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Now that Thanksgiving is over, many of us are feeling guilty about overeating and we're starting to sweat the next month. My philosophy is to go ahead and enjoy the food when it is a special event, like Christmas Eve. What you really have to watch are the little unhealthy habits that the season brings - mindless cookie munching in the breakroom, triple-macchiattos to keep your energy up, and fast food meals eaten on-the-run as you rush from store to store. Luckily, there are a few chains that will keep the guilt factor down while still getting you out the door quickly.
ZANKOU CHICKEN
I am convinced the entire infrastructure of the Eastside would completely collapse without Zankou Chicken. It is the culinary glue that is keeping us all together. Now Zankou is finally starting to move in on the Westside and Valley.
Zankou's spit-roasted chicken has the perfect combination of crispy skin and moist, garlicky meat. The wings often dry up, yet somehow the flavor of the remaining crunchy bits is just that much more concentrated. The tri-tip shawerma wrap has stolen my heart away from the healthier roast chicken, although the similar chicken tarna has not really enchanted me. The falafel is crunchy, dense, flavorful and nongreasy.
Not only is it the most delicious food in the universe, it's fast and it's healthy. According to the website: Our food is 100% natural and we have made a commitment to keep it that way. It is prepared fresh every day in our kitchens by using only the finest ingredients. We will never use cans, freezers, microwave ovens, preservatives, or artificial ingredients. We use only all natural Foster Farms chicken, which is delivered to us daily, direct from the farm. Our beef is 100% USDA Choice and of the finest quality.
They don't provide nutritional information, but the meat is all grilled or roasted. The falafel is fried in peanut oil, but if you are going for falafel you probably avoid red meat and don't have to worry that much about fat. Similarly, the ambrosia known as Tahini is chock full of sesame seeds and oil, but it's the good kind of fat. I will warn you however, their famous garlic sauce is solid at room temperature and looks very much like Crisco, so use sparingly.
Low-Fat Friendly: YES
Low-Carb Friendly: YES
Vegetarian Friendly: YES
CHIPOTLE
Chipotle is highly focused on humane, sustainable farming, organic beans and hormone-free sour cream (well, 25% organic beans. It's better than nothing). Let me put it this way - their website suggests that you read Fast Food Nation.
One of the most striking things about Chipotle is that they are built for speed. They are faster than fast, with a Subway-style assembly line. You pick the item, meat, then toppings, and WHAM - it's ready before you can fish for your wallet.
The other striking thing about Chipotle is the heat. It is shocking to get such spicy food in a chain. All of the meats - the flavorful shredded beef, steak (barbacoa) and chicken are heavily seasoned. Only the moist, tender carnitas are made without anything spicy. Even the pinto beans are spicy and the guacamole contains jalapenos, so if you have anyone sensitive to heat with you, get them something with carnitas, black beans and no guacamole. The salsas are fantastic, authentic, and caliente. The salsa fresca is not quite as hot, but the delicious corn salsa, and the multilayered flavors of the red and green salsas will have you dying for a beer. Luckily they serve - beer. Not very healthy, I know, but what the hell. It's going to be a long winter.
The options fit any dietary plan, with bowls for low-carb diets (but tell them you don't want rice, quickly, because that is the one thing they spoon in without asking). They have a choice of lard-free pinto or black beans, and can go vegetarian in a number of ways. They use a cheese made with an animal-free rennet, and it is clear what is and is not vegetarian. None of their foods contain nuts. They are even able to adapt the menu for vegans, since only the sour cream and cheese contain dairy. It almost seems redundant for me to describe the food when they have a superfun interactive online menu.
Low-Fat Friendly Not so much.
Low-Carb Friendly YES
Vegetarian Friendly YES
THE HABIT
One of my favorite chains is The Habit, not to be confused with Hamburger Hamlet. They emphasize fresh ingredients and offer various grilled sandwiches and salads. I usually hit the one on Glendale Avenue in the shopping center with the Nordstrom rack. Then I hit Whole Foods on the way home and feel really, really pious.
The healthy grilled albacore is addictive (430 calories, 16 grams fat and 41 carbs). They also have a veggie burger with sprouts, which is your best bet (370 calories, only 12 grams of fat and 57 carbs). Plus, it has sprouts - now that's got to make you feel good about yourself. But they do not certify it as vegetarian, and admit it may have trace amounts of animal products (probably from being cooked on the same grill).
I love their charburgers and the grilled chicken sandwiches. Sadly, it turns out the charburger is still no bargain, with 480 calories and chock full of fat. The chicken sandwich is deceptive, weighing in at a surprising 730 calories, 37 grams of fat and 52 carbs. I hate to say it, but you are probably safest with a salad and a kid's size burger. Luckily, they have a wide array of interesting salads.
Low-Fat friendly YES
Low-Carb Friendly Somewhat
Vegetarian-friendly Not if you are strict
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I want falafel. And garlic sauce. Right now. Oh god right now.
"Zankou is finally starting to move in on the . . . Valley"? Actually, Zankou has been in the Valley on Sepulveda at Burbank for many years. I was eating there a decade ago. The food is delicious, but that garlic sauce combined with the hummus gives me the gas from hell.
Also, it boggles my mind that someone would confuse the names "Hamburger Hamlet" and "The Habit". Were you meaning to say, "not to be confused with 'Hamburger Habit' on National at Sepulveda"?
You forgot my best friend, Astro Burger (Melrose, not SM)!!
Gah! There it is again! "Vegetarian friendly: Only if you're strict."
The definition of a vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat. Period. A person who eats meat only when they feel like it is called a normal-eater. Yes, normal-eater is a technical term.
