Chains – Page 4 – The Unvegan

5/15/2013 Reviews Carson

Filipino Fast Food at Jollibee

Once, oh so many years ago, I had myself a solo adventure in The Philippines. Among my many memories, I have never forgotten pulling into the Jollibee drive-thru window in Quezon City and ordering corned beef with rice. Surely, this wasn’t the most exciting thing on the menu, but to a Jew that had spent nearly a year in China and longed for corned beef I was amazed. Of course, this corned beef was more a remnant of the colonial days of The Philippines than of my own ancestors, but it was still an experience.

Burgers Carson Chains Fast Food Filipino Halo Halo Hamburgers Jollibee Los Angeles The Philippines

5/14/2013 Reviews Atlanta

True Grits at Waffle House

I can probably be said that any visit to Atlanta without a stop at Waffle House is a failure. This breakfasty 24 hour diner is a staple in the Atlanta area. Furthermore, any trip to Waffle House without has browns is also a failure. Before going any further, I have to admit that I failed at the latter. Be that as it may, take this review with a grain of salt. It won’t be a bad review, but likely won’t be as good as it could have been. Also, I didn’t eat any waffles.

Atlanta Bacon Chains Diners Georgia National Chains Restaurants Sandwiches Travel Waffle House

4/24/2013 Reviews Las Vegas

Enjoying the Views at Twin Peaks

Remember when Hooters was as exciting as restaurants got? Not food-wise, of course, but ummm boob-wise. Well, those days are as dead as the Cold War. Last year I learned this firsthand at the Tilted Kilt and on my recent visit to Las Vegas the point was driven home, hard, at Twin Peaks. It was at Twin Peaks that we basically established our base camp for our time in Las Vegas. The only trouble was it was hard to concentrate on the basketball games with so much else to look at.

Bar Food Bars Buffalo Wings Chains Chicken Wings Hooters Las Vegas Nevada Restaurants Tilted Kilt Travel Twin Peaks

4/22/2013 Reviews Kempton Park

Tapping the KEG & Aviator

No, you're the fat bastard. — No, you’re the fat bastard.

Airport food is typically pretty terrible. There is a distinct lack of creativity and the prices are often ridiculous. So it was with a great sadness that we realized we would be stuck in Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo airport over dinner. But the airport gods were looking favorably upon us on this day, as they guided us to KEG & Aviator. KEG is a pub chain in South Africa and each one has a cutesy name reminiscent of its location, hence the aviator thing.

Africa Airports Bars Burgers Chains Hamburgers Johannesburg KEG & Aviator Kempton Park O.R.Â Tambo Airport Restaurants South Africa Travel

3/1/2013 Reviews Culver City

Smashburger Crashes into Culver

Blue skies and signs that look like GameStop.

When the Culver City outpost of Famima!! shuttered, I lamented the loss. It was one of those places that I didn’t get to very often, but always felt comfortable knowing it was there. Then I found out that it was to be replaced by Smashburger, a fast-casual burger chain out of Denver that specializes in smashing balls of beef into burgers as they cook, instead of getting them patty-ized beforehand. The premise isn’t entirely novel, but that did not mean I wasn’t excited.

Burgers Chains Culver City Hamburgers Los Angeles National Chains Restaurants Smashburger

12/17/2012 Reviews Los Angeles

Choices, Choices, Choices at Freebirds (CLOSED)

EDIT: This location is gone, but you can find Freebirds elsewhere, man.

Beginning in Santa Barbara back in the day, Freebirds World Burrito has recently been expanding all over the place. With a hippe/biker vibe (no, I have no idea how that came to be), Freebirds has taken Henry Ford’s assembly line to burritos, but offers more colors than just black. In fact, the options are kind of mind blowing. Multiple tortilla, meat, rice and bean choices, as well as a plethora of salsas and other add-ins.

Asakuma Restaurant Burritos Chains Downtown LA Fast Food Freebirds World Burrito Los Angeles Mexican

8/21/2012 Reviews Burbank

(Not So) Great Steak and Potato Company (CLOSED)

If you, as a restaurant, are going to call yourself great, as the Great Steak and Potato Company does, you had better be truly great. If not, you are opening yourself up for a slew of invited criticism. As an optimist, I figured the place was worth a try, if for no other reason than I had pretty much exhausted the options at Burbank’s Empire Center.

I wasn’t expecting a fancy steak dinner joint, so when I walked in and found it to be a predominantly cheesesteak and fries joint, I was pretty happy. I cannot claim to be a cheesesteak expert, since I’ve never had one in Philly, but I feel as thought I’ve tried enough to say what a good one should taste like. I ordered their Original Philly Cheesesteak, which was offered at a discounted price, without the onions (it was only cheese, onions and steak), then ordered their Coney Island Fries, which were topped with chili and cheese.

Burbank Chains Fries Great Steak and Potato Company Los Angeles Philly Cheese Steak Restaurants Sandwiches

8/9/2012 Reviews Beverly Hills

Missing White at Burger Lounge

Not too long ago, a new place called Burger Lounge made its way into Beverly Hills. Well, new is a relative term, as the place has been hanging out in San Diego for years. As with all intriguing burgers, I knew I had to test out it and recruited my buddy from San Diego to accompany me. He had frequented the lounge down in SD back in the day and I thought he would be helpful in my quest.

American Beverly Hills Burger Lounge Burgers Chains Hamburgers Los Angeles Restaurants West Coast Chains

8/7/2012 Reviews Los Angeles

Bibigo for It

The food court at Century City mall is one of the best. It may have some chains, but it is a long way from the fast food filled food courts of the world. Strangely, there is some turnover in restaurants, but they always seem to be replaced by a similar restaurant with the same name. Case in point: Sorabal, a Korean place, was replaced by Bibigo, a – you guessed it – Korean place. Sure, Bibigo is a different concept from Sorabal, but my point still stands.

Bibigo Bibimbap Century City Chains Food Courts Korean Los Angeles Malls Rice Bowls

5/25/2012 Reviews Los Angeles

Bread on Bread at Panera

With a place like Panera, I’m fortunate to not have to give much of a back story. It’s all over the place, and there’s good reason for it. They make some great breads and soups. And they make those other things that often come with breads: sandwiches. When I trekked out to Panera in North Hollywood, it was the sandwiches I was after.

Chains Los Angeles National Chains North Hollywood Panera Bread Restaurants Sandwiches Steak

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