Street-Meat-Palooza: A 13 Cart Chicken/Lamb Over Rice Showdown
Not all street meat is created equal. It may seem, to the uninitiated, that many chicken and lamb over rice vendors are serving the same food, but the real cart aficionados know the truth. Sure there are the stand out carts that everyone has heard of, but even amongst the no-name carts there are some huge differences. Different rice, different quality of meat, different veggies or salad, bread, no bread, different sauces, and most importantly, different spices. Many of the vendors are from different countries, and usually that’s reflected in the way the food tastes. It’s not until you put 13 plates of it side by side that you realize no two are alike. And that was my dream; to bring together different street meats from all over Midtown to one central location and have a massive taste off (yes, I have weird dreams.)
Last week, in Bryant Park, that dream came true. 20 Midtown Lunch’ers converged, tasted and rated 13 different plates of chicken and lamb over rice, from 13 different carts in Midtown. Each lunch’er was instructed to bring two large orders of chicken and lamb over rice from their favorite cart (one topped with white sauce, one with white sauce and hot sauce.) We got the famous, “the best”, and not so well known carts, put them side by side and let them duke it out in a blind taste test. With separate ratings for chicken, lamb, rice, white sauce, hot sauce, value, and overall taste, we proved conclusively that sometimes the ”hype” is warranted, and sometimes it’s not. And as expected, with all of the judging done blind, a few unknown carts distinguished themselves with some surprisingly good scores.
The results of the First Annual Street-Meat-Palooza, after the jump.
#13. Magdy’s Philly Cheesesteak Cart
Location: NE Corner of 46th St. & Park
Price: Chicken or Lamb over rice, $5; Double meat or mixed platter, $6
This cart is well known for its cheesesteak sandwiches, but their chicken and rice has some fans too. Unfortunately, someone had to come in last, and these guys get the honor. “Bland” was a word used by two different people, although it did get praise for the sauteed onions (which no doubt find their way onto steak and cheese subs.)
#12. Rafiqi’s Delicious Food
Location: Multiple in Midtown
Price: Chicken, $4.75; Lamb, $5; Combo with Vegetables $5.45
With more than one location in Midtown, and numerous around town you’d think this cart empire was doing something right. But blind taste tests don’t lie, and although one person called it their favorite, the scores were pretty low. Raw onion on the plate was popular, but the lamb was well done and crispy- a positive for some, negative for others. It may have also been done in by the “fat yellow rice.”
#11. Biriyani Cart
Location: SW Corner of 46th & 6th Ave.
Price: Chicken, Lamb or Combo Platter all $5
This cart became famous when they added Chapati rolls to their cart, immediately after Kati Roll moved from the same block to 39th St. I can vouch for the delicious chapati rolls, but their chicken and rice wasn’t good enough to crack the top 10. Their use of basmati rice was popular, and not surprisingly there were some Indian spices detected (possibly cumin?), but overall it didn’t have as strong a flavor as some of the other carts, and some people were not down with their use of cabbage and green peppers.
#10. King Tut
Location: SW Corner of 50th & 6th Ave.
Price: Chicken, Lamb or Combo, $6
Vegetables seem to be what people remember most about this cart, as broccoli, peas, corn, string beans, and carrots make an appearance. The bright red color caused one person to compare it to tandoori, but others complained that the color didn’t match the flavor, and it was more sweet than spicy. Watery rice didn’t help matters either.
#9. SBS Indian Express
Location:33rd St. btw. 7+8th Avenues
Price: Combo Plate; $5.50
Mediocre scores seemed to place this cart firmly in the center. Nobody loved it, but nobody hated it. Very high marks for the meat.
#8. Carnegie John’s
Location: NE Corner of 56th & 7th Ave.
Price: Chicken & Lamb Over Rice Combo, $7.50
Carnegie John’s is a Tony Dragonas disciple, although he’s more famous for his burger than for chicken or lamb over rice. A pretty popular cart, this is the perfect street meat for the squeamish. His chicken is cut in large chunks, from full chicken breasts- so out of all the Midtown carts, it seems the most like real chicken. Unfortunately, those large pieces can sometimes end up dry, and there are barely any spices. His white sauce is actually a thick tzatziki sauce (Greek yogurt) and was awarded the highest marks for white sauce on the day, but he lost points for his gyro meat, which were those pre cut oval slabs you get in Greek/American diners, and his rice which was slightly overcooked and watery. Two people called it their favorite, but in the end it wasn’t enough. And with a $7.50 price tag, people didn’t think it was a good value. If you go, stick with the chicken. Two people did call it their favorite, but only one other person put it in their Top 5. (Probably the healthiest of all the street meats.)
