Comments on: Street Meat Palooza 2: Our New York City Chicken/Lamb Over Rice Showdown Crowns A New Champion http://midtownlunch.com/2009/07/08/best-street-meat-palooza-2-new-york-city-food-vendors-challenge-halal-chicken-and-lamb-over-rice-nyc/ Finding Lunch in New York City's Midtown Manhattan Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:31:29 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Have I got a story for you « a story in http://midtownlunch.com/2009/07/08/best-street-meat-palooza-2-new-york-city-food-vendors-challenge-halal-chicken-and-lamb-over-rice-nyc/comment-page-2/#comment-222899 Have I got a story for you « a story in Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:43:52 +0000 http://midtownlunch.com/?p=7510#comment-222899 [...] coney island dogs, Mamoun’s falafel sandwich and hot sauce, SriPraPhai’s basil beef, street-cart lamb over rice, Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie, Hope & Anchor cheesesteak). That, and seeing every [...] [...] coney island dogs, Mamoun’s falafel sandwich and hot sauce, SriPraPhai’s basil beef, street-cart lamb over rice, Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie, Hope & Anchor cheesesteak). That, and seeing every [...]

]]> By: JWT_Loves_StreetMeat http://midtownlunch.com/2009/07/08/best-street-meat-palooza-2-new-york-city-food-vendors-challenge-halal-chicken-and-lamb-over-rice-nyc/comment-page-2/#comment-221686 JWT_Loves_StreetMeat Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:52:38 +0000 http://midtownlunch.com/?p=7510#comment-221686 2nd report from the JWT crew. #13 was good which was really comforting after our terrible disappointment with #14. Good portion and delicious. We tried #12 today. We knew from looking inside the truck that we were in for a treat. Piled high were big chunks of chicken and lamb mixed with peppers, onions, and broccoli. The cook piled on giant scoops of meat over the basmati rice. We were amazed at the portions. The white sauce was nice and thick, placed on top using a spoon. The taste was great! We all will be going back there again. 2nd report from the JWT crew. #13 was good which was really comforting after our terrible disappointment with #14. Good portion and delicious.

We tried #12 today. We knew from looking inside the truck that we were in for a treat. Piled high were big chunks of chicken and lamb mixed with peppers, onions, and broccoli. The cook piled on giant scoops of meat over the basmati rice. We were amazed at the portions. The white sauce was nice and thick, placed on top using a spoon. The taste was great! We all will be going back there again.

]]> By: Street Sommelier w/ Gary Vaynerchuk (New York, NY) « VendrTV – A weekly podcast about street food hosted by Daniel Delaney http://midtownlunch.com/2009/07/08/best-street-meat-palooza-2-new-york-city-food-vendors-challenge-halal-chicken-and-lamb-over-rice-nyc/comment-page-2/#comment-221239 Street Sommelier w/ Gary Vaynerchuk (New York, NY) « VendrTV – A weekly podcast about street food hosted by Daniel Delaney Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:02:01 +0000 http://midtownlunch.com/?p=7510#comment-221239 [...] On our first stop we were joined by Zach Brooks of MidtownLunch.com at Kwik Meal, a cart which recently won MTL’s Street Meat Palooza 2. [...] [...] On our first stop we were joined by Zach Brooks of MidtownLunch.com at Kwik Meal, a cart which recently won MTL’s Street Meat Palooza 2. [...]

]]> By: Street meat adventure in NYC « The Average Foodie http://midtownlunch.com/2009/07/08/best-street-meat-palooza-2-new-york-city-food-vendors-challenge-halal-chicken-and-lamb-over-rice-nyc/comment-page-2/#comment-220273 Street meat adventure in NYC « The Average Foodie Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:33:26 +0000 http://midtownlunch.com/?p=7510#comment-220273 [...] Back at the hotel I discovered I had indeed found the correct cart, and that it remains still in the top 5 of best street-meat carts as voted by those who know best. _______________ Check out the Best Street Meat Palooza 2: NYC Food Vendor’s Challenge [...] [...] Back at the hotel I discovered I had indeed found the correct cart, and that it remains still in the top 5 of best street-meat carts as voted by those who know best. _______________ Check out the Best Street Meat Palooza 2: NYC Food Vendor’s Challenge [...]

