Farewell Lunch Tour Day 3: Kwik Meal & Trini Paki Boys

So as painful as it is to say, this is my last week of full time Midtown Lunching. Don’t worry… the site isn’t going anywhere, but I’m moving to L.A. so this week I’m making sure to hit all the places I’ll miss the most. A “Farewell Lunch Tour” if you will. Here’s where I’ll be today…

Day in the Life: Muhammed Rahman

How could I leave Midtown without hitting up the winners of Street Meat Palooza and Street Meat Palooza 2. I had a platter from the Famous Halal Guys on 53rd and 6th recently, so I feel pretty satiated on that front… but it’s been awhile since I hit up Kwik Meal (on 45th and 6th.) And how could I leave Midtown without saying goodbye to the legend that is Muhammed Rahman.

Day in the Life: Muhammed Rahman

Kwik Meal (on 45th and 6th) is known to most as “that cart with the guy from the Russian Tea Room”, but it’s been years since Muhammed was in that kitchen (and he wasn’t even there for that long.) The real secret to Kwik Meal’s success is the lamb… unlike every other street meat cart in Midtown, which serves gyro, Kwik Meal serves real chunks of lamb that have been marinated overnight. And even though it’s more expensive, you get what you pay for. Tender, tasty chunks of lamb covered in a delicious yogurt white sauce (no mayo here!) and a jalapeno based green sauce.

Lamb Pita @ Kwik Meal
Photo courtesy of Bionnicgrrrl

So today, that’s where you’ll find me… chowing down on a lamb pita with white sauce and hot sauce.

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I’m going with the pita rather than the platter so I can save room from some Trini Paki Boys chicken over rice! This cart (on 43rd and 6th) is legendary as well, and was one of the very first street meat carts I wrote about on Midtown Lunch. One of my favorite lunches of the past 3 1/2 years was the day Julia Moskin and I stopped at the cart randomly and she proceeded to unearth all of the mysteries of this unique cart. The origin of the name (the husband is from Pakistan, the wife is from Trinidad), the background of their hot sauce (it’s their take on Trinidadian pepper sauce) and the whole list of other amazing things this cart offers (biriyani, dahi bala, and trini doubles!). Surprisingly they never do well in Street Meat Palooza, but I can’t leave Midtown without one more taste of their famous chicken over rice.

CHX & Rice Cart, 43rd & 6th Ave.

See you there!

Related:
Farewell Lunch Tour Day 2: Biriyani Cart & Kati Roll
Farewell Lunch Tour Stop 1: Ma Peche

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