#7. Halal Cart (aka Trini Pak)
Location:SE Corner of 43rd & 6th
Price: Small, $4; Medium, $5; Large $6 (Chicken, Lamb or Combo)
This is one of the more popular carts in Midtown, so I was slightly surprised that they didn’t score higher. Good scores for the meat, and a lot of complements on the curry flavor, but the low rice scores did them in. Numerous people commented on how spicy it was. One person called it their favorite, and three others put it into their Top 5.
#6. Halal Cart
Location: SE Corner of 40th St. & 7th Ave.
Price: Small One Meat, $4; Large One Meat $5; Large Combo, $5.50
Out of nowhere, this no-name cart breaks the Top 5 with chunks of shredded chicken being the main draw. I didn’t think this cart was that great, but the numbers don’t lie. Two people made it their second favorite cart for the day, and two more put it in their Top 5.
#5. Kwik Meal
Location: SW Corner of 45th & 6th Ave.
Price: Chicken, $6; Lamb, $7.50; Combo, $8
Shocker of the day is the fact that the famous Kwik Meal cart was beat out by a few no-name carts. Run by Muhammed Rahman (who famously used to work at the Russian Tea Room) this cart owes a lot of its popularity to the fact that they serve actual lamb, instead of gyro meat. Though, in a blind taste test, more people seem to prefer gyro meat, to the slightly tougher chunks of real lamb meat; and despite the high white sauce scores, Kwik Meal may have been doomed by their price tag. Very low marks for value. Two people ranked it #1.
#4. Halal Food
Location:NE Corner of Park & 50th.
Price: Chicken, Lamb or Combo, $5
Another of the surprises, this cart earned high marks for its interesting spice mixture, and underlying sweetness which probably came from the addition of cinnamon or nutmeg. Decent marks for meat, and a high score for value, combined with the stand out flavor, put this no-name cart into the Top 5.
#3. Adham’s Halal Food
Location: 40th St. & Broadway
Price: Small Combo, $3.50; Large Combo, $4.50
Another surprise score from a less than famous cart, these guys have been toiling away anonymously on this corner for 5+ years. At under $5, it was considered pretty standard flavor wise, but got high marks for value. It’s super hot hot sauce got it some extra points, as did the meat.
#2. XPL Halal Food
Location: SW Corner of 48th & Park, (there is a second location on the NW Corner of 48th & 3rd but I can’t guarantee it’s the same food.)
Price: Chicken, Lamb or Combo, $6
The biggest discovery of Street Meat Palooza was this little-known cart with two locations on the East side. The hands down winner of the Best Rice Award, voters not only loved the perfectly cooked basmati rice, but the distinct Indian flavors that made this dish of food stand out in the crowd. 7 people put this cart in their Top 5, with one person making it their #1, and 3 more making it their #2. Out of all these carts, I will be returning to this one first.
WINNER: 53rd & 6th Halal Chicken & Rice
Location: SE Corner of 53rd & 6th from Noon to Midnight; 2nd Cart on SW Corner of 53rd & 6th at Night
Price: Chicken, Lamb or Combo, $5
Well, it just goes to show that some things are worthy of the hype. With 4 #1 votes, this cart ran away from the competition, winning best lamb, best chicken, hottest hot sauce and best overall score. In other words, the cart with the longest lines late at night, is the cart that came out on top. The high scores should also answer all the questions as to whether the daytime cart(on the SE corner) is as good as the nighttime cart (on the SW Corner). A good balance of spices, combined with a creamy, and delicious white sauce, this cart is also the only one that gave us bread, without asking. Consistently good, and hands down the winner of Street-Meat-Palooza. Related Post: Debunking the Myths of the Most Famous Chicken and Rice Intersection of New York City
Awards Broken Down by Category:
Best Chicken: 53rd & 6th Halal Chicken & Rice
Best Lamb: Tie between 53rd & 6th Halal Chicken & Rice & XPL Halal Food
Best Rice: XPL Halal Food
Best Value: Adham’s Halal Food
Best White Sauce: Carnegie John’s
Best Hot Sauce: 53rd & 6th Halal Chicken & Rice
Special thanks to all the judges, who were comprised of Profiled Midtown Lunch’ers and food bloggers who work in and around Midtown. Thanks to the person who organized all the lunch’ers (you know who you are), plus Danny from Food in Mouth, Blondie and Brownie, Kayoko from Umamimart, Talida from Talida Bakes, and Erin & Hannah from Serious Eats: New York.
