53rd & 6th Halal Guys- Theater District NYC Review

The 53^rd & 6^th Halal Guys Cart, affectionately known as CoR (Chicken over Rice) or Chicken and Rice by its fans, is one of the most popular destinations for an eclectic variety of people from all walks of life in the Theater District. Walk by the Hilton Inn across the street from where the cart makes it home every night, and you will see fanatics, first-timers, and those with a simple curiosity just to see what all the fuss is about. And, to tell you the truth, the fuss is quite amazing.

Yes, you may see other similar carts in the immediate vicinity that bear the Halal Guys name and trademark yellow bags, circular tins, and white sauce, but the one at the corner of 53^rd & 6^th Avenue is where it all began, and is really the only way to go. Rumor has it that there is never not a line at the cart, from the moment it opens at around seven in the evening until it closes in the dark recesses of the night at around three. This is not without good reason—at the price you pay for a meat and rice dish, the 53^rd & 6^th Halal Guys Cart is an incredible value, all for $6. The lines are often intimidating—sometimes stretching hundreds of feet away from the cart itself—but as the English phrase goes, “Good things come to those who wait.” And it is coming to you in a circular aluminum tin.

Once the line has been conquered and placed in the rearview mirror, you will actually arrive at the fabled cart, the Holy Grail of New York’s own Middle Eastern fast food. Multiple attendants serve many guests at a time, expediting the movement of the line surprisingly quickly, and these men expect a quick and efficient transaction much in the way of the Soup Nazi a la Seinfeld. So have your six dollars in your hand, and be prepared to spit out your order as fast as possible when the first open cart worker asks you what you would like (besides, this is a notorious spot for panhandlers and con artists, so it is much better for you to not be flashing or even handling spare change out in the open). The choices are incredibly simple—Chicken Platter, Lamb Platter, or Chicken and Lamb Combination Platter, or, for the oddball in your group, the Gyro (in all of my trips to 53^rd & 6^th, I have NEVER ever seen someone order the gyro; it is practically a travesty on the level of ordering a hot dog at Five Guys).

When you have essentially chosen the meat that you want to adorn your meal, the attendant will take the silver circular tin that has salad already prepared within, create a base layer of the cart’s trademark orange rice, then top it off with the chicken or lamb (or both), along with a few slabs of pita bread. The money exchange occurs, and then the fun begins.

At the back of the cart past the attendants reside the string that ties together the whole meal—the incredible sauces that the cart can proudly boast. Its staple is the tzatziki sauce, also tenderly known as “the white sauce” or, slightly less eloquently, “the crack sauce,” is what constitutes the greatest component of the dishes toppings. Although what actually composes this secret sauce remains veiled in mystery, we here at KJB imagine it to be some combination of yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, amongst other spices and various ingredients. Regardless of its nuances, the tzatziki sauce should be applied liberally, preferably covering the entire dish. This is a necessary measure when introducing the next cart sauce—simply known as “the red sauce.” This devilish creation is absolutely not for those who cannot handle spicy food, we cannot stress that enough—a tiny dab consumed is enough to set many tongues on fire. A minute proportion of the famous red sauce goes a long way in adding a level of kick to the dish, while daredevils try their hand at surviving copious amounts of the deadly concoction. Lastly is the wild card sauce of the bunch, the barbeque, which is sweet and smoky, and can really add another dimension to the food. However, the correct proportions of all three sauces truly is a matter of preference that is carefully tweaked and honed over many trips to the cart (don’t worry, you’ll be back, of this we can assure you).

On a scale of one to five, zero being a low score and five being a high score, we rated our experience on an index that includes:

• Flavor
• Value
• Intangibles
• Overall Recommendation.

Flavor—5/5: “The first Halal Guys dish you eat is a special experience. I have grown particularly fond of the chicken and lamb combination for the diversity of the tastes of its two meats. My ideal sauce combination is to completely cover the dish with the white sauce, mix it in, and then repeat once again. From there, I put literally four dots of red sauce equidistant from each other and a drizzle of barbeque across the middle, and stir once more. Believe it or not, the pita with a blend of all three sauces is my favorite part of the meal. It is truly amazing how delectable the ideal combination of all the ingredients makes for a successful platter—if separated into its individual components, it surely would not be as delicious.”

Value—5/5: “You will be hard pressed to find a more filling meal in New York City for $6—that is bang for your buck. That said, you are truly getting what you are paying for; this is by no means a fancy restaurant, it is only a street cart selling street cart food to savvy people looking for affordability and value.”

Intangibles—2/5: “Once again, these are traits inherent to the Halal Guys’ status as a street cart. Obviously, there is no official seating—there is a nearby set of benches and ledges, and there are always the cleanly New York City streets. Eating at 53^rd and 6^th truly does give you that homeless sensation that ‘the world is your dining room’ which is part of the adventure, yet just isn’t that enjoyable when there is a subzero wind chill factor. The area is indeed full of some disreputable characters either trying to peddle their sketchy wares or bum off some of your change; either cave or ignore them, but this is often times an uncomfortable situation. I prefer to have the exact amount of cash on hand simply not to let it be known that I have more money.”

Overall Recommendation—4/5: “Get past all the negatives, because they pale in comparison to just how awesome and tasty the 53^rd and 6^th Halal Guys Cart truly is. The line is well worth the wait, and it moves well no matter how far away you may perceive yourself to be. Portions are huge, the food is greasy and unmistakably from a cart, and the experience as a whole is something that needs to be seen firsthand. The dishes actually reheat nicely, so don’t feel obligated to either finish an entire platter or to throw out leftovers if you can’t finish one.”