Kati Roll Battle: Fahima Halal Vs. Biryani Cart

fahima

Kati rolls seem to be everywhere around midtown. There’s the Kati Roll Company (on 39th btw. 5+6th), the Biryani Cart (on 46th and 6th), Indus Express (on 48th btw. 5+6th), Grill 44 (on 44th btw. Lex+3rd), and now Fahima’s Halal Cart– the street meat cart on 45th and 6th run by the brother of Kwik Meal’s Mohammed Rahman.  Their stir-fried noodles were unimpressive, but their biryani was a surprise hit and I even hinted that they could be equal to or even better then the Biryani cart’s well-established version. It’s no surprise that Fahima’s is also cashing in on the kati roll fever. As a steadfast devotee to Biryani’s kati rolls I wondered if Fahima could bring the game in a side-by-side taste test.

Check it out after the jump.

I bought the spicy chicken (and a spicy lamb for gluttony’s sake) from Biryani cart that came with meat, white sauce, grilled onions, lettuce and red and green hot sauce.

The wrap was infinitely buttery, flaky, crispy on the outside like a well grilled white tortilla and inside it had the perfect layering of dough like a croissant.

The Fahima roll was  a complex cornucopia of salty flavors- seasoned in the sinful baptism of the halal griddle. The meat was the same stuff you get on the regular rice platters and came with their green hot sauce, that depending on how much you ask for, will sear your lips. Thankfully Fahima has you covered with a free drink to soothe the burn (available with any meal over $5.)

Their chicken is peppery and well seasoned, but Biriyani had a unique tandoori spice and redness to their chicken that is more distinctive of Indian cooking. But Fahima, unlike Biryani, has cool, tangy tzatziki that you can ask for in your roll and this united with the green chili brings the kati roll to a new level.

Unfortunately the word on the Fahima kati rolls has not spread so there is less turnover and their chapati can taste dry comparatively.

Biryani has the corner market on kati rolls right now and they won’t be usurped. Fahima does have the tzatziki edge on their side but the chicken and chapati just can’t compare to the reigning king. Long live Biryani, so say we all!

Fahima Halal, SW Corner of 45th & 6th Ave., 646-575-3544 (And they have a second cart on 42nd St BTW 9th and 10th ave)

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