The Unvegan

5/1/2009 Reviews Culver City

The Inexplicable Popularity of Tito’s Tacos

When I first moved to LA, local Los Angelinos were really jealous when they discovered my proximity to Tito’s Tacos in Culver City. Every time I drove by, there was a huge line that really kept me away. I figured I didn’t need to wait in a long line when Cinco de Mayo was right next door.

Eventually I decided to to brave the long line and see what they really had to offer. The first thing I noticed was their wall menu, which looked straight from from the ’70s. The prices also looked like they hadn’t been updated since the ’70s, with tacos under $2 and burritos hovering between $3 and $4. There was a catch, though, cheese wasn’t included. Anyone hoping for cheese had to drop an extra 50 cents. To me, this was tantamount to charging extra for cheese on a pizza. Look, I know that cheese might not typically be found on a taco in Mexico, but in America we expect cheese on our Mexican food. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed to fork over an extra dollar for cheese on my beef and bean burrito and my taco without lettuce. Maybe this was part of why people loved Tito’s so much?

Culver City Food Los Angeles Meat Mexican Restaurants Tacos Tito's Tacos

4/30/2009 Reviews El Segundo

Getting in on the Free Food Battle with Domino’s

Why can't everything be in a bread bowl? — Why can’t everything be in a bread bowl?

It may not be grilled chicken, but Domino’s had their own little free food giveaway yesterday. This was done in order to promote their new Bread Bowl Pastas. It was also probably to make people feel better about going to Domino’s again after a couple disgruntled workers attempted to sabotage the company.

I was already intrigued by the Bread Bowl Pastas because they look so good on TV, but I found out they were free, they become more of a necessity than an intrigue. I went to Domino’s in El Segundo, expecting to wait in a long line like I had at El Pollo Loco, only to find one other patron at the place. Of the five pasta choices, only the Chicken Alfredo and Italian Sausage Marinara weren’t tainted by vegetables. After having free chicken for my two prior lunches, I opted for the sausage instead.

American Chains Domino's El Segundo Fast Food Franchises Italian Los Angeles National Chains Pizza

4/30/2009 Reviews El Segundo

Free Grilled Chicken War at El Pollo Loco

It doesn't look like much, but free goes a long way. — It doesn’t look like much, but free goes a long way.

Not to be outdone by the free grilled chicken giveaway at KFC, El Pollo Loco decided they were going to give away some free chicken of their own on April 28th. Rather than simply giving away a free drumstick, El Pollo Loco jumped to the next level by giving away a drummie, a thigh, two tortillas and, of course, salsa from the salsa bar was included. There was a catch, however, that you had to say “I wanna taste the fire” when you ordered. Being my shameless self, I had no trouble proclaiming my desire for fire when I reached the front of the long line.

Within a few minutes, I had received my food. They were working like an assembly line in the back of that restaurant, giving them the edge on KFC for timeliness.

El Pollo Loco El Segundo Events Fast Food Franchises Los Angeles Meat Mexican Restaurants West Coast Chains

4/29/2009 Reviews Los Angeles

Getting in Touch with Brazil at Bossa Nova

Going to Bossa Nova is not the easiest dining experience around. This is nothing of their fault. I’ve never had any trouble getting a table or getting good service. Rather, it is the difficulty in deciding what to get from their textbook of a menu.

The possibilities are almost limitless, ranging from sandwiches to pizza to pasta to steak. And somehow this is a Brazilian restaurant. With so many options, they manage to have a good amount of unvegan food.

Since I was at a Brazilian restaurant, I decided to get the Picanha Steak. It is a special Brazilian cut that has never let me down. It comes from the “Hot from Bossa Nova Grill” section, meaning I also get plantains, rice, beans, yucca flour and salsa. Not bad for $15.99.

When my plate came, it looked almost perfect.

Bossa Nova Brazilian Food Los Angeles Meat Pizza Restaurants Sandwiches South American West LA

4/28/2009 Reviews

Free Grilled Chicken at KFC

Notice the diminutive drumstick in the back.

For weeks I have been hearing about the free grilled chicken at KFC on April 27th. I even wrote it down on my calendar to make sure I didn’t forget. I’ve never really been a fan of regular KFC, but the prospect of a place called Kentucky Fried Chicken making grilled chicken intrigued the hell out of me.

