Veganism as a lifestyle is a growing trend today. More and more people are opting for this healthier and most sustainable lifestyle. One problem that arises when you go vegan is finding good places for your food dates.
With the dietary restrictions, it is pretty hard to find a restaurant that caters to your needs.
However, don’t worry! You can find alternatives that are equally delicious and easy to accommodate in your vegan lifestyle. Are you confused about whether Zankou Chicken will cater to your vegan needs? We all love food and want to have multiple options to choose from.
To answer the question, even though Zankou Chicken is famous for its chicken dishes, you still get an elaborate vegan-friendly menu. Such a menu is sure to leave you happy, full, and satisfied.
Zankou has worked on its menu to expand its clientele and serve everyone with different dietary needs. In this article, we will help you find the best vegan options at Zankou Chicken. Are you already hungry? We sure are! So, without further ado, let’s get right into the article.
Table of Contents
What Is Zankou Chicken?
Zankou Chicken is a family-owned, small food serving Mediterranean and Armenian fast food in Los Angeles. The chain is known for its shawarmas, tahini, falafel, split-roasted chicken, and a special ‘secret’ garlic sauce.
Zankou is the name of a breathtaking river in Armenia. In Armenian, “zankag” means “bell.” Iskenderian family opened a small street restaurant in Beirut, Lebanon, in the year 1962. They had a simple goal in mind. Their mission was to spread their delectable family chicken recipe and finger-licking sauce with their community.
With the expansion of their Mediterranean menu, their clientele increased. Soon enough, Zankou’s amazing homemade chicken became a household name. After having a good run in their home country for 20 years, the thriving restaurant moved to Los Angeles.
Vartkes and his sons sold the restaurant and came to California to make a name for themselves. In the city of dreams and opportunities, Zankou once again found its glory. The fame only increased and won the hearts of many.
Their natural food and homemade recipes have been a hit ever since. But that is enough about the fantastic chicken dishes. Let’s move on to some vegan ones! We are sure you will love the options we have in store for you.
Are There Any Vegan Options at Zankou Chicken?
As we already mentioned, Zankou is famous for its excellent chicken recipe. Their focus might be on their non-vegetarian dishes, but they still have some pretty yummy vegan options.
Let’s take a look at the vegan options you find when to step into Zankou Chicken.
Falafel Specials
A while back, their famous falafel recipe was modified to become even better. The family wished to achieve a perfect blend of indigenous spices.
When you order a falafel special, you can enjoy perfect crispy falafels with a side of homemade tahini. The salads and sides offered are 100% vegan. The staff uses peanut oil to prepare the falafels.
Hummus
For this recipe, garbanzo beans are ordered fresh from organic, local farms. The restaurant uses these beans to prepare its hummus. The delicious hummus is vegan-compatible.
The balls are fried to perfection and served as independent dishes or sometimes wrapped in pita bread in sandwich forms.
Let us tell you; the crunch is soul-satisfying! Of course, with the famous garlic paste on top, it is a clear winner.
Salads and Sides
Vegans of the world, you are going to love this! You get more sides and salad options here than the meat-eaters. Yes, we know you are tempted.
In the Middle East, vegan-compatible salads and sides are pretty common. We have listed three of their special salad preparations for you to devour.
Tabbouleh Salad
Tabbouleh is a refreshing salad made with fresh parsley sourced locally, hand-chopped tomatoes, bulgur wheat, mint, and diced onions. All this is mixed with salt and zesty lemon to give that tangy taste. The staff cooks the salad in olive oil.
Tahini Salad
Another excellent vegan salad option to try at Zankou Chicken is their tahini salad. The salad is layered twice with fresh and crisp romaine lettuce. Moreover, this dish, topped with hand-sliced tomatoes and the yummy, homemade tahini, will become your favorite.
Mutabal Salad
If you’re feeling adventurous and want to try something new, a mutabal salad should be your choice. It is like the famous baba ghanoush. You get a perfectly grilled eggplant, the yummy tahini, and of course, their garlic that makes a thick paste.
