Story and Photos by Nik Fiorito
It was while working as a butcher that Jasen Dowhaniuk first had the idea for the name Man vs. Meat. “I actually wanted to start a YouTube series to help people better understand how to identify, select, and prepare all the different cuts of meat,” Dowhaniuk says. “I came up with Man vs. Meat and got the domain name and created the logo, but that’s as far as I got.” Fast forward three years to July 2014, however, and you’ll get to the part where Dowhaniuk didn’t start a web series, but took a much larger leap of faith by opening a takeout counter on the city’s south side.
When asked what differentiates Man vs. Meat from other restaurants, Dowhaniuk points to all of the in-house work he and his team do to ensure their offerings are prepared fresh, with quality ingredients. All meats are roasted and smoked in-store, soups and broths are made from scratch, and processed foods and ingredients are avoided at all costs. He also notes that he has created a lot of custom dishes for clients with allergies or special requests, joking that “the menu is made up of suggestions, not rules.”
Dowhaniuk says that “lately word has spread on Facebook and by word-of-mouth and we’re busier than ever. I’d love to expand to a second location but I also enjoy cooking, getting to know our customers, and overseeing everything, so I’m not sure just when I’ll get a chance to make that happen.”
Man vs. Meat features a large variety of burgers, pulled pork, and chicken offerings, and fresh soups and salads. Dowhaniuk and his team are located at 1101 East Victoria Ave.
Jasen Dowhaniuk
