercurrent in Brockert’s life — from awkward father-son talks, to discovering legacy hot dog stands while traveling the country with his former photo booth business, to his increasingly popular “Visitor Dog” series at his Dodgers-themed pizza and sandwich shop in Chinatown, in which Brockert re-creates an entire catalog of regional hot dogs during baseball season.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert builds a Cuban Dog in the kitchen at his Chinatown location.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Here’s how it works: When the Dodgers have a home game, LaSorted’s serves a hot dog from the visiting team’s city or region, available only while the visiting team is in town. Each one is made with a stewardly amount of attention to detail.
Of course, when the Cubs arrive, Brockert makes a true-to-form Chicago dog, poppyseed bun and all. When the American League‘s Tigers make the trek to Vin Scully Avenue once every two years, a warmly spiced Detroit-style Coney dog graces the menu. From there, however, things get more obscure.
LaSorted’s features lesser-known hot dogs from places like Miami, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Hot dogs topped with Polish sauerkraut, coleslaw, cream cheese, chile verde and crema, Provolone cheese and grilled onions, or barbecued ham. Sometimes they’re wrapped in pretzel buns, or dipped in a top-secret corn dog batter.
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From the bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to the classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s.
At LaSorted’s, though, Brockert has successfully and authentically corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
A temple to the Dodgers
Brockert was born in Tarzana and is a third-generation Dodgers fan. A nostalgic, neighborhood pizzeria built as a temple to the Dodgers, LaSorted’s was designed to feel lived-in, almost like a Dodgers fanatic’s basement, with dozens of pieces of memorabilia and family photos hanging from the wood paneling. It opened in Chinatown in October 2024 — right in the heat of a Dodgers postseason run that ended in a clean sweep of the Yankees to nab their eighth World Series title — selling pizzas, sandwiches, wings and salads.
At LaSorted’s, Brockert has corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Hot dogs weren’t a part of the initial plan. Now, LaSorted’s has become a hot dog hot spot. Everybody — restaurant industry, L.A. transplants, traveling fans and curious Angelenos alike — have come in to enjoy a regional hot dog served far away from its natural habitat.
“I have a unique opportunity to not compromise on quality and tap into nostalgia,” he says. “Just even training my staff on [each hot dog], I’m very particular.”
The idea is to get each hot dog perfect, so that if you’ve eaten it before, it’ll bring you back to a specific time and place.
“You can see it on people’s faces,” Brockert says of the customers who recognize each hot dog, “They’re having their ‘Ratatouille’ moment.”
Secret recipes
With each hot dog, Brockert secures a restaurant’s original ingredients and proprietary recipes, often getting brats and mustard flown in from across the country. “I don’t do it to make money,” he laughs. Still, it’s a job he takes seriously. “These brands are trusting me,” he says, “It’s a big responsibility.”
Time 50 minutes
Yields Serves 8 to 10
Each hot dog served during the “Visitor Dog” series is attached to a legacy business and its story.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town in late May, Tommy sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver, a family-owned sausage company that’s been in business for more than 100 years. He tops the chili cheese brats with his own green chili verde sauce, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and Mexican crema.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town, Brockert sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver. They’re topped with chili verde, cheddar and Monterey Jack, and Mexican crema.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
This August, when the Pirates come to Dodger Stadium, Brockert worked out a deal to partner with a 120-year-old Pittsburgh institution, Isaly’s, to serve a hot dog topped with its signature chopped deli ham slathered in barbecue sauce.
Some collaborations resonate more than others, like Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, a fixture at the State Fair of Texas since 1942. Of note: It’s nearly impossible to experience a freshly fried Fletcher’s corn dog outside of Texas. Fletcher’s ships their corn dogs nationwide via Goldbelly, but those corn dogs come already battered and frozen.
At LaSorted’s, the corn dogs are fried on site in Fletcher’s original semolina batter recipe. According to Brockert, he’s the first person Fletcher’s has actually trusted with the recipe. He even offered to sign an NDA, but ultimately, Fletcher’s trusted him, and seemingly only him, to make the legendary corn dogs from scratch. The corn dogs were such a hit they sold out in a day. “A woman bought 10 just because she’s from Texas,” he says.
LaSorted’s Cuban Dog: a split-and-grilled all-beef Vienna Beef frank, Porto’s roasted pork and smoked ham, Genoa salami, pickles and special sauce served on Cuban bread flown in from Tampa’s La Segunda Bakery.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Partners for the “Visitor Dog” series have included legacy restaurants such as Skyline Chili in Cincinnati (1949), Caspers in San Francisco (1934), the Varsity in Atlanta (1928), and Walter’s Hot Dogs in Mamaroneck, N.Y. (1919).