Sorry for the rant - nothing personal. But as a "strict" vegetarian, it upsets me when people claim the title without the commitment.
are you kidding me?
CHipotle
Low-Fat Friendly NO
Low-Carb Friendly NO
"Chipotle, the fast-growing, McDonald's- affiliated fresh-Mex chain, doesn't disclose the calorie or saturated fat content of its burritos. But the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)--the "food police" that blew the whistle on the fat content of popular Italian, Chinese, and fast-food restaurant fare--sent some of Chipotle's most popular burritos to an independent laboratory for analysis. Those results--as well as nutrition numbers provided by Chipotle's competition--are exposed in the October issue of CSPI's Nutrition Action Healthletter.
First of all, says CSPI, fresh Mex-restaurants offer a lot of things fast food restaurants don't. Fresh veggies, grilled seafood and chicken, salsas, and beans abound. It's certainly possible to get a healthful meal relatively low in saturated fat and high in dietary fiber. But some menu items can easily top 1,000 calories--and just about everything has too much salt. That's more calories than the vast majority of sandwiches or fast-food burgers, according to CSPI.
"Fresh Mex chains cultivate an aura of healthfulness, and sometimes it's deserved," said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. "But because Chipotle doesn't reveal calories or other nutrition information, most people wouldn't have a clue that a Vegetarian Burrito is the equivalent of an overstuffed corned beef sandwich--plus 350 calories. Chipotle's Carnitas Burrito is like an artillery shell filled with a day's worth of saturated fat and sodium."
Among CSPI's findings:
* Chipotle's Chicken Burrito (with black beans, rice, cheese, and salsa) weighs in at nearly 1,000 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat.
* Chipotle's Vegetarian Burrito (with black beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, and salsa) weighs over a pound and provides 1,120 calories and three-quarters of a day's worth of saturated fat (14 grams).
* Chipotle's Barbacoa Burrito (with shredded beef, pinto beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa) hits nearly 1,300 calories and three-quarters of a day's worth of saturated fat. That's the equivalent of a Quarter Pounder, a large order of fries, and a large Coke.
* Chipotle's Chicken Burrito Bols--burritos without the 340-calorie flour tortillas--are CSPI's only recommended "Better Bites" at Chipotle. A Bol with chicken, black beans, lettuce, and salsa, has just 430 calories and four grams of saturated fat. Rice instead of lettuce adds about 200 calories.
If you want a Chipotle Burrito and not a Bol, CSPI advises consumers holding the cheese and sour cream. That can save 200 calories and a half a day's worth of saturated fat. We estimate that skipping the rice could save 200 calories more. And most Chipotle Burritos are big enough for two meals: Just ask your server to wrap each half separately."
Even without the rice/sour cream thats still a shitload
http://www.thedailyplate.com/nutrition-calories/food/chipotle
FYI - I was about to get all uppity about the Chipotle being owned by McDonald's thing but found out McDonald's "divested" entirely in 2006. So....yeah. For what that's worth. Although, I still don't trust 'em.
OK, First - Colinski - yes, I have been eating at the Zankou on Sepulveda forever. They have completely conquered the Eastside and are now opening more restaurants in the Valley. I expect they will eventually take over the entire world. Sorry "move in on" was too vague. You would not believe how many people think I mean "Hamburger Hamlet" when I say "The Habit's hamburger".
Charmon: Some of my friends are vegetarian for health reasons, or to lessen their impact on the environment, or because they just don't like meat, but they don't mind trace amounts touching their food. They will pick pepperoni right off of a pizza and eat the pizza. Other friends are vegetarian for religious, moral, ethical, or aesthetic reasons, and would be grossed out by their vegetarian food being cooked on the same grill as a burger. If you don't consider the first group vegetarians, I can't argue with you. But I believe in people's right to self-identify.
Samkin: Well, you just blew my mind. Chipotle is new to me, and I was taken in by their earnest manifesto. I must argue, though, if you were to get a bowl with only meat, lettuce and salsa it is still low carb-friendly. And you can add beans if you follow a low glycemic-index diet. As for low-fat, everyone knows to avoid the guacamole, cheese and sour cream. And the burritos are huge. The burrito is cut in half in my picture for a reason. It would be nice if they provided the nutritional content for each item to help you make healthier choices. I will change my rating.
I was equally surprised when I looked up the nutritional info on The Habit. At first blush, it seemed healthier. I think the halo effect of Topz, which formerly occupied the location had blinded me. I was going to cover Topz as well as another bunch of spots in my next post, but after this one I'm probably better off writing about religion, politics, porn and weed. Much less controversial.
Whew, OK. Still friends? Hug it out.
still friends :). it was a nice gesture for you to post about cheaper/quick alternatives after the massive amount of turkey we consumed this last week. this reminds me of a very nice steve lopez article i read last year that i can't find anywhere on the stupid latimes website but this blog explaining it will have to do for now
part 1
http://livinglargela.blogspot.com/2007/04/steve-lopezs-super-sized-contest.html
part 2
http://livinglargela.blogspot.com/2007/04/slippery-shrimp-foils-us-all.html
and as much as i pretend to know about food i can't seem to offer any alternatives to those you listed. ohwell.
elise, you picked some of my all time favorite eats in LA - the Z and Chipotle.
however i had no idea that McD's fully divested a year ago. no wonder nothing has changed at Chipotle in years - because there isnt a huge corporation to fuck it up.
i love their burritos especially that spicy beef deal. pretty much the only time i eat red meat.
thanks for this!!
I think it's worth pointing out places that at least offer healthy options even if not every menu item meets criteria. Jared from Subway didn't get that way eating ten triple-bacon and mayo sandwiches a day, although they ARE available.
The organic grocery isn't good for you if you all you ever eat is the cheesecake.