The Unvegan

5/8/2009 Events

Free Meat Alert: KFC Part 2

It appears that KFC’s free chicken deal has caused quite a commotion around our beloved nation. “People” are up in arms because of Oprah’s promotion of it, while others caused problems when their local KFC ran out of chicken. In response, KFC has nullified their coupons. Now, the coupon gets the person another coupon at another time that is yet undisclosed. They call it a rain check, but I call it a disappointment. Free disappointment, anyone?

Having not yet used my coupon, I’m not going to make a special trip to KFC just to get another coupon. Maybe if they had gotten Jimmy Kimmel to promote it we would all still be able to enjoy a free meal at KFC.

5/8/2009 Strange Eats

Strange Meats: Octopus

Just your normal buffet... — Just your normal buffet…

In honor of the Detroit Red Wings being in the playoffs and beating the Anaheim (Mighty) Ducks last night, I decided today would be a great opportunity to highlight the consumption of octopus. (For more information on why that is a reason to highlight octopus, please click here).

My first octopus-eating experience came while I was living in Japan. I attended an event that had a typical array of buffet-like foods, when I suddenly came across bowls of tentacles. One of the bowls had boiled octopus, while the other was fried. Taking a bit of each, I sat down to eat that eight-armed wonder of the sea.

Japanese Octopus Strange Eats Takoyaki Travel

5/7/2009 Events

Celebrate Roasted Leg of Lamb Day!

Bonus points if you catch the lamb yourself.

Falling smack dab in the middle of the unofficial Support Pork Week, today is Roasted Leg of Lamb Day. Do you have a spit, a backyard grill or a Mongolian-style BBQ grate? If so, head out to your local grocer and cook yourself a fine roasted leg of lamb. Not doing so would be un-American.

(via Serious Eats)

Events

5/7/2009 Reviews Santa Monica

The Authentic Experience at the Original Tommy’s (CLOSED)

NOTE: While this location may be closed, this review unquestionably applies to all other Tommy’s

When I first moved to LA, a friend of mine told me a story about Tommy’s Burgers. Apparently the success of the original Tommy’s spawned a multitude of strange chili cheeseburger places with various spellings of the word Tom or Tommy. In all this confusion, I didn’t know where to find the place that started it all, until my friend enlightened me to the location of an Original Tommy’s in Santa Monica. Now, even though it is called Original Tommy’s, the true Original Tommy’s is on LA’s east side. Confused? I was too. At least until I got to Tommy’s.

Once I got there, everything became clear to me. Having just finished a game of tennis, I found the way to reproduce all the calories I had incidentally burned, the Mega Combo. This combo featured a triple chili cheese burger and chili cheese fries, with a drink bigger than my office’s water cooler. This Mega Combo is not just a meal, it’s a gamble that you’ll survive eating it long enough to look back on it with pride, like storming the beaches of Normandy. I had to make it mine.

American Burgers Fast Food Late-Night Los Angeles Meat Restaurants Santa Monica West Coast Chains

5/6/2009 Events

Support Pork Week

Now that we have recovered from the paranoia surrounding the Swine Flu, it’s time to re-embrace those unkosher animals that caused the whole media event in the first place. Enter Support Pork Week, an idea proposed by Indrani Sen of the New York Times. Rather than avoiding one of the great meats of the world, we should make up for lost time and support the other white meat. From bacon to salami to shoulder, let’s all jump back on the pork wagon and celebrate surviving the first pandemic of 2009.

unvegan someecards

(via NY Times)

Events Raves

5/6/2009 Reviews Santa Monica

The Dream Sandwich at Bay Cities Italian Deli

On Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica lies one of the greatest delis in Los Angeles, perhaps even the world. It is the Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery. Besides offering a number of typical Italian sandwiches, Bay Cities brings a colossal contender to the table, known only as the Godmother.

This sandwich is packed with five different meats, all of which coexist in a meaty harmony wirth one another. These glorious meats are Genoa salami, mortadella, coppacola, ham and prosciutto. To maintain the copacetic existence of these meats, a couple of slices of provolone are also thrown in. All sandwiches at Bay Cities can be ordered with the works, an uncomfortable array of vegetables and condiments that would only serve to distract me from my meaty enjoyment, so instead, I like to get a dash of olive oil on my Godmother so my mouth doesn’t dry out.

The result, when sandwiched between two halves of an Italian roll, is nothing short of beautiful.

Bay Cities Italian Deli Delis Food Italian Los Angeles Meat Restaurants Sandwiches Santa Monica

5/6/2009 Events

Free Meat Alert: KFC

In a resounding re-entry into the free food war, KFC has upped the ante. Now they are offering a Free 2 Piece Grilled Chicken Meal, including two sides and a biscuit. Be sure to print out the coupon today and use it by 5/19.

Events

5/5/2009 Heroes and Villains

Bonobos: Unvegan Heroes

They're thinking, "Anything's better than a veggie." — They’re thinking, “Anything’s better than a veggie.”

According to recent studies done by Klaus Zuberbuhler and Zanna Clay from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, it turns out I have a lot in common with my close primate cousin, the Bonobo.

They conducted studies of the Bonobos’ reaction to different foods. Their six favorite foods (of eleven tested) were grapes, bananas, popcorn, apples, oranges and biscuits. It wasn’t until number seven on their list that vegetables began to filter in, and even then I assume it was because the apes wanted to appease the vegans of the world. Had they included cheeses and meats in the experiments, I presume that the Bonobos would have forgotten that vegetables even existed.

Heroes and Villains Raves

5/4/2009 Rants and Raves

International Respect For Chickens Day

I have just learned (albeit a bit late) that today is International Respect for Chickens Day (IRCD). My sixth sense must have told me, though, as I chose to write about Zankou Chicken today.

I wanted to write about this topic specifically because I fully support respecting chickens.

The best way I can think of to respect them is by eating them. I’m not sure if that’s what the United Poultry Concerns had in mind when they thought up this crazy day, but it’s sure how I feel. Just the thought of chickens makes me hungry. It’s something like eating the heart of a warrior that you have bested in the battlefield. We respect the chickens because we absorb their strength.

Rants Raves

5/4/2009 Reviews Los Angeles

Expanding Fast Food Horizons at Zankou Chicken

Those vegetables are of an unnatural color.

Having heard a lot about Zankou Chicken from my friend who bewilderingly never invited me there, I finally got up the gumption to go myself.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from Middle-Eastern fast food, but it turned out to be just like it sounds. The place was set up similar to any other fast food place, except in place of grills, they had rotating spools of meat.

I had to choose between getting straight-up chicken, a plate or a wrap, most of which involved vegetables in some way. In the mood for a wrap, I decided to order the Schawerma. At Zankou, the schawerma consisted of steak, with onions, tomatoes, sesame sauce and hummus. I asked for mine without onions or tomatoes, and since the wrap was so cheap, I ordered a side of hummus and pita.

Within a few minutes, my meal was ready. It was a little discomforting to see a little bowl filled with beets and some sort of bright green pepper, but I was thankful that they had been quarantined into their own bowl and hadn’t touched my real food.

Fast Food Lebanese Los Angeles Meat Middle-Eastern Restaurants Zankou Chicken

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