Foodie Fridays: Wurstkuche Restaurant

Abby and Shevin initially bonded over their mutual love of boba during their freshman year at USC and have since been dining together and enjoying all of LA's wonderful culinary offerings. They both love to travel, explore, and most importantly eat!

It seemed like a great idea for FoundTrack to introduce a food column. Let's face it, those of us who enjoy art, film, fashion, and music usually have a soft spot for great dining experiences as well. So now, these two young Angelenos will have the chance to share some of their favorite tasty spots in LA with all of you fun people through Foodie Fridays.

If you have any recommendations you think should be considered for the column, please send an email to foodiefridays at foundtrack dot com. Eat on!


If you haven't made it to Wurstkuche yet… shame on you! This gourmet sausage and beer joint, nestled in an unassuming location in downtown LA's Arts District, first opened its doors to customers last fall. The two young owners, Tyler Wilson and Joseph Pitruzzelli (both in their 20's) have modeled the stylish eatery to resemble a German beer hall, providing a casual, open, and social atmosphere.


As for the sausages themselves, there are about 20 different varieties, separated into three different classes: Classics, Gourmets, and Exotics. I (Shevin) tried the sundried tomato & mozzarella sausage, made with smoked chicken and turkey. Abby went for the vegetarian Italian. FoundTrack godfather and guest Foodie Viranda decided to live on the wild side (typical) and ordered the rattlesnake and rabbit with jalapeno peppers. Needless to say all three of our selections were unique and mouth-watering in their own special ways.

Each sausage is grilled to order and comes with two toppings. I chose the caramelized onions and sweet peppers-- both matched the subtle tomato flavor of the sausage well.

A meal at Wurstkuche would not be complete without a portion of the perfectly crisp, Belgian fries. A selection of dipping sauces is available to compliment them and the chipotle aioli is a must-try. But if you want to do it true Belgian style, go for one of the mayo-based options.

Of course the food is only half of the Wurstkuche equation; a trip here wouldn’t be complete without ordering one (or more…) of the 20 or so beer offerings. Most are German or Belgian and pair nicely with the sausages. The full flavor of the St. Bernardus is a safe choice as it leaves a perfect smoky taste in your mouth. But if you’re not in the mood for a brew, a selection of gourmet sodas is available as well. We enjoyed both the Sassaparilla root beer and the White Blossom rose petal soda.

This place is a foodie favorite, so keep in mind that there can be a wait some nights and on weekends. Sure, the line might remind you of Pink's-- but take our word, you're in for a much more impressive sausage.

Wurstkuche Restaurant, 800 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. 213-687-4444, www.wurstkucherestaurant.com, MAP.

NEXT TIME on Foodie Fridays we're visiting Kyochon in K-Town.

Suggestions? Mail to: foodiefridays at foundtrack dot com