“I have a lot of empathy for these legacy brands,” Brockert says. “These stories die at a certain point.”
During a time when so many iconic restaurants — both in L.A. and beyond — are shuttering, Brockert sees it as a duty to continue their narratives.
Perhaps the most influential regional hot dog in Brockert’s life comes from the aforementioned Walter’s Hot Dogs, which sits about 30 miles northeast of New York City. It’s a natural-casing hot dog made of beef, pork and veal — split down the middle, griddled face down in a buttery “special sauce,” then placed on a bun with a thin spread of Walter’s patented mustard.
The split flat-top hot dog with mustard.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Brockert went so far as to ship in Walter’s special blend of hot dogs, mustard and even the labeled wax paper used to wrap the hot dog itself. LaSorted’s served the hot dog earlier this year when the Mets were in town, and many customers took their wrapped Walter’s hot dogs to the game (LaSorted’s is just under 2 miles from Dodger Stadium, which allows fans to bring in outside food).
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s, to the Dodger Dog that’s a staple of the L.A. baseball experience.
“They really are a wonderful combination, aren’t they?” said Brockert of hot dogs and baseball. “It’s pure joy.”
(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)
LaSorted’s, 984 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 301-0339, lasorteds.com.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert got the “birds and the bees” talk from his dad in the drive-through of a Wienerschnitzel.
“I remember thinking, ‘Are we really doing this right now?’” Brockert said.
Afterward, they ate chili dogs.
Hot dogs have been a steady undercurrent in Brockert’s life — from awkward father-son talks, to discovering legacy hot dog stands while traveling the country with his former photo booth business, to his increasingly popular “Visitor Dog” series at his Dodgers-themed pizza and sandwich shop in Chinatown, in which Brockert re-creates an entire catalog of regional hot dogs during baseball season.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert builds a Cuban Dog in the kitchen at his Chinatown location.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Here’s how it works: When the Dodgers have a home game, LaSorted’s serves a hot dog from the visiting team’s city or region, available only while the visiting team is in town. Each one is made with a stewardly amount of attention to detail.
Of course, when the Cubs arrive, Brockert makes a true-to-form Chicago dog, poppyseed bun and all. When the American League‘s Tigers make the trek to Vin Scully Avenue once every two years, a warmly spiced Detroit-style Coney dog graces the menu. From there, however, things get more obscure.
LaSorted’s features lesser-known hot dogs from places like Miami, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Hot dogs topped with Polish sauerkraut, coleslaw, cream cheese, chile verde and crema, Provolone cheese and grilled onions, or barbecued ham. Sometimes they’re wrapped in pretzel buns, or dipped in a top-secret corn dog batter.
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From the bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to the classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s.
At LaSorted’s, though, Brockert has successfully and authentically corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
A temple to the Dodgers
Brockert was born in Tarzana and is a third-generation Dodgers fan. A nostalgic, neighborhood pizzeria built as a temple to the Dodgers, LaSorted’s was designed to feel lived-in, almost like a Dodgers fanatic’s basement, with dozens of pieces of memorabilia and family photos hanging from the wood paneling. It opened in Chinatown in October 2024 — right in the heat of a Dodgers postseason run that ended in a clean sweep of the Yankees to nab their eighth World Series title — selling pizzas, sandwiches, wings and salads.
At LaSorted’s, Brockert has corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Hot dogs weren’t a part of the initial plan. Now, LaSorted’s has become a hot dog hot spot. Everybody — restaurant industry, L.A. transplants, traveling fans and curious Angelenos alike — have come in to enjoy a regional hot dog served far away from its natural habitat.
“I have a unique opportunity to not compromise on quality and tap into nostalgia,” he says. “Just even training my staff on [each hot dog], I’m very particular.”
The idea is to get each hot dog perfect, so that if you’ve eaten it before, it’ll bring you back to a specific time and place.
“You can see it on people’s faces,” Brockert says of the customers who recognize each hot dog, “They’re having their ‘Ratatouille’ moment.”
Secret recipes
With each hot dog, Brockert secures a restaurant’s original ingredients and proprietary recipes, often getting brats and mustard flown in from across the country. “I don’t do it to make money,” he laughs. Still, it’s a job he takes seriously. “These brands are trusting me,” he says, “It’s a big responsibility.”
