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’

Stuck Between a Pig & Pickle

Should've seen it coming.
Should’ve seen it coming.

After landing in Phoenix, the wife and I were in need of some food. She likes pickles and I like pigs, so we stopped at a place called Pig & Pickle. With a name like that, you could probably guess that it was trendy, hipsterish and had some sort of deviled eggs. Well, at least the first two are right, but I suspect deviled eggs will make their way onto the menu at some point. The menu had a nice variety of piggy items and even a few that weren’t if that’s not your thing.

A Bacchanal Buffet Without Borders

Did someone say mini burgers?
Did someone say mini burgers?

In my mind, no trip to Sin City is worth it without committing the sin of gluttony. There are many outlets for said gluttony, but none better than one of the city’s amazing buffets. And perhaps there is no better buffet than the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar’s Palace. As an added bonus, for brunch they throw bottomless mimosas on top of their mess of food. And what a beautiful mess of food it is. The place is simply huge, with each station being big enough to house an entire buffet at any lesser establishment.

Crushing Burgs at Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen + Bar

Crushin' it.
Crushin’ it.

Las Vegas in unquestionably a land of excess. So not surprisingly there is Guy Fieri restaurant on The Strip called Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen + Bar. It’s not exactly the most inspiring name, but it was enough to pull me in from the street when I was on my way to eat elsewhere. The menu was not far from this, but seemed somewhat more edible. The prices were a bit high, but I figured in the land of excess, this would result in an excessively large meal.

Feeling Satisfied at Ritter’s Diner

So cheesy.
So cheesy.

In a world filled with fancy brunch spots, it’s comforting to know that greasy spoons like Ritter’s Diner still exist. Because after a night filled with too many vinos, I don’t want some newfangled omelet or polenta cake, I want cheese, bacon and a side of grease. And in my head, what better place to satisfy this need than Ritter’s Diner?

The Dip at The Vig

Take a dip.
Take a dip.

After a fruitless attempt to grab happy hour down in Scottsdale town, we consulted a nifty little thing called NoWaitApp and found out we could get seated immediately at The Vig in McCormick Ranch and made our way there. The Vig seemed to be a combination of trendy and sports bar-esque food that was right up my alley. So far up, in fact, that I had to consult the waitress before choosing what to order.

Getting Trendy at 189 Public House

Big balls.
Big balls.

From the people that brought you Bar Bill in East Aurora, comes 189 Public House literally right next door (with the address of 189 Main Street). This Southern-influenced jazzy gastropub is a far cry from its neighbor, which might be ill-advised considering the perpetually long lines for tables at Bar Bill. On the other hand, it’s perfectly positioned to pick off those who don’t want to wait so long and want something a little bit different.

A Unique Jerk at Curly’s

Jamaican in Lackawanna?
Jamaican in Lackawanna?

Curly’s in Lackawanna is a restaurant and a banquet center. It’s also American and Caribbean. Oh, and they have grill food. It’s kind of confusing, but somehow it works. The tables have fancy tablecloths and likely because of this we got some delicious bread to start off our meal. I flipped through the pages from the grill food to the fancier banquet food and because of some things I heard, decided to go with the grill.

Dog Feud at Ted’s Hot Dogs

Looks familiar.
Looks familiar.

After the disappointment of Theodore’s Red Hots, I thought I would see if Ted’s Hot Dogs, the one that started up in 1927, was any better. After all, they had plenty of time to perfect the recipe. This time, though, I went with a meal deal because I had a coupon and because two chili cheese dogs in one night obviously isn’t enough for me. So, along with the chili cheese dog I ordered fries and a drink.

Dog Feud at Theodore’s Red Hots

Charred and broiled.
Charred and broiled.

In the land of Buffalo, there was a great schism. It happened a few years ago when Ted’s Hot Dogs, the local hot dog goliath, decided it didn’t want the original Ted’s grandson involved anymore and did away with him. Out of spite, he opened Theodore’s Red Hots and I decided I needed a bit of a taste test. I started out at Theodore’s, ordering their chili cheese dog.