Feel free to use this list as a checklist, and put your thoughts in the comments. There are no losers on this list, just different degress of winning (I see the good in all street meat). Just getting picked meant that somebody liked the cart… although admittedly the one thing our scoring didn’t account for was how you feel after eating at each cart. Surprisingly, after trying 13 different plates, I didn’t have any “issues”. I guess two years of hardcore Midtown Lunch’ing will do that to you.
Posted: 11:21 am, July 21st, 2008 under Cart, Street Meat, Street Meat Palooza.
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97 Comments
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Yeah! my cart made #3!! Woot woot!!!
I gotta say, no issues afterwards, but I was in a food coma for about 3 hours.
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Where’s the picture of me and my cake from a not so secret admirer?
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I have some pics, I’ll post them when I get home and download them. Me and Brownie we’re smitten by the Crumbs cupcakes. I have a great pic of those with the dappled light shining upon the sugary frosting!
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I found my new fave – XPL, loved that rice. And no issues for me afterwards either.
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Great contest, I’m in Herald Square and see a few more over here (mostly Rafiqi’s). I’m going to have to make the trip up North to try the top 3.
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Randon question but I’m not the biggest White Rice or Yellow Rice fan, do any of the more popular carts offer Brown Rice?
Congrats to those of you who partook in the great street meat debate aaaaand to those who’s favs ranked high.
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Darn it, I wish someone would do this for all of the Financial District carts. I just choose the one with the longest line, but I kinda wonder…
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I had the 53rd & 6th cart on Friday night. It was damn good, and filling, and the red sauce was HOT, but I thought the chicken was a little dry.
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@Mamacita – I work on that corner, so maybe it can be my cart too — but which one is it?! The one on the Northeast corner outside the window of Citibank?
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I still want to see more love for the cart that sits in the place of the famous 53rd and 6th cart during the day. I don’t like my halaal rice to taste like the San Francisco Treat like at the daytime version of the famous cart across the street.
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South east corner on the north side of the block. Basically where Citibank is and the entrance to the subway.
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@dyno: Rafiqi’s on 44th and 5th does, I can’t speak for any other of their locations though.
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Zach, is the location of #7 (SE Corner of 46th & 6th) correct?
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I wish there had also been a “health” category in the judging criteria. Sometimes, although the stuff tastes fantastic, it is so laden with grease that I know I’ve just lost a year of my life span from eating it. Are there any carts that will squeeze the grease out of the lamb, before serving it to you? This would be tremendously useful information. I’d even be willing to sacrifice some flavor for a less greasy product. Somebody, get to work on a sizzling rotating halal lamb column that’s slightly healthier!!
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Fantastic idea, and execution! Hoo-rah for Midtown Lunch!
At 32nd & Park there is only a Rafiqi’s, so that is my mainstay. There is a truck at 27th and Mad which had a great “small” chicken and rice for $3, but the price went up to $4, which is no longer a good deal. There’s also a truck around 27th and 5th that seemed acceptable and cheaper.
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#6 The Halal Cart on 40th and 7th is my fav.
Been going there for nearly 5 years.
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Been waiting for a good midtown showdown.
There are many more lamb/chicken over rice carts than the 13 here. How about hitting another 13, then pitting the top 3 in each heat against one another?
Glad to see Rafiqi near the bottom. Tried twice and neither tme was good even though a lot of people tell me that it is great. Each time, I thought it smelled like feet.
I’m a bit too far east for the boundaries, but will walk for good eats.
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This is a truly commendable undertaking. Glad to see some Cinderella stories in the mix.
A hearty thanks from my cardiologist goes out to all the ML’ers responsible.
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Def. a fan of XPL. That rice was different than everyone else. Too bad it is way up there in by 48th and 3rd. Oh and no “issues” either. Everything was tasty.
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i see from the pictures that you kept it in the containers that they came in. This isn’t really blind, as we all know that the famous 53rd and 6th cart comes in the round container, and kwik meal’s comes in the clear container. These containers could definitely skew people’s perceptions.
I’m also disappointed that Shendy’s (52nd & 6th) didn’t make the cut.
