Being a kid was pretty cool. No responsibilities. No money. No rent/mortgage/car payment. And you got kids menus. You know that awesome set of options that were simply meant as a cheaper alternative to the regular menu, but turned out to have the best stuff on it anyway. Things like grilled cheese, chicken fingers and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were mainstays always a hit. Yet growing up can be tough, and not just because of those silly responsibilities, but also because you can’t quite get away with order PB and J at age 27. Fortunately, all is not lost. Burgers have taken a gourmet turn. Hot dogs are still popular for people of all ages. And then there is a little restaurant in Santa Monica called Hostaria del Piccolo. Continue Reading»
‘restaurants’
800 Degrees of Separation
March 27th, 2012 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble RedditAs the Umami Empire continued to grow, to me it seemed only inevitable that it would eventually take on pizza. Enter 800 Degrees in Westwood, a Neapolitan style pizza place where customized pizza is king. They offer specialty pizzas, but the key to the place in my mind was to order a basic pizza (between 5.15 and 6.45) and load on the toppings for $1 each. This was the route I took. Continue Reading»
Japan Meets Italy at Ramen Yamadaya
March 23rd, 2012 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble RedditNot too long ago (at least it feels that way), a new ramen place popped up in Culver City calling itself Ramen Yamadaya. It was around this time that I had been totally spoiled by the ramen of Tsujita, and while Yamadaya looked good, I wasn’t exactly in a rush to get there. This was a mistake, though, because when I finally got there, I had a feeling that this was going to be my go-to ramen joint. Continue Reading»
Rocking Falafel at Falafel Arax
March 20th, 2012 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble RedditAs an unvegan, I usually shy away from falafel. It’s not veggie-based, but it’s also not meat and I would typically rather fill my stomach with schwarma when I have the opportunity. Yet, in heading out to Falafel Arax, I had heard they had the best falafel in the land of Los Angeles and I knew I would end up getting some. The place resides in a little corner strip mall in a strange part of town east of Hollywood that I usually wouldn’t find myself in, but the temptation of having amazing Lebanese falafel was enough to get me there. Oh, and before I go any further, I should mention they are cash only. With that said, let’s get on to the food. Continue Reading»
Republic of Pie for Pi Day
March 14th, 2012 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble RedditUp in North Hollywood, the prospect of a new restaurant is always exciting. And when the theme of that new restaurant is pie, the excitement is off the charts. So in honor of Pi Day (March 14th) I ventured out to Republic of Pie with a couple of coworkers to see what they were all about. Republic of Pie has a total coffee shop feel to it, with a few couches here and there, an exposed ceiling industrial look and an iPad in place of an old-fashioned register. The number of people sitting around on their MacBooks drinking tea really helps drive the point home. This is a good thing, because no one wants to feel like they are in North Hollywood and this feels much more like Seattle or Portland. Continue Reading»
Not Addicted to Chili Addiction
March 12th, 2012 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble RedditMy quest for challengers to the Chili John’s and Coney Dog empire of LA chili led me to Chili Addiction in West Hollywood. Their menu of insane chili concoctions really pulled me in the first time I saw their menu online and I really thought I had found myself a contender. I convinced my buddy to give it a try with me, both for company and so we could get multiple things to test out. Continue Reading»
Tacos Por Favor, Please
March 8th, 2012 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble RedditSanta Monica doesn’t exactly have a reputation for good food. And what reputation it does have usually tends to lean on the upscale. But reputation alone does not simply make a city, and Santa Monica actually has a surprising number of little gems hidden in its nooks and crannies. One of these, I had heard, was Tacos Por Favor.
Yet, aside from actually hearing of Tacos Por Favor, I hadn’t really been told what was good on their menu, so when I arrived and found a vast menu full of nearly every Mexican dish I had ever heard of, I was in trouble. Continue Reading»
Meet me at Meat
March 7th, 2012 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble RedditOnce upon a time, Koreatown boasted an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ joint called Manna and long before I had my own meat blog, I made my way to Manna for a protein-fest. The memory of this visit stuck with me as I visited the inferior Manna outpost in the Fox Hills mall. Granted, I wasn’t too disappointed, because you can’t really be disappointed with so much meat, but I knew there was something better out there. By the time I made it back to Manna in Koreatown, it was no longer Manna, but had become Meat, which is a far more appropriate name. Continue Reading»
Coley’s and the Gang
March 2nd, 2012 Tweet Facebook Digg Stumble RedditIn a display of mercy, a work event of mine ended last week at a little Jamaican restaurant in North Hollywood called Coley’s. As it turned out, one of my bosses had been Jamaican all along, but none of us knew it. Yet, Jamaican boss or not, I had been wanting to check out Coley’s for a long time, as it sat in that weird area of town that seemed just a bit far for walking, but too close to hop in a car for. Continue Reading»
Rants and Raves
Meet Horse Meat
December 2nd, 2011What’s your favorite type of meat? Is it beef, chicken or pork? Or maybe it’s something cool and exotic like venison or rattlesnake? What about horse? Didn’t think about that one, did you? Not exactly exotic, but also not exactly meat to most Americans. Now, though, thanks to a little slip of legislation, the slaughter of horses for meat has been legalized in the USA.
Continue Reading»
UNVEGAN FANS: HELP STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT DELICIOUS FOOD!
HYPE is a non-profit organization that works directly with low-income middle schoolers and their teachers to provide students with the guidance and resources needed to qualify for admission and succeed at top private schools in the Los Angeles area. We provide our students with engaging and unfamiliar experiences to broaden their horizons. A large part of building this cultural capital is by having our students try a wide variety of new foods. This pushes our students outside of their comfort zones and encourages them to take risks in a fun (and tasty!) way. Last summer, our students tried Ethiopian food, sushi, Korean BBQ, deli, and schwarma, just to provide some examples.
We want your help, Unvegan fans, to increase our students’ knowledge about the world around them by enhancing their culinary experiences. We greatly appreciate your support to provide a meal to our group of 15. With your donation, you will be opening delicious doors for an amazing group of students! Please click on the link below to contribute to your favorite cuisine to a great group of kids!
Ethiopian Food
Sushi
Korean BBQ
Deli
Schwarma
Seafood
Indian Food