Time 50 minutes
Yields Serves 8 to 10
Each hot dog served during the “Visitor Dog” series is attached to a legacy business and its story.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town in late May, Tommy sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver, a family-owned sausage company that’s been in business for more than 100 years. He tops the chili cheese brats with his own green chili verde sauce, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and Mexican crema.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town, Brockert sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver. They’re topped with chili verde, cheddar and Monterey Jack, and Mexican crema.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
This August, when the Pirates come to Dodger Stadium, Brockert worked out a deal to partner with a 120-year-old Pittsburgh institution, Isaly’s, to serve a hot dog topped with its signature chopped deli ham slathered in barbecue sauce.
Some collaborations resonate more than others, like Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, a fixture at the State Fair of Texas since 1942. Of note: It’s nearly impossible to experience a freshly fried Fletcher’s corn dog outside of Texas. Fletcher’s ships their corn dogs nationwide via Goldbelly, but those corn dogs come already battered and frozen.
At LaSorted’s, the corn dogs are fried on site in Fletcher’s original semolina batter recipe. According to Brockert, he’s the first person Fletcher’s has actually trusted with the recipe. He even offered to sign an NDA, but ultimately, Fletcher’s trusted him, and seemingly only him, to make the legendary corn dogs from scratch. The corn dogs were such a hit they sold out in a day. “A woman bought 10 just because she’s from Texas,” he says.
LaSorted’s Cuban Dog: a split-and-grilled all-beef Vienna Beef frank, Porto’s roasted pork and smoked ham, Genoa salami, pickles and special sauce served on Cuban bread flown in from Tampa’s La Segunda Bakery.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Partners for the “Visitor Dog” series have included legacy restaurants such as Skyline Chili in Cincinnati (1949), Caspers in San Francisco (1934), the Varsity in Atlanta (1928), and Walter’s Hot Dogs in Mamaroneck, N.Y. (1919).
“I have a lot of empathy for these legacy brands,” Brockert says. “These stories die at a certain point.”
During a time when so many iconic restaurants — both in L.A. and beyond — are shuttering, Brockert sees it as a duty to continue their narratives.
Perhaps the most influential regional hot dog in Brockert’s life comes from the aforementioned Walter’s Hot Dogs, which sits about 30 miles northeast of New York City. It’s a natural-casing hot dog made of beef, pork and veal — split down the middle, griddled face down in a buttery “special sauce,” then placed on a bun with a thin spread of Walter’s patented mustard.
The split flat-top hot dog with mustard.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Brockert went so far as to ship in Walter’s special blend of hot dogs, mustard and even the labeled wax paper used to wrap the hot dog itself. LaSorted’s served the hot dog earlier this year when the Mets were in town, and many customers took their wrapped Walter’s hot dogs to the game (LaSorted’s is just under 2 miles from Dodger Stadium, which allows fans to bring in outside food).
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s, to the Dodger Dog that’s a staple of the L.A. baseball experience.
“They really are a wonderful combination, aren’t they?” said Brockert of hot dogs and baseball. “It’s pure joy.”
(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)
LaSorted’s, 984 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 301-0339, lasorteds.com.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert got the “birds and the bees” talk from his dad in the drive-through of a Wienerschnitzel.
“I remember thinking, ‘Are we really doing this right now?’” Brockert said.
Afterward, they ate chili dogs.
Hot dogs have been a steady undercurrent in Brockert’s life — from awkward father-son talks, to discovering legacy hot dog stands while traveling the country with his former photo booth business, to his increasingly popular “Visitor Dog” series at his Dodgers-themed pizza and sandwich shop in Chinatown, in which Brockert re-creates an entire catalog of regional hot dogs during baseball season.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert builds a Cuban Dog in the kitchen at his Chinatown location.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Here’s how it works: When the Dodgers have a home game, LaSorted’s serves a hot dog from the visiting team’s city or region, available only while the visiting team is in town. Each one is made with a stewardly amount of attention to detail.
Of course, when the Cubs arrive, Brockert makes a true-to-form Chicago dog, poppyseed bun and all. When the American League‘s Tigers make the trek to Vin Scully Avenue once every two years, a warmly spiced Detroit-style Coney dog graces the menu. From there, however, things get more obscure.
LaSorted’s features lesser-known hot dogs from places like Miami, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Hot dogs topped with Polish sauerkraut, coleslaw, cream cheese, chile verde and crema, Provolone cheese and grilled onions, or barbecued ham. Sometimes they’re wrapped in pretzel buns, or dipped in a top-secret corn dog batter.
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From the bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to the classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s.
At LaSorted’s, though, Brockert has successfully and authentically corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
A temple to the Dodgers
Brockert was born in Tarzana and is a third-generation Dodgers fan. A nostalgic, neighborhood pizzeria built as a temple to the Dodgers, LaSorted’s was designed to feel lived-in, almost like a Dodgers fanatic’s basement, with dozens of pieces of memorabilia and family photos hanging from the wood paneling. It opened in Chinatown in October 2024 — right in the heat of a Dodgers postseason run that ended in a clean sweep of the Yankees to nab their eighth World Series title — selling pizzas, sandwiches, wings and salads.