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Out street meat findings will be published in the next Scientific America, either that or the American Heart Journal…
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I’m impressed you got the photos of all of them Zach..well done.
If I have any good photos to add I’ll post to flickr.. but looks like you have it covered..I think I have one or two of the Blondie/Brownie duo (cute girls!).
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I don’t think the containers really skewed any of us. Personally, I only knew the ones from the cart I brought, not any of the others. And thirded about XPL; I’m so happy to have a good cart close by!
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“Out street meat findings will be published in the next Scientific America, either that or the American Heart Journal…”
Effects of regular consumption may be found in “BBW On Parade” or so I’ve been told.
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I eat Chicken and RICE 2x a day!!!
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when is fidi doing something simliar to this? need to know if zaks is better than alans!
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I was hoping Express Power Lunch (is this the worst or best name ever for a Halal place?!) was going to be on the list and I am very happy to see it was voted #2. I have been going to here for over a year and it is consistently good, low lines, great guys working there and excellent rice and lamb! Not to mention they give you lamb, chicken, rice AND a soda for $5.
This is for th 48/3rd location…not sure if they really charge $6 at the other place.
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3x a day!!!
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Quick question, am I the only one that gets a free falafel in her half chicken/half lamb platter from the 53rd & 6th Halal Chicken & Rice Cart?? So far it’s happened twice (I’ve only had it twice) and I was curious if this is a common occurance.
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That’s really cool !!! that you did this.
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I goto #6 and 3 pretty often. How much better was #1 from these 2?
I find I am often underwhelmed by carts in Manhattan after trying carts in Queens.
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It doesn’t look like you got the florescent green hot sauce from Kwik Meal. It takes some prodding but its worth it. I can’t see any way that doesn’t win hottest and best hot sauce
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How could Shendy’s not be on the list of Top 10?
Clearly this was not a representative sample.
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Just had #3. That hot sauce really made the meal. The rice was, eh. Good portion for the price and not much fat in the chicken.
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XPL also has 2 locations in the Fi-Di. Torn between them and Zac’s at the moment.
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Mamacita & Blondie in same pic?
hmmmmmmmmmmm…..hot sauce.
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Shendy’s needs to be in the sample. Mr. Kahn’s as well (this is the one on 45th and 6th NE corner).
Shendy’s beats the one that’s constantly given the highest marks by a huge margin in my opinion. Just be careful with the hot sauce.
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All of these recommendations will be in Street Meat Palooza 2! (scheduled for a month when the average temp is not 1000 degrees)
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Does anyone have a recipe for this chicken/lamb (I guess just the spices or marinade)? I’d love to try at home (eliminating meat-source and hygiene issues).
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Thanks Zach and all-I live for this! This is what makes ML the one food blog to read in NYC!! I’ll be visiting Adham’s (#3): SE corner of 40th/B’way? That’s closest to my office. Would not have known to check them out without this great showdown!
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Trini-Pak (#7) wuz robbed. You have to get the white (basmati) rice!!!
Unless the pictures are out of order you guys got yellow?
Also only the chk is relevant there.
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This is fantastic! I am a longtime fan of #2 XPL since they’re right around the corner from my office, but I always wondered if I should walk a little farther to look for something better. I guess not!
BTW, I like their falafel, too. Go XPL!
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Kudos to you, Zach, for organizing this. I think I’ll stick to Kwik Meal, though. I prefer a pita to rice, so rice scores are irrelevant to me.
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That cart at 50th and 6th is absolutely awful. So with the 53rd and 6th cart so close, I’m trying hard to come up with a reason to stray for my lamb and rice twice a week.
@Marina: They do throw in a falafel when they’re in a good mood, fries if those are ready, too, and onions and peppers once in a while. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it, either, though I think being attractive doesn’t hurt.
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Awesome post, Zach! I’m definitely going to go back to Adham’s in person. That hot sauce was something else. I like how they offer both a small and large size…a worthy street meat innovation.
Thanks for your hard work bringing this event and all of us together! And thanks to Mamacita, too! Can’t wait for Street Meat Palooza II!
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I guess you don’t forget about biriyani cart on 46th and 6 (s corner)love there thin white basmati rice
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Great job guys!! Very informative. Use to work around the Philly cheesesteak cart. Their cheesesteaks are better than the Chicken and Lamb on Rice.
