Suddenly hankering for shish-taouk (they can call it anything they want) on Boustan’s patio on a balmy Montreal evening.
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Never apologize for a great pun.
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Perhaps a less popular opinion, but I welcome their arrival, their product is better than that of Oasis and the halal cart on Market+1st, assuming the price point remains sane, I’ll gladly line up during the work week.
I went to the one in manhattan a bit ago and didn’t “get it”.
It was late at night, I was fresh off a flight, I had not been drinking. But right now ( as in, there’s a plate and fork in front of me as I type ) I have Sajj for lunch, which I think is only OK, and it’s better than what I remember from Halal Guys.
Halal is not “guys” or a company - it just means “kosher” in Arabic. They call themselves that - but it isn’t the same company as in NY - that is why it tastes different.
Once upon a time when they only had one cart these guys WERE very good. Better than everyone? Doubtful. But location location location…
Back then they did what every other cart does and would grill to order, sauce to order, etc.
ever since they “branded” themselves and added carts downtown etc they no longer grill to order and have a metal box with the meat cooked earlier in there, and tin containers are already packed with the rice (also cooked earlier), and sauces are tiny prepackaged plastic gizmos they put in your bag on the side. Salad is added last minute.
Odds are if you have never had anything like this before ever then you’re not going to know what it should be/could be/once was (ahem tourists). But if you’re not a tourist you should know better and choose another cart that does still cook to order.
Haven’t been and likely will never go to the SF franchise but if they’re doing the same preprepared dumbed down version then I would go elsewhere
The question is, where else does one go for the same exact kind of meal in SF when working along Market St./SoMa/FiDi/lower Tenderloin?
I think most people posting here know what “halal” means. The article says it IS the same guys as NYC, does it not?
Ok, so, I was in Rome - at the termini - and I come across the Halal guys cart - and I go up to the guy and ask if he speaks English right? So, he says, yes, of course. So, I say - are you the same Halal from NYC? So the guy looks at me and says - you NY’ers think the entire world revolves around you. Halal is not a company - it means Kosher in Arabic - we are a kosher kiosk - no relation to the Halal guys in NY.
I, myself, until my trip to Rome, didn’t know what Halal meant - and I just assumed those on this blog didn’t either. No need to be offended - it wasn’t my intention.
Yes, halal is kind of, sort of like the Muslim equivalent of kosher. (It’s not Arabic for kosher).
But “the halal guys cart” is not at all the same as “The Halal Guys.” Branded company, copyrighted, advertised etc etc.
As for the comment of the guy in Rome - if the shoe fits.
Halal Guys has been offering delivery via Caviar for awhile now in SF, but their B&M near Union Square just opened yesterday. I went to check it out today at around 3:30pm and there was a line as expected on their second day open, but it moved fairly quickly. They have a burrito like assembly line system to assemble the bowls. They are open late, until 4am on Friday through Saturday, and 2am other days. Friendly service. Got a combo platter, regular size ($9.99). They also have a small option for a dollar cheaper. I got mine to eat in, and they have bottles of their white and hot sauce in one corner, as well as a bbq sauce that I didn’t try. It’s been awhile since I’ve eaten from the cart in Manhattan, but from what I remember it tasted pretty much the same. Same addictive white sauce, super spicy red sauce, reddish orange colored rice, and meats. Tomatoes and lettuce were fresh too. I think it benefits from the high turnover. Good and filling.
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