Zankou Chicken facts for kids
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Tarna plate at Zankou Chicken
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| Private | |
| Industry | Casual dining restaurant |
| Founded | 1962 in Beirut, Lebanon |
| Founder | Vartkes Iskenderian |
| Headquarters |
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U.S.
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Number of locations
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12 |
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Area served
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Los Angeles metropolitan area |
Zankou Chicken is a small, family-owned chain of Armenian and Mediterranean fast casual restaurants located in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Little Armenia. The restaurants are especially known for their spit-roasted chicken, shawarma, falafel, tahini, and a "secret" garlic sauce.
History
The first Zankou Chicken opened in 1962 in the Bourj Hammoud neighborhood of Beirut, Lebanon, by Armenian Vartkes Iskenderian and his family.
The chain was established within the United States in 1983 by his son, Mardiros Iskenderian, after the family immigrated to Los Angeles, California. After considering opening a dry cleaning business or selling men's suits, Iskenderian recognized a lack of restaurants catering to the growing Middle Eastern immigrant population in Los Angeles. This included Armenian and Lebanese compatriots who fled Lebanon during the civil war.
The first restaurant in Los Angeles opened in an East Hollywood neighborhood called Little Armenia and is located at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Normandie Avenue. The restaurant is especially known for its thick, paste-like garlic sauce, created by Vartkes' wife, Markrid and widely imitated.
In 1991, the family agreed to divide the business when Mardiros wanted to open additional restaurants. The new restaurants would be owned by Mardiros, while the original Sunset and Normandie store would be owned by his parents and two sisters. Vartkes Iskenderian died in 1992.
Since opening, Zankou Chicken has expanded and includes the following locations in the greater Los Angeles area: East Hollywood, West Hollywood, West Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Toluca Lake, Van Nuys, Montebello, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, and Valencia. (The original location and Montebello locations are not listed on the website; Rita Iskenderian owns the website and doesn't include them.)
In 2013, Zankou Chicken was one of the contributors for Green Armenia, which brings attention to environmental problems faced by the people of Armenia.
In popular culture
- The restaurant was mentioned by Beck (rhyming "Zankou chicken" with "ripe for the pickin'") in his song "Debra", from the album Midnite Vultures.
- The music video for Childish Gambino's song "Sober" from his EP Kauai was filmed in the original Hollywood location.
- A Zankou Chicken location is mentioned as a wayfinding point as part of driving directions given in the Saturday Night Live sketch "The Californians" (in "Stuart Has Cancer")
- Zankou Chicken inspired a fictional Palestinian chicken restaurant in Curb Your Enthusiasm, so good that "it could end the rift in the Middle East".
- Marti Noxon, who co-produced Buffy the Vampire Slayer, called Zankou Chicken one of her "go-to" take out spots.
- Zankou Chicken is a subject in Rob Delaney's book Mother. Wife. Sister.
- Adam Richman of Man v. Food called Zankou Chicken a "can't miss".
- In the TV series Bosch (2016, Season 3, Episode 5, at 31 minutes), Detective Jerry Edgar offers a bag of food from Zankou Chicken to Harry Bosch, as a peace offering
- In the 2009 Film Funny People Seth Rogen can be seen wearing a Zankou Chicken shirt
- The Comedy Podcast Dungeons and Daddies made a referencial joke about a Kenku calling it a “Kankou Chicken”
