Midtown Lunch

There is no limit to the love for a good plate of biryani from a cart, apparently, as several new carts have popped up all over the Financial District lately. One of the latest, NY Express Biryani, made the ballsy move to set up shop right across the street from the Biryani House Cart on William St. (at John). As the weeks went by, I saw the line grow at NY Express and decided it was time to check it out. The menu is fairly broad, including kati rolls, biryani, the usual meats over rice and falafel, and because I’m indecisive I opted to start with the dish the cart is named after.

When I first got a look at the chicken biryani ($6 including a soda) I had my doubts about it. It didn’t look like there was much chicken to be had and the rice looked a little dry, but after two bites my mind was changed.

The chicken was not only plentiful, but bright red from the tikka spices, and because it was dark meat it wasn’t at all dry. The flavor was aided and abetted by white and hot sauce along with a couple of dabs of chutney and sprinkle of fried onion. This was a good plate of biryani and the rice was good too although a tad greasy if that’s a deal breaker in your book (if it is, you should think long and hard about why you’re eating at a street meat cart). There is vegetable biryani on the menu, but when I asked for it was told they only had chicken, so beware vegetarians.

I’m not ready to say this cart is better or worse than Biryani House, but I will say you’ll probably be pleased with the biryani.

NY Express Biryani Cart, corner of William St. and John