True skewers of Peruvian beef heart may be hard to come by in many corners of Los Angeles, but chef Ricardo Zarate’s native dish makes an appearance on the menu at Picca. A far cry from the food stalls normally selling such a hearty delicacy, this version is no less smoky because of its surroundings.

Long known for their funky mutton skewers, Koreatown legend Feng Mao also loves to fire up chicken hearts, pull penis and lots of liver. The namesake cumin lamb skewers, though, will always earn top billing.

Malaysia and Indonesia’s regionally-specific skewers (that’s sate, not satay) are on full display at Pondok Kaki Lima, a weekend food bazaar in the parking lot of the Duarte Inn. Meaty skewers take are a big draw here, and are showcased alongside various rice dishes like lontong, and slightly spicy peanut sauce.

A Little Osaka staple, Nanbankan is a bit more dressed up than what one might reasonably expect from a restaurant essentially selling street stall food. But legions of Japanese families come for a sit-down meal over fresh skewers of beef tongue, squid and chicken hearts.

The deeply scarred cousin of grilled kushiyaki skewers, kushiage presents various meats and veggies deep fried to hell and back. Since the demise of Torrance’s Horon, folks have been flocking to Kushi Shabu in Little Tokyo, a joint operation inside Weller Court that panko-fries beef, seafood and more.

For more than thirty years, Shamshiri has been crafting Persian kebab skewers in Westwood. Most folks tend towards the lamb koobideh, grilled quick on long metal sticks over mesquite charcoal.

One of America’s finest culinary bastardizations, the corndog is this nation’s entrant into the meat-on-a- stick world olympics. At Neal Fraser’s Fritzi Dog at the Fairfax Farmer’s Market, they’ll take any existing humanely-raised, nitrate-free dog on the menu, batter it up and fry it to perfection.

Churrascaria’s are among the most recognizable forms of flamed meat on a stick. At Brazilian meat house Gaucho’s Village, everything from beef ribs to tri-tip to filet mignon to chorizo makes an appearance on the long swords that maneuver the room.

Shin Sen Gumi is a longtime meat skewer spot, with outlets in Gardena, Monterey Park, Torrance and beyond. Their long yakitori tradition includes plenty of seafood, including wide sticks of shrimp and squid.