At LaSorted’s, Brockert has corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Hot dogs weren’t a part of the initial plan. Now, LaSorted’s has become a hot dog hot spot. Everybody — restaurant industry, L.A. transplants, traveling fans and curious Angelenos alike — have come in to enjoy a regional hot dog served far away from its natural habitat.
“I have a unique opportunity to not compromise on quality and tap into nostalgia,” he says. “Just even training my staff on [each hot dog], I’m very particular.”
The idea is to get each hot dog perfect, so that if you’ve eaten it before, it’ll bring you back to a specific time and place.
“You can see it on people’s faces,” Brockert says of the customers who recognize each hot dog, “They’re having their ‘Ratatouille’ moment.”
Secret recipes
With each hot dog, Brockert secures a restaurant’s original ingredients and proprietary recipes, often getting brats and mustard flown in from across the country. “I don’t do it to make money,” he laughs. Still, it’s a job he takes seriously. “These brands are trusting me,” he says, “It’s a big responsibility.”
Time 50 minutes
Yields Serves 8 to 10
Each hot dog served during the “Visitor Dog” series is attached to a legacy business and its story.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town in late May, Tommy sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver, a family-owned sausage company that’s been in business for more than 100 years. He tops the chili cheese brats with his own green chili verde sauce, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and Mexican crema.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town, Brockert sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver. They’re topped with chili verde, cheddar and Monterey Jack, and Mexican crema.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
This August, when the Pirates come to Dodger Stadium, Brockert worked out a deal to partner with a 120-year-old Pittsburgh institution, Isaly’s, to serve a hot dog topped with its signature chopped deli ham slathered in barbecue sauce.
Some collaborations resonate more than others, like Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, a fixture at the State Fair of Texas since 1942. Of note: It’s nearly impossible to experience a freshly fried Fletcher’s corn dog outside of Texas. Fletcher’s ships their corn dogs nationwide via Goldbelly, but those corn dogs come already battered and frozen.
At LaSorted’s, the corn dogs are fried on site in Fletcher’s original semolina batter recipe. According to Brockert, he’s the first person Fletcher’s has actually trusted with the recipe. He even offered to sign an NDA, but ultimately, Fletcher’s trusted him, and seemingly only him, to make the legendary corn dogs from scratch. The corn dogs were such a hit they sold out in a day. “A woman bought 10 just because she’s from Texas,” he says.
LaSorted’s Cuban Dog: a split-and-grilled all-beef Vienna Beef frank, Porto’s roasted pork and smoked ham, Genoa salami, pickles and special sauce served on Cuban bread flown in from Tampa’s La Segunda Bakery.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Partners for the “Visitor Dog” series have included legacy restaurants such as Skyline Chili in Cincinnati (1949), Caspers in San Francisco (1934), the Varsity in Atlanta (1928), and Walter’s Hot Dogs in Mamaroneck, N.Y. (1919).
“I have a lot of empathy for these legacy brands,” Brockert says. “These stories die at a certain point.”
During a time when so many iconic restaurants — both in L.A. and beyond — are shuttering, Brockert sees it as a duty to continue their narratives.
Perhaps the most influential regional hot dog in Brockert’s life comes from the aforementioned Walter’s Hot Dogs, which sits about 30 miles northeast of New York City. It’s a natural-casing hot dog made of beef, pork and veal — split down the middle, griddled face down in a buttery “special sauce,” then placed on a bun with a thin spread of Walter’s patented mustard.
The split flat-top hot dog with mustard.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Brockert went so far as to ship in Walter’s special blend of hot dogs, mustard and even the labeled wax paper used to wrap the hot dog itself. LaSorted’s served the hot dog earlier this year when the Mets were in town, and many customers took their wrapped Walter’s hot dogs to the game (LaSorted’s is just under 2 miles from Dodger Stadium, which allows fans to bring in outside food).
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s, to the Dodger Dog that’s a staple of the L.A. baseball experience.
“They really are a wonderful combination, aren’t they?” said Brockert of hot dogs and baseball. “It’s pure joy.”
(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)
LaSorted’s, 984 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 301-0339, lasorteds.com.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert got the “birds and the bees” talk from his dad in the drive-through of a Wienerschnitzel.
“I remember thinking, ‘Are we really doing this right now?’” Brockert said.
Afterward, they ate chili dogs.
