New York City: The Halal Guys (April 2018)

The Halal Guys (April 2018) - Did Not Live Up to the Hype, But Maybe We Tried the Wrong Thing

My spouse and I purchased take-out from a Halal Guys food cart on a Saturday evening in mid-April 2018. 

The Halal Guys business began in 1990 when an Egyptian man opened a single food cart on the southeast corner of 53rd Street and Sixth Avenue. The business now includes more than five carts spanning the same corner, as well as a cart on the southwest corner of the same intersection. New locations (including brick-and-mortar storefronts on 14th Street and Second Avenue and on Amsterdam Avenue and West 95th Street), and venues in Arizona, Boston, California, Chicago, East Brunswick, Las Vegas, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Virginia , in addition to international locations such as Jakarta, Manila, Montreal, Seoul, and Toronto.

The Halal Guys most famous dish is a platter of chicken or gyro meat served atop rice and with a few pita triangles; however, it also serves the same meats in sandwiches. They serve a white sauce condiment in addition to a red hot sauce. We ordered a gyro meal, thinking that it would be easier to share than a sandwich. Our round take-out container was filled with yellow rice, atop which rested crumbled beef, shredded lettuce, and four small pita triangles; we also received white sauce, which we used liberally, and hot sauce, which we did not try.

Although we were not overly impressed with our beef dish, we might try the Halal Guys again to order a gyro sandwich or falafel because so many patrons seem to think the world of them. 

Note: The following paragraph may be considered graphic, but is included for informational purposes. “Halal” refers to something that is permissible or lawful in traditional Islamic law, frequently applied to allowable food, drinks, and cosmetics. Foods that are not considered “halal” for Muslims to consume include alcoholic beverages and pork products. While pork is the only meat that categorically may not be consumed by Muslims, other meats not in a state of purity are also forbidden. To be considered “halal”, food must come from a supplier that uses appropriate methods (called “dhabihah”) to prepare the meat. First, most animals are stunned in some way, then a certified person uses a sharp knife to make deep cut to the animals throat through the carotid artery and jugular veins. Therefore, animals that are killed in falls/accidents or by predators cannot be eaten. Kosher meats can be eaten by Muslims because of the similarity between both methods of slaughter. I hope that wasn’t too much detail for you!