Miss eating in midtown. No comparison down here in Flat Iron District -
Where’s the Halal food cart on the NW corner of 39th and 5th Ave? I think you guys are going to have to redo the judging
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Graphic photos of unidentified animal matter can be deeply disturbing, even to someone who licves in New York City.
I urge anyone who believes they may have been damaged by these images to seek qualified professional help at once.
By the way, I hold several PhDs (one in psychology) should that excite you.
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What currently excites DocChuck is to dress me up like one of the Powerpuff girls, himself in a lab coat (and his truss) as Professor Utonium, and to then plumb every available point of entry while raving about how he needs to replenish my supply of “Chemical X”. Between drip from venereal sores and leakage from his bladder during this little adventure, I am not sure which fluid he is identifying as such.
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Stay away from XPL. My colleagues and I just had this for lunch and we are all feeling sick. The meat is way too salty and the rice is very oily–definitely does not deserve to be ranked#2.
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@Smn – Did you go to the one on Park or 3rd? I wonder if they’re different…
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I want to personally thank everyone who’s up in arms about the Shendy’s ommission… Thanks to your harsh reprimands I’m trying it for the first time today, and totally loving it.
At the risk of great sacrilege, I daresay I like it even more than the 53rd and 6th guys…
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I am too fat not to be invited to the sequel!
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Hmm, Brownie and I had the Park XPL chicken pitas for lunch and I feel fine. Stomach of steel!!!
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I have to defend XPL! I have eaten at the Park location 1-2X/month for a year and a half and it’s great every time. No after-effects whatsoever.
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definitely would be interested in attending sm palooza 2. incidentally, isn’t the price $6 @ 53rd & 6th Halal Chicken & Rice? i was pretty bummed when they raised the price a while back.
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@Jack Barber: I’ll own up to robbing Trini-Pak and getting the yellow rice. Honestly don’t know what I was thinking.. I’ve made a huge mistake.
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@Marina, yeah Muhammed used to hook me up with a falafel ball when I was going there more often, those guys are great, I’m just sad my new job is slighty too far away to justify the trip.
On another note, I tried Adhams with some of the guys yesterday and while it was pretty good (chicken wasn’t dry, lamb was really good, blandesque rice) I guess I was hoping for it to be a little more inspired. Also, its now $4 for a small and $5 for a large, so I believe the value rating should take a dip.
Unfortunately, 53rd and 6th 4eva, unless something better comes along closer to times square.
Great post! I’d love to participate next time!
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@Zach
We tried the one on Park Ave and 48th St.
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Rafiki’s is very good, and I’ve been to their cart on 39th and 3rd, but I was surprised my favorite Grand Central street chicken guy (41st between mad & 5th) was not on the list, they are better than Rafiki’s…in my opinion, which is based on eating street chicken/lamb at least one a week for the past 7-8 years. They deserve to be in the competition next time.
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anyone remember which one had white rice with slivers of carrot in it? i liked that rice, but i can’t tell from the pictures.
(i’m mamacita’s friend, btw. thanks for letting me play.)
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my goto spot is 44th and 6th. i was hoping it would’ve made the cut. Interested to see where it would’ve rated (if at all)with my other favorites ( Kwik Meal and 53rd & 6th).
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@niu yorker , the price at 53rd & 6th Halal Chicken & Rice is $5. Had it yesterday. It lasts me 2 days.
@The DP & Dave. Thanks for responding to me about the free falafel. That dude is very kind but I don’t like it when he looks at my boobs whilst handing me the yellow plastic bag. It might deter me from buying food from them. Maybe.
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Out of curiosity, has anybody tried the Adam’s Halal on 50th, right off of 6th? Tried it for the first time today, and it’s actually pretty tasty. Only disadvantage is the $6 price tag and the rice was slightly watery.
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Actually, I think the name is Alex’s, not Adam’s. Not quite sure though.
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I work at Grand Central, so I decided to walk over to XPL on 48th and Park. Got the combo for $6.00… no soda… I remember walking by this place once and turning my nose up at it cause I’m an avid fan of 53rd and 6th. But, wow, that was one good combo platter. The rice really made that meal, or whatever spices are in that meat… all in all, great food and i will be eating there more often since 53rd and 6th can be a troop from GCT
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Cooking basmati rice sends sweet-smelling fragrance to diners around the world. The fragrant rice intermingling with piquant notes of spices instantly whets the appetite. get a real taste from BIRIYANI CART on 46th 6 av.
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Just went by a few of the mentioned stands on 45th and 6th and not sure if it is me or not but the lines seem twice as long as usual. Guess the word is getting out….
