The Unvegan

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10 Years of Unvegan
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Twerks and Burritos at Casa Amigos

The Unvegan

10/30/2013 Minneapolis

Fulfilled by Matt’s Bar

It's what's on the inside that counts.
It’s what’s on the inside that counts.

There are few regional food items that become so popular that they take on a life of their own outside of said region. And I’m not talking about Mexican food leaving Mexico or pizza making its way into the US from Italy. No, I’m talking Buffalo Wings, New England Clam Chowder and Chicago-Style Deep Dish. Now, there’s a new one that seems poised to join that elite club: the Jucy Lucy. This creation has gone as far to inspire a restaurant dedicated to the Jucy Lucy in LA called Juicy Lucy (note the different spelling) and Jucy Lucy’s can be found on restaurant menus all around the nation. So it may be surprising that the Jucy Lucy, a cheese-stuffed burger, came from a little dive bar called Matt’s in Minneapolis.

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10/29/2013 Pittsburgh

Winging it at Buffalo Blues (CLOSED)

So shiny.
So shiny.

While Walnut Street in Shadyside is the typical haunt of my fellow students, Highland is another street in Shadyside that has a lot to offer. One of those offerings is Buffalo Blues, a sports bar with a fair amount of food options that you might expect at such a place. Wings dominate the menu, but there are also burgers, sandwiches and a few other things for those not so inclined towards the wings.

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10/28/2013 Pittsburgh

Too Much Tomato at Steel Cactus

Oh come on lettuce.
Oh come on lettuce.

Steel Cactus in Shadyside is a place more typically known for drinks than food, yet, I found myself there hungry and waiting for drinks. The cactus thing in their name is somehow connected to the fact that they serve Mexican food and I was skeptical not only because it was primarily a drinking place, but also because Pittsburgh isn’t quite known as a bastion of Mexican food.

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10/22/2013 Pittsburgh

Brown’d at Stack’d

Looks too good.
Looks too good.

The custom burger popularized by The Counter seems to be present nearly everywhere these days, and Pittsburgh has not escaped the trend. Burgatory is one of those places, which I was introduced to my first night in Pittsburgh, and another is Stack’d in Shadyside. The options aren’t quite as extensive as Burgatory, but the burgers are priced a bit friendlier.

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10/21/2013 Pittsburgh

Ali Baba and the Chicken Pita Pocket

A big side of hummus.
A big side of hummus.

Straddling the campuses of Carnegie Mellon and Pitt, Craig Street is where ambitious students can often be found eating lunch or dinner between classes. On that street is a little Middle Eastern restaurant called Ali Baba, which I found myself eating at based on a high recommendation. The recommendation was mostly based on something that have called Kibbee Nayyee, which is a raw lamb dish that is apparently pretty hard to find.

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10/17/2013 Pittsburgh

Crazy Tacos at Round Corner Cantina

Ugh radishes.
Ugh radishes.

My first foray into Pittsburgh’s Mexican food scene brought me to Round Corner Cantina in Lawrenceville. I really had no idea what to expect, but I found a nice outdoor patio area and a good selection of tacos. I ordered myself some Yuengling and then took a look at the taco menu for a while before landing on their Puerco Tacos.

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10/8/2013 Pittsburgh

A Bit Soft at Italian Village Pizza

Gone to Buffalo.
Gone to Buffalo.

As an apparent result of success, Italian Village Pizza expanded recently into a few new locations. One of which was in Fox Chapel/Blawnox and when the wife and I needed to get out and get some grub one night, we found ourselves in the friendly confines of a place with possibly the greatest happy hour hours ever (7-9). And while I enjoyed a Yuengling, I was really at Italian Village Pizza for their namesake.

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10/7/2013 Pittsburgh

Down and Dirty at the Original Hot Dog Shop

Chili, cheese and more.
Chili, cheese and more.

Shortly after moving to Pittsburgh, my friend and site designer alerted me to the existence of a hot dog place called The Original Hot Dog Shop in Oakland that had been around since 1960, which may not be old for Pittsburgh, but is damn old having come from LA. I like hot dogs and originals, but unbeknownst to me until showing up for lunch was that The Original Hot Dog Shop (also known as the Dirty O) is more of a late-night haunt than a lunch stop. Nonetheless, I wanted a good hot dog and was happy to eat it in a dingy spot with great late-night character in the middle of the day.

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10/4/2013 Pittsburgh

Seasonal Delight at Thin Man Sandwich Shop

Sandwiches du jour.
Sandwiches du jour.

Down in the Strip District is a relative newcomer to Pittsburgh. Called the Thin Man Sandwich Shop, the name really called out to me because I often feel like a fat man trapped in a thin man’s body. It’s a curse, I know. But I digress. Back in the sandwich shop, I immediately impressed by the options they had listed on their chalk board. If nothing else, they were creative with such seasonal sandwiches as Braised Beef Cheeks, Jamaican Jerk Goat Curry and Cashew Butter. I was eager to see if the creativity translated to eatability, which, as we all know, is not a word.

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