]]> By: JWT_Loves_StreetMeat http://midtownlunch.com/2009/07/08/best-street-meat-palooza-2-new-york-city-food-vendors-challenge-halal-chicken-and-lamb-over-rice-nyc/comment-page-2/#comment-220159 JWT_Loves_StreetMeat Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:59:58 +0000 http://midtownlunch.com/?p=7510#comment-220159 A small cadre of us here at JWT @ 45th and Lex have taken up the challenge of visiting each and every cart on this list in order. We went to #15 last Friday. It was great. The chicken was flavorful and the sauces very nice. We had high hopes for the rest of them as, theoretically, each should get progressively better! Today we went to #14. We were shocked that it made it onto the list at all. It was horrible. The meat was terribly burned for the most part. It was also way too salty. The rice was bland. The sauces were thin and were completely absorbed into the food before we got back to our office. All in all, a terrible disappointment. We're hoping #13 turns this list back into the credible zone! A small cadre of us here at JWT @ 45th and Lex have taken up the challenge of visiting each and every cart on this list in order.

We went to #15 last Friday. It was great. The chicken was flavorful and the sauces very nice. We had high hopes for the rest of them as, theoretically, each should get progressively better!

Today we went to #14. We were shocked that it made it onto the list at all. It was horrible. The meat was terribly burned for the most part. It was also way too salty. The rice was bland. The sauces were thin and were completely absorbed into the food before we got back to our office. All in all, a terrible disappointment. We’re hoping #13 turns this list back into the credible zone!

]]> By: Dave http://midtownlunch.com/2009/07/08/best-street-meat-palooza-2-new-york-city-food-vendors-challenge-halal-chicken-and-lamb-over-rice-nyc/comment-page-2/#comment-219914 Dave Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:54:26 +0000 http://midtownlunch.com/?p=7510#comment-219914 Decided to try Shendy's today after ignoring them for the past 17 months. While the chicken is marinated (which makes it different than the Halal Guys), and has a much better taste than 53rd/6th, there's WAY too much onion in the mix. The lamb is perfectly fine. But the rice? Not nearly in a class with 53rd/6th. Plus their hot sauce isn't particularly hot, even doused with the stuff. The price is right and the portion ample, though. I can see if you're more a chicken person than a lamb person that Shendy's would be a better choice. Decided to try Shendy’s today after ignoring them for the past 17 months. While the chicken is marinated (which makes it different than the Halal Guys), and has a much better taste than 53rd/6th, there’s WAY too much onion in the mix. The lamb is perfectly fine. But the rice? Not nearly in a class with 53rd/6th. Plus their hot sauce isn’t particularly hot, even doused with the stuff.

The price is right and the portion ample, though. I can see if you’re more a chicken person than a lamb person that Shendy’s would be a better choice.

]]> By: iDrinkUrMilkShake http://midtownlunch.com/2009/07/08/best-street-meat-palooza-2-new-york-city-food-vendors-challenge-halal-chicken-and-lamb-over-rice-nyc/comment-page-2/#comment-219776 iDrinkUrMilkShake Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:55:37 +0000 http://midtownlunch.com/?p=7510#comment-219776 Oh nah, I love the article. SMP helped me upgrade from Rafiqi's (although it still is one of my favorites; love the slightly charred gyro meat). XPL was a great find, and much appreciated. 53rd & 6th has yet to be knocked off the top of my faves though... Oh nah, I love the article. SMP helped me upgrade from Rafiqi’s (although it still is one of my favorites; love the slightly charred gyro meat). XPL was a great find, and much appreciated. 53rd & 6th has yet to be knocked off the top of my faves though…