Online, it said the free chicken would only be one piece, but I figured it would be a good opportunity to re-acquaint myself with some of the older KFC options. I pulled up to the drive-thru window and asked the speakerbox if they were still giving away grilled chicken. The voice replied back that they were, but it was only one piece and apparently it would take another seven minutes to cook. This was already a bad sign…there’s a reason it’s called fast food.

American Events Fast Food Franchises Fried Chicken Kentucky Fried Chicken KFC Meat Restaurants Sandwiches

4/27/2009 Reviews Los Angeles

A Late-Night Snack at Del Taco

While never my first choice in late-night food, Del Taco is sometimes just too damn convenient to go anywhere else.

Despite the obvious Mexican origins of it’s name, Del Taco eschews the Mexican fast food norm by tossing in a few American favorites, like fries and burgers.

These additions definitely help cater to the late-night crowd like me, but they also take away a bit of Del Taco’s identity. When I go to a Taco Bell, I know I’m getting Mexican food, but when I go to Del Taco, I can’t be sure of what sort of food I’ll be ordering until I get there.

I found that a good combo involves a selection from their value menu.

American Burgers Del Taco Fast Food Franchises Los Angeles Meat Mexican Restaurants West Coast Chains

4/27/2009 Danger

When Vegetables Attack: Alfalfa Sprouts

Until today, the thought of alfalfa brought a smile to my face. Of course, I’m not referring to the strange green plant, but the strange little boy from The Little Rascals. His hair always inexplicably stuck up right in the back and for some reason I always found that entertaining. Now, however, the thought of alfalfa gives me chills that make the hair on my arms stick up.

The reason is salmonella. A disease that has been recently linked by the FDA to alfalfa. They are recommending people avoid raw alfalfa sprouts until further notice (or until the end of time if you read between the lines in the way I do). Supposedly other sprouts are safe, but I wouldn’t rule out some sort of a sprout conspiracy.

In the long line of vegetable attacks, we unvegans now just have one more compelling reason to avoid those deadly and diseased vegetables.

(via Serious Eats)

Danger Rants

4/24/2009 Rants and Raves

Who Wouldn’t Want a Meat Card?

A friend of mine recently enlightened me to the existence of Meat Cards. According to their website, “THESE business cards have two ingredients:
MEAT AND LASERS.”

If those aren’t two of the world’s essential elements (air, water, meat, lasers) I don’t know what are.

The beauty, as far as I can see, is that whether you get these from a good or bad business, you can always eat them after memorizing the essentials. Also, as they are made from jerky, they’re sure to last a long time. There are few things better than edible business equipment.

Meat Cards Raves

4/24/2009 Reviews Los Angeles

Living the Good Life at Palermo

It's the cheesiest! — It’s the cheeeeesiest!

Walking into Palermo, I had little idea what I was in for. We had found it on my mom’s iPhone, using the Urban Spoon application, which I had never used before. Needless to say, we didn’t have the highest expectations.

When we got inside, there were quite a few people in the waiting area and they all were drinking wine. Asking one of them, we were told that they were selling wine for a dollar a glass. On a Saturday night! What a great way to start out our night. Despite the number of people, we actually only waited about 15 minutes. No sooner than we sat down, one of the staff came by and offered us a platter of pizza bread, explaining that it was “on the house.” The bread was a little tomato-ey, but it’s hard to complain when it’s free.

Food Italian Los Angeles Los Feliz Meat Palermo Pizza Restaurants

4/23/2009 Heroes and Villains

Theodore Gray: Unvegan Hero

We all know the unparalelled benefits of eating meat, but Theodore Gray has developed yet another; a Thermal Lance. According to his article on the Popsci.com, a thermal lance “is used to cut up scrap metal and rescue people from collapsed buildings.”

Settling on prosciutto as the most energy-efficient meat, Gray created a meat torch capable of cutting through metal, when oxygen is fed through it. In doing so he unleashed the full power of meat. I’m pretty sure this means that people should always have meat around, in case of emergency.

Bacon Heroes and Villains Meat Prosciutto Raves

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