Hot dogs have been a steady undercurrent in Brockert’s life — from awkward father-son talks, to discovering legacy hot dog stands while traveling the country with his former photo booth business, to his increasingly popular “Visitor Dog” series at his Dodgers-themed pizza and sandwich shop in Chinatown, in which Brockert re-creates an entire catalog of regional hot dogs during baseball season.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert builds a Cuban Dog in the kitchen at his Chinatown location.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Here’s how it works: When the Dodgers have a home game, LaSorted’s serves a hot dog from the visiting team’s city or region, available only while the visiting team is in town. Each one is made with a stewardly amount of attention to detail.
Of course, when the Cubs arrive, Brockert makes a true-to-form Chicago dog, poppyseed bun and all. When the American League‘s Tigers make the trek to Vin Scully Avenue once every two years, a warmly spiced Detroit-style Coney dog graces the menu. From there, however, things get more obscure.
LaSorted’s features lesser-known hot dogs from places like Miami, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Hot dogs topped with Polish sauerkraut, coleslaw, cream cheese, chile verde and crema, Provolone cheese and grilled onions, or barbecued ham. Sometimes they’re wrapped in pretzel buns, or dipped in a top-secret corn dog batter.
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From the bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to the classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s.
At LaSorted’s, though, Brockert has successfully and authentically corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
A temple to the Dodgers
Brockert was born in Tarzana and is a third-generation Dodgers fan. A nostalgic, neighborhood pizzeria built as a temple to the Dodgers, LaSorted’s was designed to feel lived-in, almost like a Dodgers fanatic’s basement, with dozens of pieces of memorabilia and family photos hanging from the wood paneling. It opened in Chinatown in October 2024 — right in the heat of a Dodgers postseason run that ended in a clean sweep of the Yankees to nab their eighth World Series title — selling pizzas, sandwiches, wings and salads.
At LaSorted’s, Brockert has corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Hot dogs weren’t a part of the initial plan. Now, LaSorted’s has become a hot dog hot spot. Everybody — restaurant industry, L.A. transplants, traveling fans and curious Angelenos alike — have come in to enjoy a regional hot dog served far away from its natural habitat.
“I have a unique opportunity to not compromise on quality and tap into nostalgia,” he says. “Just even training my staff on [each hot dog], I’m very particular.”
The idea is to get each hot dog perfect, so that if you’ve eaten it before, it’ll bring you back to a specific time and place.
“You can see it on people’s faces,” Brockert says of the customers who recognize each hot dog, “They’re having their ‘Ratatouille’ moment.”
Secret recipes
With each hot dog, Brockert secures a restaurant’s original ingredients and proprietary recipes, often getting brats and mustard flown in from across the country. “I don’t do it to make money,” he laughs. Still, it’s a job he takes seriously. “These brands are trusting me,” he says, “It’s a big responsibility.”
Time 50 minutes
Yields Serves 8 to 10
Each hot dog served during the “Visitor Dog” series is attached to a legacy business and its story.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town in late May, Tommy sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver, a family-owned sausage company that’s been in business for more than 100 years. He tops the chili cheese brats with his own green chili verde sauce, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and Mexican crema.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town, Brockert sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver. They’re topped with chili verde, cheddar and Monterey Jack, and Mexican crema.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
This August, when the Pirates come to Dodger Stadium, Brockert worked out a deal to partner with a 120-year-old Pittsburgh institution, Isaly’s, to serve a hot dog topped with its signature chopped deli ham slathered in barbecue sauce.
Some collaborations resonate more than others, like Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, a fixture at the State Fair of Texas since 1942. Of note: It’s nearly impossible to experience a freshly fried Fletcher’s corn dog outside of Texas. Fletcher’s ships their corn dogs nationwide via Goldbelly, but those corn dogs come already battered and frozen.
At LaSorted’s, the corn dogs are fried on site in Fletcher’s original semolina batter recipe. According to Brockert, he’s the first person Fletcher’s has actually trusted with the recipe. He even offered to sign an NDA, but ultimately, Fletcher’s trusted him, and seemingly only him, to make the legendary corn dogs from scratch. The corn dogs were such a hit they sold out in a day. “A woman bought 10 just because she’s from Texas,” he says.
LaSorted’s Cuban Dog: a split-and-grilled all-beef Vienna Beef frank, Porto’s roasted pork and smoked ham, Genoa salami, pickles and special sauce served on Cuban bread flown in from Tampa’s La Segunda Bakery.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Partners for the “Visitor Dog” series have included legacy restaurants such as Skyline Chili in Cincinnati (1949), Caspers in San Francisco (1934), the Varsity in Atlanta (1928), and Walter’s Hot Dogs in Mamaroneck, N.Y. (1919).
“I have a lot of empathy for these legacy brands,” Brockert says. “These stories die at a certain point.”