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I have to wholeheartedly agree with what Jack Barber said about the Trini-Pak cart. You MUST get the white rice. The yellow rice sucks. And it’s all about the chicken. The Trini Pak cart wasn’t properly represented.
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Does anyone have any recommendations on the East side Im at 55th and 2nd Avenue?
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@Charmaine – I’ve heard the cart on 53rd and 3rd is good… it’s will definitely be in Street Meat Palooza II
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So, and I can help with the cost of necessary, does anyone have any idea of the range of calories that a typical lamb/white sauce/hot sauce/rice/salad platter contains? I usually only eat about half of it, but are we talking like 1400 calories, or 700?
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Anyone know the hours for XPL at 48th & Park?
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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/29/nyregion/thecity/29hala.html
That article claims the XPL white sauce is mayonnaise based. Could someone confirm this? I’m a huge fan of the yogurt sauce and the thought of mayo on my lamb makes me shudder. -
I stumbled across this ‘Showdown’ article today – awesome stuff! I am a big fan of the chicken/lamb over rice combo and frequent a few carts in the lower midtown area (38th-41st east side). Today I ventured up to the 53rd & 6th cart for the first time. 20 people in line ahead of me at 12:15pm… 20 behind me when I left – business is definitely booming for these guys (as evidenced by their coordinated logo’d t-shirts and custom printed orange plastic bags!). I thought the food was very good but not great. I found the chicken lightly seasoned (not marinated) and a bit dry. I think they use mostly white meat. I personally prefer marinated dark meat… The lamb was very good but not markedly different or better than other gyro lamb I’ve had. The yellow rice was also on the dry side, almost al dente-like. The hot sauce was indeed HOT and tasty. The white sauce was excellent. I will try XPL in the next few days. Keep up the great work!
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Me again… I went to XPL for lunch today. Moderate line (5-6 people) at 12:30p. $6.00 for the combo. As the article states, the rice is out of this world – flavorful and some of the longest grains I have ever seen (almost looks like chopped vermicelli!). The one thing that seems to work with this combo is that it all meshes together really well. It’s hard to explain, but most other combos feels like the four components (rice, chicken, lamb, salad) are just thrown in the same box wheras the XPL combo feels like it was prepared together. There is definitely an Indian flavor in the spices. The white sauce even has noticeable bits of herbs in it. The only dissapointment was the hot sauce – no burn. Next up…Adham’s. God am I happy I found this site!
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Me and a few coworkers have been walking to the top 5 and doing our own taste tests. So far XPL is the best. Everything has flavour and the ingredients are well balanced. It has the best blend of spices. Its WELL worth the extra $1.
Only complaint is the hot sauce is very mild in heat and flavour.
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I just got back from Adman’s. $5.00 for the chicken/lamb combo (I guess they raised their prices recently). No line at 12:20pm – not a good sign…. I was impressed and dissapointed at the same time. They prepare each order individually (at least they do when they have no other customers!). They chop the chicken, lamb, onions, carrots, and brocolli together and get it nice and brown on the griddle – very good integration of all the ingredients. I was hesitant about the added veggies at first but ended up enjoying them a lot. Flavoring on the meat is good too. The yellow rice was tender and moist. The big dissapointments were the sauces… very watery and no flavor. They pour out of the squirt bottles like water and run right to the bottom of the container. The big added bonus of this cart is that it is one block away from Bryant Park – a great place to sit and enjoy a good chicken/lamb combo over rice!
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This is the best blog post I have ever seen.
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I visited one of my local favorites today to compare with the recent ‘gems’ identified in this article. The Halal cart on 41st and Madison (SW corner) does make a fine chicken/lamb combo. $5.00 and no line. Chicken has a very distinct curry taste. I like it a lot but if curry is not your thing, you may not love it. The lamb is mixed with onions, green peppers, and carrots. The rice is probably one of the best aspects of this cart – brown basmati with beans, truly awesome. Not as tasty as the XPL rice but definitely a differentiator. The sauces were not bad but unremarkable. I would strongly suggest that this cart be included in the next comparo.
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[...] street cart food and halal food so when one of my favorite blog’s, Midtown Lunch had their streetmeatpalooza showdow to determine which midtown street cart is the best it was an absolute no brainer to visit the [...]