]]> By: Zach Brooks http://midtownlunch.com/2009/07/08/best-street-meat-palooza-2-new-york-city-food-vendors-challenge-halal-chicken-and-lamb-over-rice-nyc/comment-page-2/#comment-219774 Zach Brooks Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:48:54 +0000 http://midtownlunch.com/?p=7510#comment-219774 I said it at the beginning... SMP is really just an excuse to put 15 plates of street meat together, and celebrate the differences. Everybody has different tastes, and I think on any given day, half of the carts above could win a SMP type competition. I said it at the beginning… SMP is really just an excuse to put 15 plates of street meat together, and celebrate the differences.

Everybody has different tastes, and I think on any given day, half of the carts above could win a SMP type competition.

]]> By: iDrinkUrMilkShake http://midtownlunch.com/2009/07/08/best-street-meat-palooza-2-new-york-city-food-vendors-challenge-halal-chicken-and-lamb-over-rice-nyc/comment-page-2/#comment-219770 iDrinkUrMilkShake Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:43:29 +0000 http://midtownlunch.com/?p=7510#comment-219770 I just went to try out the Combo platter from the Steak Truck and that was easily the worst street meat platter I’ve ever had. Unforgiveably dry chiken, tasteless lamb, bland rice, soggy waffle fries and cold falafel. All you can taste is pepper; everything is covered in it. I’m still washing the pepper taste out of my mouth. I don’t know what judges were tasting. I’m hoping it was just a bad day at the cart… I just went to try out the Combo platter from the Steak Truck and that was easily the worst street meat platter I’ve ever had. Unforgiveably dry chiken, tasteless lamb, bland rice, soggy waffle fries and cold falafel. All you can taste is pepper; everything is covered in it. I’m still washing the pepper taste out of my mouth. I don’t know what judges were tasting. I’m hoping it was just a bad day at the cart…

]]> By: StreetMeasOnsumer3008 http://midtownlunch.com/2009/07/08/best-street-meat-palooza-2-new-york-city-food-vendors-challenge-halal-chicken-and-lamb-over-rice-nyc/comment-page-2/#comment-219743 StreetMeasOnsumer3008 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:17:06 +0000 http://midtownlunch.com/?p=7510#comment-219743 Lemmings? Nah, not even close. No leaping over any cliffs for Street Meats. The line at 53rd/6th is strong and loyal. Same with the imposter cart. If anything, Shendy's is a third place halal cart in that area and you should be glad they're maintaining the little to no-wait loading deck. I'll agree 53rd/6th doesn't have the best chicken and their rice is just okay (XPL and Steak Truck have better for both), not mind blowing. However, they have better white sauce (you don't need to unload a whole bottle's worth like Shendy's) and their great hot sauce that can't be compared by the likes of Shendy's (mild-mannered hot sauce) which turns their halal plate into a flavorful beast. Unlike the white sauce monster of Shendy's. For $5, I rather have the 53rd/6th chicken/lamb or chicken/kofta platter. Lemmings? Nah, not even close. No leaping over any cliffs for Street Meats. The line at 53rd/6th is strong and loyal. Same with the imposter cart. If anything, Shendy’s is a third place halal cart in that area and you should be glad they’re maintaining the little to no-wait loading deck.

I’ll agree 53rd/6th doesn’t have the best chicken and their rice is just okay (XPL and Steak Truck have better for both), not mind blowing. However, they have better white sauce (you don’t need to unload a whole bottle’s worth like Shendy’s) and their great hot sauce that can’t be compared by the likes of Shendy’s (mild-mannered hot sauce) which turns their halal plate into a flavorful beast. Unlike the white sauce monster of Shendy’s. For $5, I rather have the 53rd/6th chicken/lamb or chicken/kofta platter.

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