During a time when so many iconic restaurants — both in L.A. and beyond — are shuttering, Brockert sees it as a duty to continue their narratives.
Perhaps the most influential regional hot dog in Brockert’s life comes from the aforementioned Walter’s Hot Dogs, which sits about 30 miles northeast of New York City. It’s a natural-casing hot dog made of beef, pork and veal — split down the middle, griddled face down in a buttery “special sauce,” then placed on a bun with a thin spread of Walter’s patented mustard.
The split flat-top hot dog with mustard.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Brockert went so far as to ship in Walter’s special blend of hot dogs, mustard and even the labeled wax paper used to wrap the hot dog itself. LaSorted’s served the hot dog earlier this year when the Mets were in town, and many customers took their wrapped Walter’s hot dogs to the game (LaSorted’s is just under 2 miles from Dodger Stadium, which allows fans to bring in outside food).
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s, to the Dodger Dog that’s a staple of the L.A. baseball experience.
“They really are a wonderful combination, aren’t they?” said Brockert of hot dogs and baseball. “It’s pure joy.”
(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)
LaSorted’s, 984 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 301-0339, lasorteds.com.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert got the “birds and the bees” talk from his dad in the drive-through of a Wienerschnitzel.
“I remember thinking, ‘Are we really doing this right now?’” Brockert said.
Afterward, they ate chili dogs.
Hot dogs have been a steady undercurrent in Brockert’s life — from awkward father-son talks, to discovering legacy hot dog stands while traveling the country with his former photo booth business, to his increasingly popular “Visitor Dog” series at his Dodgers-themed pizza and sandwich shop in Chinatown, in which Brockert re-creates an entire catalog of regional hot dogs during baseball season.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert builds a Cuban Dog in the kitchen at his Chinatown location.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Here’s how it works: When the Dodgers have a home game, LaSorted’s serves a hot dog from the visiting team’s city or region, available only while the visiting team is in town. Each one is made with a stewardly amount of attention to detail.
Of course, when the Cubs arrive, Brockert makes a true-to-form Chicago dog, poppyseed bun and all. When the American League‘s Tigers make the trek to Vin Scully Avenue once every two years, a warmly spiced Detroit-style Coney dog graces the menu. From there, however, things get more obscure.
LaSorted’s features lesser-known hot dogs from places like Miami, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Hot dogs topped with Polish sauerkraut, coleslaw, cream cheese, chile verde and crema, Provolone cheese and grilled onions, or barbecued ham. Sometimes they’re wrapped in pretzel buns, or dipped in a top-secret corn dog batter.
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From the bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to the classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s.
At LaSorted’s, though, Brockert has successfully and authentically corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
A temple to the Dodgers
Brockert was born in Tarzana and is a third-generation Dodgers fan. A nostalgic, neighborhood pizzeria built as a temple to the Dodgers, LaSorted’s was designed to feel lived-in, almost like a Dodgers fanatic’s basement, with dozens of pieces of memorabilia and family photos hanging from the wood paneling. It opened in Chinatown in October 2024 — right in the heat of a Dodgers postseason run that ended in a clean sweep of the Yankees to nab their eighth World Series title — selling pizzas, sandwiches, wings and salads.
At LaSorted’s, Brockert has corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Hot dogs weren’t a part of the initial plan. Now, LaSorted’s has become a hot dog hot spot. Everybody — restaurant industry, L.A. transplants, traveling fans and curious Angelenos alike — have come in to enjoy a regional hot dog served far away from its natural habitat.
“I have a unique opportunity to not compromise on quality and tap into nostalgia,” he says. “Just even training my staff on [each hot dog], I’m very particular.”
The idea is to get each hot dog perfect, so that if you’ve eaten it before, it’ll bring you back to a specific time and place.
“You can see it on people’s faces,” Brockert says of the customers who recognize each hot dog, “They’re having their ‘Ratatouille’ moment.”
Secret recipes
With each hot dog, Brockert secures a restaurant’s original ingredients and proprietary recipes, often getting brats and mustard flown in from across the country. “I don’t do it to make money,” he laughs. Still, it’s a job he takes seriously. “These brands are trusting me,” he says, “It’s a big responsibility.”
Time 50 minutes
Yields Serves 8 to 10
Each hot dog served during the “Visitor Dog” series is attached to a legacy business and its story.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town in late May, Tommy sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver, a family-owned sausage company that’s been in business for more than 100 years. He tops the chili cheese brats with his own green chili verde sauce, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and Mexican crema.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town, Brockert sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver. They’re topped with chili verde, cheddar and Monterey Jack, and Mexican crema.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
This August, when the Pirates come to Dodger Stadium, Brockert worked out a deal to partner with a 120-year-old Pittsburgh institution, Isaly’s, to serve a hot dog topped with its signature chopped deli ham slathered in barbecue sauce.
