The Unvegan

Recent Posts

10 Years of Unvegan
A Quick Bite at Burrito Express
Serendipity at Northern Waters Smokehaus
Twerks and Burritos at Casa Amigos

‘American’

1/5/2009 El Segundo

Mandy’s Family Restaurant

You know it's family-style because the bread is crustless.
You know it’s family-style because the bread is crustless.

On a recent lunch excursion from work, I found myself at Mandy’s Family Restaurant in El Segundo. Off of the main strip of Main Street, Mandy’s is a little gem tucked away into the corner of a strip mall.

As I walked in, I saw a sign proclaiming the lunch special of the day, a hot turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes, gravy and a soft drink. I kept this special in mind as I sat down and perused the massive menu. Everything looked good, but I remained intrigued by the turkey sandwich. My friend had mentioned that the seasoned fries were amazing, so I asked my waitress whether they were better than the mashed potatoes and she agreed with my friend. I made the substitution and awaited my meal.

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1/2/2009 El Segundo

Whole Foods Market

This is as meaty as Whole Foods gets.
This is as meaty as Whole Foods gets.

Despite all of my kicking and screaming and my best attempts to avoid it, I found myself stuck at Whole Foods Market in El Segundo with some colleagues for lunch.

If I ate fiber, the very concept of Whole Foods would go against every fiber of my being. It takes seemingly untouchable products like potato chips and makes them healthy (tasteless). This Whole Foods in particular jumped to a whole new level of anti-unvegan, offering all sorts of food cooked-to-order. I got chills as I walked by what I believe was an entire olive bar, but I was afraid to make eye contact for fear of burning my retinas. I shuddered as I walked past the multiple salad bars and finally made it to what seemed like a safe haven, the Mexican section. The Ranchero Burrito, with carne asada, looked like a decent unvegan choice, so I ordered mine with cheese, salsa, rice and beans, being careful to avoid the Pico de Gallo and potentially dangerous greens.

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12/22/2008 Los Angeles

The Apple Pan

This is what a hamburger looks like when it comes from an apple pan.
This is what a hamburger looks like when it comes from an apple pan.

Although few and far between, old-fashioned hamburger joints still exist in LA. One of these is the Apple Pan, which opened in 1947, so you know it’s good.

When I walked in, the place was packed and every seat at the boardroom meeting-style counter was taken. There was no waiting list, so we had to find a couple diners to stand behind in the hopes that they would leave soon.

Our gamble paid off and we were soon able to take our seats. The menu is a pretty basic one, and my friend suggested the hickoryburger, which sounded good, if not mildly 19th-century presidential.

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12/19/2008 Los Angeles

Pink’s

There is nothing pink about this feast.
There is nothing pink about this feast.

Pink’s is one of those places that you have to experience in Hollywood. It has been around since 1939 and is a staple. If you live in LA, you know what Pink’s is. If you visit LA, there’s a good chance you’re going to drive by Pink’s and be intrigued by the constant line emanating from the place. With that said, it took me over a year in LA to finally stop and see what it had to offer.

When I arrived, the line didn’t seem too long, but it wound and wound for a good 20 minutes until I finally made it to the counter. Along the way, I stared at the menu on the wall that should have had a disclaimer reading: “Do not eat if you are pregnant, have a history of heart conditions or are on a pacemaker.” In other words, just about everything looked amazing to an unvegan.

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12/11/2008 Los Angeles

Papa John’s

A pair of glorious meatsa pizzas.
A pair of glorious meatsa pizzas.

In just a few years, Papa John’s has gone from a second-tier pizza chain to the top level, joining Domino’s and Pizza Hut. It even has branches in China.

The Papa John’s on National Boulevard in LA offers a fantastic $6.99 carry-out special for a large, one-topping pizza. Last time I went, I ordered pepperoni and sausage, the two greatest meats to ever find themselves atop a pizza.

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12/4/2008 Los Angeles

Coco’s (CLOSED)

 

Fruit makes for an excellent vegetable replacement.
Fruit makes for an excellent vegetable replacement.

Coco’s and I have a long and interesting history. A few years ago, I lived in Japan and a Coco’s was attached to my building. Coco’s (pronounced Cocosu in Japanese) was a Japanese attempt at American food and despite the fact that it wasn’t at all like American food, it was still pretty decent. We had a healthy relationship and I even had the frequent diner card. When I returned from Japan, Coco’s and I took a break, we couldn’t handle the distance and I had no knowledge of Coco’s in America. That all changed when I found a Coco’s on Pico and Robertson in LA. I went in with great expectations that would be impossible to meet.

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