Mutabal salad is garlicky, flavorful, and earthy. You can have it and thank us later!
Cabbage Salad
Cabbage salad is soul-filling and delicious. You can devour this cabbage with a satisfying crunch of sliced green and red cabbage, lemon juice, refreshing mint, and paprika. It is prepared to perfection with olive oil and savory garlic.
Garden Salad
You get to savor a refreshing garden salad of hand-sliced tomatoes and romaine lettuce with pickled turnips and red onions. The salad is tossed with red wine vinegar and oil.
Cucumber Salad
It is a simple but delicious dish. In this cucumber salad, tomatoes and cucumbers are tossed in oil and zesty lemon.
To make your salads more flavorful, you can ask for different toppings. With the mix and match of the following veggies, you can customize your salad to perfection:
- Grapes
- Cucumbers
- Quinoa
- Blueberries
- Corn
- Black Beans
- Broccoli
- Mango
- Apples
Above all, these salad options are incredibly healthy. Moreover, there is no need for you to compromise on the taste. Health freaks can have a gala time with these salads.
Basmati Rice
You can never go wrong with basmati rice! Fluffy and fresh steamed rice is always available at Zankou Chicken. You can have it with any vegan-friendly dish, and the rice will only enhance the taste.
Do we even need to list the benefits of rice? Rice is super good for boosting your energy levels. It is also a great source of nutrients such as vitamin D, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, and fiber.
Vegan Beverages
Okay, your meal is over, and now you’re craving a drink. Don’t worry. We have still got you covered. You can wash down the fantastic middle eastern food with vegan-friendly beverages. We have listed a few down for you:
- Cherry Coke
- Sprite
- Diet Coke
- Sparkling Water
- Coke Zero Sugar
- Coca-Cola Classic
- Lemonade
- Ginger Lemon Tea
- Iced Lemon Tea
What to Keep Away From if You Are a Vegan at Zankou Chicken
Even though Zankou Chicken offers many vegan options, you should steer clear of specific menu options that might seem vegan but are not. Make sure you avoid the following food items if you are on a strict vegan diet:
Baklava
Baklava is a super yummy dessert made with scrumptious layers of filo dough. You might be tempted to order it, mistaking it to be vegan. However, it is not vegan-compatible as it is made of dairy products.
Traditional Mediterranean Plates
Only the falafel is vegan. However, the remaining two options are non-vegetarian. So, please be careful while placing the order.
Kabobs or Grilled Skewers
It is all chicken! When at Zankou Chicken, please don’t go for this option if you are vegan.
Fresh Pita Wraps
There are four kinds of fresh pita wraps available at Zankou Chicken. Only the falafel is vegan-friendly. The others, namely, rotisserie chicken, tri-tip shawarma, and chicken tarna, are not vegan souls.
Besides these, most other options on the menu are not vegan. Most of the items have chicken in them. You can only try the options we have listed above. But you won’t be disappointed, since they are all quite delicious.
Moreover, you can always ask your server if there are any additional vegan food items present. Certain food items depend on the location. You can also customize any food item to your liking.
Final Words
A vegan lifestyle demands us to restrict our diet to a great extent. However, that doesn’t mean you don’t get to eat good food! Today, many restaurants and food joints offer some delicious vegan options to satisfy our cravings. Zankou Chicken can also be quite a savior.
Zankou Chicken, as the name suggests, is famous for its homemade chicken and garlic sauce which is their secret recipe. However, to every vegan’s delight, there are many vegan-friendly options you find at Zankou Chicken.
From falafels to hummus to some choicest salads, you can have a pretty soul-satisfying meal at Zankou Chicken. All of the options are incredibly delicious and absolutely 100% vegan.
We hope our article helped you to make up your mind about Zankou Chicken. If you are in its vicinity, we’d recommend you give Zankou Chicken a chance. Go ahead, try it out soon, and thank us later!