Some collaborations resonate more than others, like Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, a fixture at the State Fair of Texas since 1942. Of note: It’s nearly impossible to experience a freshly fried Fletcher’s corn dog outside of Texas. Fletcher’s ships their corn dogs nationwide via Goldbelly, but those corn dogs come already battered and frozen.
At LaSorted’s, the corn dogs are fried on site in Fletcher’s original semolina batter recipe. According to Brockert, he’s the first person Fletcher’s has actually trusted with the recipe. He even offered to sign an NDA, but ultimately, Fletcher’s trusted him, and seemingly only him, to make the legendary corn dogs from scratch. The corn dogs were such a hit they sold out in a day. “A woman bought 10 just because she’s from Texas,” he says.
LaSorted’s Cuban Dog: a split-and-grilled all-beef Vienna Beef frank, Porto’s roasted pork and smoked ham, Genoa salami, pickles and special sauce served on Cuban bread flown in from Tampa’s La Segunda Bakery.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Partners for the “Visitor Dog” series have included legacy restaurants such as Skyline Chili in Cincinnati (1949), Caspers in San Francisco (1934), the Varsity in Atlanta (1928), and Walter’s Hot Dogs in Mamaroneck, N.Y. (1919).
“I have a lot of empathy for these legacy brands,” Brockert says. “These stories die at a certain point.”
During a time when so many iconic restaurants — both in L.A. and beyond — are shuttering, Brockert sees it as a duty to continue their narratives.
Perhaps the most influential regional hot dog in Brockert’s life comes from the aforementioned Walter’s Hot Dogs, which sits about 30 miles northeast of New York City. It’s a natural-casing hot dog made of beef, pork and veal — split down the middle, griddled face down in a buttery “special sauce,” then placed on a bun with a thin spread of Walter’s patented mustard.
The split flat-top hot dog with mustard.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Brockert went so far as to ship in Walter’s special blend of hot dogs, mustard and even the labeled wax paper used to wrap the hot dog itself. LaSorted’s served the hot dog earlier this year when the Mets were in town, and many customers took their wrapped Walter’s hot dogs to the game (LaSorted’s is just under 2 miles from Dodger Stadium, which allows fans to bring in outside food).
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s, to the Dodger Dog that’s a staple of the L.A. baseball experience.
“They really are a wonderful combination, aren’t they?” said Brockert of hot dogs and baseball. “It’s pure joy.”
(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)
LaSorted’s, 984 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 301-0339, lasorteds.com.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert got the “birds and the bees” talk from his dad in the drive-through of a Wienerschnitzel.
“I remember thinking, ‘Are we really doing this right now?’” Brockert said.
Afterward, they ate chili dogs.
Hot dogs have been a steady undercurrent in Brockert’s life — from awkward father-son talks, to discovering legacy hot dog stands while traveling the country with his former photo booth business, to his increasingly popular “Visitor Dog” series at his Dodgers-themed pizza and sandwich shop in Chinatown, in which Brockert re-creates an entire catalog of regional hot dogs during baseball season.
LaSorted’s owner Tommy Brockert builds a Cuban Dog in the kitchen at his Chinatown location.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Here’s how it works: When the Dodgers have a home game, LaSorted’s serves a hot dog from the visiting team’s city or region, available only while the visiting team is in town. Each one is made with a stewardly amount of attention to detail.
Of course, when the Cubs arrive, Brockert makes a true-to-form Chicago dog, poppyseed bun and all. When the American League‘s Tigers make the trek to Vin Scully Avenue once every two years, a warmly spiced Detroit-style Coney dog graces the menu. From there, however, things get more obscure.
LaSorted’s features lesser-known hot dogs from places like Miami, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Hot dogs topped with Polish sauerkraut, coleslaw, cream cheese, chile verde and crema, Provolone cheese and grilled onions, or barbecued ham. Sometimes they’re wrapped in pretzel buns, or dipped in a top-secret corn dog batter.
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From the bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to the classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s.
At LaSorted’s, though, Brockert has successfully and authentically corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
A temple to the Dodgers
Brockert was born in Tarzana and is a third-generation Dodgers fan. A nostalgic, neighborhood pizzeria built as a temple to the Dodgers, LaSorted’s was designed to feel lived-in, almost like a Dodgers fanatic’s basement, with dozens of pieces of memorabilia and family photos hanging from the wood paneling. It opened in Chinatown in October 2024 — right in the heat of a Dodgers postseason run that ended in a clean sweep of the Yankees to nab their eighth World Series title — selling pizzas, sandwiches, wings and salads.