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WINNER: 53rd & 6th Halal Chicken & Rice
i went there about 3:45 on fri. SE spot… I bought 3 chicken/lamb rice combos. He hit me for 18$ when I gave him a 20$. Do they raise the price from 5 for the combo outside of normal lunch hrs? I should have asked. NExt time I’ll always give exact. I had $15 in my pocket. Rafiqis would do something once in a while back (happened 2x when i put a stop to it) when their Chicken rice was 4.00 and the combo was 4.50… if you buy the $4 one meat, but hand them like a 20 or a 10, the cashier guy sometimes would try to give you back not 16.00 from a 20, but 15.50… making .50 cents off your ass. 2nd time this happened in front of me from what was then my usual rafiqi cart, I retracted my extended hand ASAP and his 2 quarters fell on his counter. Ha, he never played me again and I could see his face he knew his game was put to a stop.
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I personally love the one on 39th and 7th (dunno if they were at 40th and moved down a block). But I found it by accident and saw the massive line of people and everytime I eat there, the locals sit down on these steps with the pigeons and eat. I like their rice (which they add beans to). Me being from California, I got programmed to eating beans and rice! Their white sauce is killer and I taste no mayo in it either (which is a good thing!)
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One for consideration is on 41st between mad/5th. Mohamad has been our mainstay, infact, we have a silk screen picture of him and his cart with his son in the kitchen in our offices. I believe they would rank. Also, I’ve tried the #2 list spot several times and its definately worthy of its position. Last week, I was at the Hilton for a conference and had the opportunity to try #1 during lunch, yes is was delicious, but the portion was much smaller, maybe just an oversight, I had a buddy pick up for us. Having been to countless Halal vendors, as the folks in my office can attest to, I’d be pleased to participate in next years taste testing. Also, the comment on a different 13 carts, and picking the top three from each was an excellent idea.
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I tried the Biriyani cart today and it was wonderful. A good balance of spices as well as the use of chutney which made the dish slightly sweet and spicy. I have gone to the 53rd street and 6th one many times after hours and enjoyed their street meat. I would say Biriyani cart gives you just the right amount of food whereas 53rd Street and 6th guys gives you a meal that can last for days.
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I was drooling reading your blog. I am off to have me lunch.
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I AM MAN HUNGRY RIGHT NOW STARVING AND GROWLING STOMACH! AT CISCO CLASS
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I had the chicken & lamb from the XPL cart at 43/2 and its gone seriously down hill. :( The white sauce seemed to be watery ranch dressing and the meat was not as flavorful as it was the dozens times i partook in 2008. Caveat emptor …
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XPL is good on 48& Park. I don’t even bother with the one on 43 & 2 anymore.
Their rice is one of the tastiest around. It’s much better than the famous 53 & 6’s rice. However, I like the chicken/ lamb and hot sauce better at 53 & 6 though.
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XPL is Best on 48& Park. I don’t even bother with the famous 53 & 6.
There is no match for XPL all around. The rice is the best one. It’s much better than the famous 53 & 6’s rice. -
I really think the 53rd and 6th Halal cart is the most overrated cart in the city. Shendy’s walks all over it and there are no lines to deal with.
The Shendy’s chicken is more flavorful, the rice quality is better and more fragrant, it’s truly in another class compared to the slightly above average results at Halal Cart on 53rd and 6th.
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Shendy’s walks all over it? Yea, clearly the 20+mins wait at 53rd/6th compared to the no wait at Shendy’s is a great indication.
Shendy’s chicken is okay – plump chunks for sure. I still think the base of their plate is the white sauce and not the meat or rice. They cover the whole thing with so much white sauce like they’re insecure about their real flavors…or lack thereof. That’s just my take on it.
I might give it more props if their lamb tasted better but it doesn’t. Add kofta to the menu and we might have something.
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I thought the point of the SMP & SMP2 was to put these questions to rest.
I’d pick a side, but that’d be pointless. This is like a “my dad can beat up your dad” argument now.
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(kwik meal kicks the ass of shendy sitting on the halal guys’s shoulders).
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[...] love our vendors. We line up at 4 a.m for lamb and chicken over rice. And where else could you have something called Street Meat Palooza, to anoint the best halal vendors of the [...]
The place infront of the starbucks/capital one bank on the corner of 45th and 6th is my personal fav. The one with the 3 guys standing in the truck itself, it’s diagonally across the street from the Kwik Meal cart I believe on the North West side of the corner I want to say…. Sammys Famous is it? Well anyhoo, that’s my fav and sad it’s not listed.