Zankou Chicken   

After a girl I know gave a mini-speech on Zankou chicken--well, I was skeptical. Roasted chicken? Ehh. Not my thing. Roasted chicken has an odd texture, kind of like someone already chewed the chicken and then put it back together for me to eat. But somehow I convinced myself that I needed to taste what she'd spent several uninterrupted minutes raving about. I went to the Van Nuys location last Saturday night. I was expecting casual, but didn't realize that it was absolutely a fast food restaurant. No decor, ugly tables, big backlit menu photos behind the cash registers. Fortunately, I was getting my food to go. I ordered the chicken tarna wrap, and then tried to order a container of garlic sauce and a container of pickles (I could eat pickled turnips all day long). Fortuantely, the cashier told me that both came with my sandwich. Sweet! I can't say much about the presentation--this is fast food, after all. Fortunately, that also means it's cheap. Hella cheap! My sandwich was $3. Don't let the price, decor, or presentation fool you though--this food is really tasty! The pickles were more pickly than any I had ever munched before. I wonder what gives them that hot pink glow? The chicken was moist and tasty, and didn't have that pre-chewed texture I'd been dreading. There also weren't any stray fat globs that you sometimes find in fast-food meat. When I was finished, I really wanted another sandwich. I also wished I'd ordered some falafel. Next time, baby, next time. Like dinner tonight, perhaps? Zankou, I have thought about you every day since the day we met. For photos and more: http://foodieuniverse.blogspot.com/2005/07/zankou-chicken.html

I've tried everything on the menu and it is all good. The chicken with garlic is my favorite. Customer service needs to be more people-friendly though.

We all know the food is great, but the service sucks. I think the owners need to train his employeees on how to smile once in awhile. I'm not asking for first class treatment. I just don't think it's necessary to scowl when you're ringing someone up.

GREAT CHICKEN,GREAT GARLIC SAUCE, NO PERSONALITY