At LaSorted’s, Brockert has corralled America’s greatest regional hot dogs all under one roof, propelled by a love of family-run businesses.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Hot dogs weren’t a part of the initial plan. Now, LaSorted’s has become a hot dog hot spot. Everybody — restaurant industry, L.A. transplants, traveling fans and curious Angelenos alike — have come in to enjoy a regional hot dog served far away from its natural habitat.
“I have a unique opportunity to not compromise on quality and tap into nostalgia,” he says. “Just even training my staff on [each hot dog], I’m very particular.”
The idea is to get each hot dog perfect, so that if you’ve eaten it before, it’ll bring you back to a specific time and place.
“You can see it on people’s faces,” Brockert says of the customers who recognize each hot dog, “They’re having their ‘Ratatouille’ moment.”
Secret recipes
With each hot dog, Brockert secures a restaurant’s original ingredients and proprietary recipes, often getting brats and mustard flown in from across the country. “I don’t do it to make money,” he laughs. Still, it’s a job he takes seriously. “These brands are trusting me,” he says, “It’s a big responsibility.”
Time 50 minutes
Yields Serves 8 to 10
Each hot dog served during the “Visitor Dog” series is attached to a legacy business and its story.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town in late May, Tommy sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver, a family-owned sausage company that’s been in business for more than 100 years. He tops the chili cheese brats with his own green chili verde sauce, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and Mexican crema.
When the Colorado Rockies were in town, Brockert sourced Hatch chile cheese brats from Polidori Sausage in Denver. They’re topped with chili verde, cheddar and Monterey Jack, and Mexican crema.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
This August, when the Pirates come to Dodger Stadium, Brockert worked out a deal to partner with a 120-year-old Pittsburgh institution, Isaly’s, to serve a hot dog topped with its signature chopped deli ham slathered in barbecue sauce.
Some collaborations resonate more than others, like Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, a fixture at the State Fair of Texas since 1942. Of note: It’s nearly impossible to experience a freshly fried Fletcher’s corn dog outside of Texas. Fletcher’s ships their corn dogs nationwide via Goldbelly, but those corn dogs come already battered and frozen.
At LaSorted’s, the corn dogs are fried on site in Fletcher’s original semolina batter recipe. According to Brockert, he’s the first person Fletcher’s has actually trusted with the recipe. He even offered to sign an NDA, but ultimately, Fletcher’s trusted him, and seemingly only him, to make the legendary corn dogs from scratch. The corn dogs were such a hit they sold out in a day. “A woman bought 10 just because she’s from Texas,” he says.
LaSorted’s Cuban Dog: a split-and-grilled all-beef Vienna Beef frank, Porto’s roasted pork and smoked ham, Genoa salami, pickles and special sauce served on Cuban bread flown in from Tampa’s La Segunda Bakery.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Partners for the “Visitor Dog” series have included legacy restaurants such as Skyline Chili in Cincinnati (1949), Caspers in San Francisco (1934), the Varsity in Atlanta (1928), and Walter’s Hot Dogs in Mamaroneck, N.Y. (1919).
“I have a lot of empathy for these legacy brands,” Brockert says. “These stories die at a certain point.”
During a time when so many iconic restaurants — both in L.A. and beyond — are shuttering, Brockert sees it as a duty to continue their narratives.
Perhaps the most influential regional hot dog in Brockert’s life comes from the aforementioned Walter’s Hot Dogs, which sits about 30 miles northeast of New York City. It’s a natural-casing hot dog made of beef, pork and veal — split down the middle, griddled face down in a buttery “special sauce,” then placed on a bun with a thin spread of Walter’s patented mustard.
The split flat-top hot dog with mustard.
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Brockert went so far as to ship in Walter’s special blend of hot dogs, mustard and even the labeled wax paper used to wrap the hot dog itself. LaSorted’s served the hot dog earlier this year when the Mets were in town, and many customers took their wrapped Walter’s hot dogs to the game (LaSorted’s is just under 2 miles from Dodger Stadium, which allows fans to bring in outside food).
In Los Angeles, hot dogs are firmly entrenched in the city’s culinary identity. From bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold at carts throughout the city, to chili dog chains like Tommy’s and Wienerschnitzel, to classics like Earle’s on Crenshaw and Carney’s, to the Dodger Dog that’s a staple of the L.A. baseball experience.
“They really are a wonderful combination, aren’t they?” said Brockert of hot dogs and baseball. “It’s pure joy.”
(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)
LaSorted’s, 984 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 301-0339, lasorteds.com.
