Music
This restaurant named a chicken liver burger after vegan Minor Threat singer Ian MacKaye
by Mark Teo
September 5, 2014
Minor Threat founder Ian MacKaye is often credited with inventing the straight edge movement because, well, the dude invented the straight edge movement. But beyond abstaining from drugs and alcohol, many edgemen—MacKaye included—went on to adopt a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle, eventually culminating in anti-meat acts like The First Step, Earth Crisis, and a zillion merch designs.
He linked his dietary choices to straight edge—being drug-free led him to thinking about what he was eating. When MacKaye flexed his head, he said in EDGE The Movie, he couldn’t find any reasons to continue eating meat.
Mackaye inspired countless people to examine their personal values, but he’s also inspired countless culinary creations: Punk-rock donut shop Donut Friend has three creations named after his label, Dischord (namely: the Fudgegazi, Rites of Sprinkles, and Dag Nutty). Guilty edge-breakers, meanwhile, could drink the Guilty of Being Rosé Moulin de Gassac wine. A Brooklyn pickle shop named a hot sauce after Minor Threat. Heck, people are even fantasizing about a Fugazi-themed ice cream truck.
Still, MacKaye’s favourite food tribute belongs to Washington, D.C.’s Satellite Room, who named a burger after him. Was it a soy patty? Nope, it’s a banh mi-inspired number, featuring chicken liver mousse, an all-beef patty, daikon, and a cilantro aioli. If MacKaye ever attempted to eat one himself, he’d be stuck removing everything but Vietnamese pickles on a bun.
The Teen Idles singer told the Washington Post that he hadn’t ever eaten at the establishment.
I’ve never been to [Satellite Room] (in fact, never really heard of it) and wasn’t aware that there was a sandwich bearing my name being offered until yesterday. [I] would hope that regardless if it bears my name or someone else’s, that they have at least one vegan option!
No such luck. In fact, the restaurant only offers a vegetarian—not vegan—bean patty. And they’ve also named burgers after other musical celebrities: Dave Grohl gets a sundried tomato burg, Henry Rollins’ is poutine-based, Joan Jett gets whiskey queso (YUM), Tia Carrere gets a ham ‘n’ pineapple burger, and boring ole Kenny G gets a plain burger. Here’s the full menu.
Delicious as it may be, it’s a curious way to honour a man who’s been vegan for 27 years.
Tags: Music, Ian MacKaye, minor threat, vegan
