Tag: halal

Categories
lunch

B&D Halal Restaurant

I walked by B&D Restaurant one night and thought it was B&B Restaurant. I was like, how did they change the size of this place? Then I realized I was on a different street …29th Street. B&B is on 26th Street. But it’s between the same avenues. And they look the same. And have the same type of food. And have almost the same name. Weird.

I went there with Sam for lunch. Same deal. $5.99/pound. And just like the other place, they’ll round down and just say it’s $5.

B&D Restaurant – 163B West 29th Street (between 7th and 6th Ave) New York 10001

Categories
video

New York Street Meat Video

I ate this yesterday.

Categories
chinese

Yi Lan Halal Restaurant

Sam has a car and decided we needed to drive to Flushing to eat Chinese food. Cool with me. We looked at the Village Voice 10 Best Chinese Restaurants in NYC (…which coincidentally, Sam had just shot the cover for the Voice). We picked #1 Yi Lan Halal Restaurant. Why not? Go for the best on the list.

We picked the Lamb Dumplings (20 for $6), Beef Tongue and Tail with Brown Sauce ($16.95) and Sea Cucumber with Scallions ($17.95). The Lamb Dumplings were amazing and a good deal. The other two dishes, I don’t know. Maybe overpriced for what I thought it would be looking at the restaurant. The tongue and tail meat were tender. I just didn’t like the thick browns sauce too much. And the Sea Cucumbers were so difficult to pick up with chopsticks. So slippery, gelatinous and swirmy.

If I go back, I’d stick with the cheaper options like the dumplings and noodles. I just didn’t realize Sea Cucumbers would cost that much. But when we went to the Chinese supermarket across the street, they were expensive. So were the bullfrogs surprisingly.

Yi Lan Halal Restaurant - 42-79A Main St. Flushing, NY 11355

Sam had also shot my headshot this weekend. I’m available for private events.

Categories
street

Soho Halal Cart in front of H&M

I always like the smell of the Halal Cart when I go to Soho after work. This time I was in the area during lunch and there were many carts out. I was trying to find the one I smell at night, but there were three carts parked next to each other. I went with the strongest smelling one, directly in front of H&M (Broadway between Prince & Spring).

Got the Lamb & Chicken over Rice $6. Not so bad. Pretty solid. Nice level spiciness. Great first few bites. But couldn’t really finish it.

I’m not sure if it’s worth me trying the other carts. Although I’ve read good things on Yelp about the one on the corner of Houston and Broadway.

Categories
street

King of Falafel and Shawarma

I went up to Astoria and tried King of Falafel and Shawarma – 2010 Vendy Award Winner. They had their big trophy on display. Not such a bad of a line for lunch time, compared to the popular carts in the city.

I got the Freddy’s Junior (Chicken and Kefta over rice platter). Huge platter for $7. I like the pickles they put in there. Overall a very clean tasting dish. Not overly spicy. I didn’t feel like my butt was going to explode. That would’ve have been a problem, being so far away from home.

King of Falafel and Shawarma – 30th St & Broadway. Astoria Queens, NY 11106

Categories
street

Halal Truck on East 11th St & 1st Ave (East Village)

Rusty and I were watching the Denver game last Sunday at O’Hanlon’s in the East Village, rooting for our boy Tebow. Yikes!

During half time, I walked around to try to figure out what’s the meaning of life after I just saw Tebow get smashed, smothered, and diced. I passed by the Halal truck on the South-East corner of East 11th St and 1st Ave. I’ve passed there many late nights before and it always smelled so good. Most of the time I see a cart there, but this day it’s a truck.

Got the Lamb & Chicken combo over rice with white sauce, hot sauce $6. Dang. This is some of the best and spiciest Lamb & Chicken combo I’ve had in a long time. The rice is very similar to the Famous Halal Guys on 53rd & 6th. But I like this better. They put slices of jalapeno in there for extra spiciness. The chicken is not chopped up as much as most halal carts. The flavor was tangy and spicy. I just might have a reason to go back to root for Tebow tomorrow.

I suppose being a professional athlete has it’s ups and downs just like the challenges of real life. Maybe last week loss is just a stepping stone to success. I hope Tebow learns from last week and becomes the best NFL winner in the world. So keep Tebowing.

Categories
street

The Halal Guys at 52nd St & 6th Ave

I was walking around Midtown looking for a late lunch at around 3:30. Dang, that line at 53rd St & 6th Ave is super long even between normal meal times. Then I saw the same Halal Guys cart a short block South on 52nd St. The same umbrellas, the same yellow bags, the same T-shirts advertising 53rd St –but this one had no line.

I got a heavy platter of Chicken and Lamb over Rice ($6). It all looked the same and seemed to taste the same or similar from what I remember and from the Midtownlunch Street Meat Paloozas. Although it was super spicy, because I asked him to add more hot sauce after it looked like he only squirted a little on my food.

Well now that I’ve learned that not all Rafiqi’s are the same, I still can’t imagine that everyone in that long ass 53rd St line has compared them both and decided it was worth the wait. Makes me wonder about businesses that try to expand. The demand is definitely there, but the demand doesn’t want to walk a short block away.

Categories
street

Rafiqi’s New Beef Options

I’ve been noticing that most of the Rafiqi’s Halal carts now have “New Beef Options” … Philly Steak sandwiches, pita wraps and platters. I got the Beef Rice Platter ($5.50). The guy pulled out a couple of thin rectangle slices of Philly Steak-style of raw beef and slapped it on the griddle. Cooking and chopping it up, asking if I want onions and cheese –yes, please.

The Philly Steak platter was surprisingly delicious. Of course, top it with white and the green hot sauce.

I only trust the Rafiqi’s on 6th Ave between 19th & 20th St, Manhattan to make this. I’ve been trying other Rafiqi’s that have been popping up in the area recently and they don’t compare. Even though it appears to be the same ingredients and toppings, the salad just taste better and the meat is cooked right at 6th. I’ve also spent hours walking around trying to find a Rafiqi’s that hasn’t raised their prices yet. There are a few out there, but then I realize I’m just trying to save 50cents.